Double Teamed

Diving coach guides both Colony and Wasilla

By DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman

WASILLA - Is he a Knight or a Warrior?

If you cut him, will he bleed Wasilla red or Colony green?

When it comes to Larry Smith, the answers to those questions are unclear.

But what is certain is that he has managed to develop what might be the top boys and girls' high school diving teams in the state. Alone, that is an impressive accomplishment.

But he has done it while coaching divers from two different schools. As the coach of both the Colony and Wasilla diving teams, Smith enjoys the success of both teams.

&#8220Sometimes it's hard,” Smith said of coaching both schools. &#8220But I just approach it like I'm coaching the divers and not either team. I focus on helping each diver reach their potential and do their best. Having a good team at each school is just a side effect of that approach.”

Recently, the Wasilla boys placed three divers in the top-10 of the Bartlett-Chugiak Invitational meet, which featured competitors from 18 different schools. The largest diving-only competition during the season. It was the second straight year the Warriors won the team title

Smith left the meet with a trophy under both arms, as the Colony girls also won the team title, led by individual champion Emily Whitstine.

&#8220I'm just proud of both teams,” Smith said after the meet. &#8220But we could have done better.”

How is it possible for a coach to expect a team to do better than winning?

Smith explained the Wasilla boys had two divers unable to compete in the meet because of previous commitments, and the Colony girls had one of its top divers out recovering from an injury.

Rather than holding separate practices for the two teams, Smith brings all the divers together for a combined practice twice a week. He has even broken the group into a varsity and JV squad, because there are 24 divers on the combined team.

&#8220It's just easier to do it that way instead of manage one practice for each team,” Smith explained. &#8220I know it's not typical for two teams to practice together. But it's also not typical for two teams to have the same coach.”

The shared practices have resulted in a strange team unity among the divers from the two schools.

&#8220It's like we're all on the same team,” Colony diver Emily Whitstine said. &#8220We all support each other, it doesn't matter if you wear a green swim suit of a red one, you're a diver.”

Combined practices also have produced a friendly competition during practices, leading to divers attempting more difficult dives in an effort to set themselves apart from the rest of the team.

&#8220It's really a good situation,” Smith said. &#8220Some will get a tough dive, and everyone else on the team works hard to equal their teammate.”

According to Smith, the competition is not limited to the boys.

&#8220After winning the Skyview Invitational Saturday, Erin (Hogan) was disappointed,” Smith said. &#8220He wasn't happy because Emily (Whitstine) still beat him.”

Smith got his start coaching diving when his daughter, Renee, was on the Chugiak High team seven years ago.

Working under the tutelage of coach Art Saltmarsh, who produced seven state champions in the last 15 years, he learned how to teach young divers.

Smith took over coaching at Wasilla during his daughter's sophomore year at Chugiak in 1999, determined to develop a strong diving program for the Warriors.

A year later, he was asked by Colony head swim team coach Dawn Brettrager to coach the Knights divers as well.

There was even one year during the stretch when Smith coached Palmer High School divers, too.

During the off season he works with several members of both team, as part of a USA-Diving club program.

Smith said he avoids favoring one team over another, by coaching individuals instead of a team.

&#8220I don't really care which diver or which school wins,” Smith said. &#8220Diving is an individual sport. I just want to see each diver to do their best.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.

breese@frontiersman.com.