BY HERMAN LENSING
Staff Writer
Shanda (Larsen) Wolch has found a place she belongs and it is where she started her athletic career in Holdingford.
Somewhat forgotten is that while the Holdingford 2002 graduate was a record setting and state level track runner in the early 21st century at Holdingford, she actually started her athletic career as a diver with the swim team.
"I was a diver my seventh grade year," she said. "In eighth grade, I ran cross-country, but from the ninth grade to my senior year I dove."
She got into the sport because of a friend, and as it turned out fellow track star, Taunja (Disher) Warga. Both of them had been in dance and gymnastics while in elementary school. When they entered junior high, gymnastics became tougher to attend.
"Taunja was a diver and suggested I come out for diving," said Wolch. "I loved it, I could do twists, flips, and somersaults."
When she competed in the section diving and meet her senior year, it was the last time she considered diving. She went on to a college track career at North Daota State University, married, and seriously considered trying out for the Olympics.
"I was married to my ex-husband when we moved to Nebraska," she said. "I though of trying out for the Indian Olympic team, I have dual citizenship. but then my daughter, Jada, was born."
After a divorce, she moved back to Minnesota, earned an RN BSN degree, married Jesse Wolch, and then had a second child, a son (Tatum). Her life had settled down a bit as she started work as an OBGYN RN at CentraCare Women's and OB Clinic at the CentraCare Health Plaza in St. Cloud.
"I have a wonderful support system here," she said about moving back to the area that allows her to see her mother, brother and old friends.
One of them was Warga who wondered if Wolch was interested in coaching diving. It came of all places after a Sunday service.
"She told me after a service that I might be getting a call from the school-to be a diving coach. I hadn't dove since my senior year."
She didn't exactly jump at the chance, but did consider it seriously enough that she discussed the possibility with her husband and Warga. There were a few things that had to be worked out, including her work and family schedule.
"I told them if we could make it work around my and my family's schedule, I was in," said Wolch. "They were able to do so, even though it meant the divers would need to come in on Monday night and Saturday morning practices."
Wolch has found she likes being the coach at her alma mater. In some respects she sees her divers as being a bit braver than she was when she took up the sport.
"I am so inspired by our team. They are almost doing it (training to dive) the old fashioned way," she said. "They're not from a gymnastics program and not all have a dance background. Some have not been to a diving camp. However, they are willing to work, train and learn. Wolch said at times she is willing to take to the pool to demonstrate how to do a dive.
"Teaching is harder than I anticipated," she said. "But muscle memory remains. The body still knows what to do."
Diving, unlike the rest of a swim meet, is not based on speed, but on how well a diver executes a twist, turn, etc. and enters the water. Timing is also a key.
"Early on, a few of them smacked the water," said Wolch. "That hurts."
During the year she has seen progress from her divers Paige Gerads, Taylor Koopmeiners, Taylor Pogatchnik, Clara Pflueger and Elizabeth Waytashek.
"There are three on varsity and two learning," she said. "Hopefully we will have more out next year."
One part to the sport Wolch has had to learn is how to judge how well a dive is executed. During the meets in a season, she is one of the judges.
"I get more nervous about judging that I do coaching," she said. "Usually though I am within a half point of the other judges."
She helps calm those nerves by continuing a practice she had when diving and running for the Huskers.
"One cool thing the girls came to me and said yesterday was, they were happy that I lead them in a short prayer prior to each diving competition and they are glad I have them shake the other dive team's hands prior to the start of the diving competition," she said. "I feel it shows good sportsmanship, just like when I was in sports."
As weeks went by Wolch has seen the divers improve, a thrill for any coach. What she is really happy about is that she helps teach that improvement in her alma mater.
"It was fun traveling all over, but after awhile, you figure out where your heart truly belongs. I feel God has placed me in the right place at the right time. In that, I am blessed to have this opportunity to work with the youth within our community."