Hersey graduate Koclanis joins a deep pool of All-America divers
Diving captures the general public’s attention during events such as the recently concluded Paris Olympics.
To others, such as Hersey diving coach Tom Schwab, it’s a way of life. For Schwab it has been that way for more than 50 years since he first coached the discipline at Northern Michigan University in 1972.
In the college coaching ranks that one year, he came to Township High School District 214 in 1973 and has remained ever since in posts at Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Prospect and Hersey.
“Every single day I look forward to being down there with the kids,” said Schwab, 76, who has no plans to retire. “Seeing the kids get better over a four-year period, there’s nothing like it.”
Being a lifer with that kind of excitement about the sport, Schwab was thrilled when earlier this summer the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association named Hersey all-stater Jacob Koclanis a 2023-24 All-America diver.
Koclanis will be stepping into the No. 1 varsity diving spot this fall at Binghamton University in New York, Schwab said.
He joins past NISCA All-Americans from Hersey such as Ally Blumenfeld, now diving at Iowa State, and Nick Nocita, who last spring graduated from Harvard.
Koclanis is not alone on the NISCA All-America list.
St. Charles East graduate Jake Scalise also earned the award, as did a fellow all-state diver, Rolling Meadows’ graduate Kyren Whiting. Highland Park’s Noam Kulbak, the 2024 Illinois High School Association state champion, also did.
On the girls side, IHSA runner-up Maggie Bendell of Cary-Grove earned NISCA All-America honors, like the state champion, Loyola’s Greta Kavanagh.
An incoming senior who placed third in state diving, Fremd’s Que Genet, is on the list. Also another incoming senior, Stevenson’s Lada Volkov, fifth in state.
More recently, NISCA announced its All-America water polo players.
Naperville North graduate Kelsey Wessel earned first-team NISCA honors, as did Stevenson graduate Olin Kusevskis.
“What shows up,” Hersey’s Schwab said, “is we have a number of All-Americans in our conference. Our conference is unbelievably tough.”
New nickname warranted
At the Paris Olympics, Lake Park graduate Zach Ziemek became the first American to complete three Olympic decathlons.
The 31-year-old, who lives near Madison, Wisconsin, where he attended the University of Wisconsin, had hoped to medal after placing sixth and seventh in the prior two Olympics.
Known on the circuit as “Double Z,” Ziemek hurt his left knee in the second of the 10 events, the long jump. He soldiered on to the end, finishing in 17th place.
Ziemek’s grit and determination impressed his fellow competitors.
“The guys were calling Zach ‘The Iron Eagle’ during the meet,” said Nate Davis, the University of Wisconsin track and field assistant who continues as Ziemek’s multi-events coach. Davis said the injury is not career threatening.
“Best nickname ever,” Davis said.
Congratulations
On Monday, USA Hockey named its 2024 Under-18 Women’s Select Team.
The 25-person squad was chosen after a development camp at the USA Women’s Hockey Festival in Lake Placid, New York.
Among the 12 forwards selected are Kylie Amelkovich of Glen Ellyn, who attends a Minnesota boarding school, Shattuck-St. Mary’s. In April she helped Shattuck-St. Mary’s win a second straight Tier I 19U national title.
Among the 10 defenders is Willowbrook High School senior Sydney Lamb, of Lombard. According to a social media account of hers, she’s committed to play at St. Cloud State.
Amelkovich, Lamb and the 18U Select Team this week are playing a three-game series against Canada in St. Catherines, Ontario, before they play in the International Ice Hockey Federation U18 Women’s World Championship in Finland, Jan. 4-12.
Another stalwart
After seeing last week’s item about the death of former Lake Park High School football coach Bob Monken, a reader noted another veteran who recently passed.
The Daily Herald does not cover Melrose Park, but through the old Private School League many people still may recall Warren Hoger of Walther Lutheran High School, now Walther Christian.
He died June 30 at 94 years old.
An Army veteran, between 40 years at Walther Lutheran and tenures at Concordia University and Triton College, Hoger spent 53 years in education.
A Walther football, wrestling, and track and field coach, Hoger is in the halls of fame of both the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Along with the late Carlin Nalley of Lisle (Hoger also is in the Nalley Track and Field Invitational Hall of Fame) he held the distinction of being one of the first coaches inducted into both of those halls of fame.
The tracks at Walther Christian and Valparaiso University, where Hoger earned an alumni achievement award in 2003, are both dedicated in his name.
“Teach them how to win with dignity and lose with honor,” Hoger once wrote as advice to prospective coaches. That never goes out of style.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com