Divers acquire new talent in head coach

Ali Miller/Staff Writer

The CFHS women’s diving team has recently acquired a new head coach in South Carolina transplantVic Laughlin, and he can definitely teach the lady Tiger divers a thing or two about their form.

Laughlin’s experience includes diving for Lower Richland High School, in Lower Richland, South Carolina and at the University of South Carolina. Then, he dove for the U.S. Navy and Marine Co. Olympic team and was a two-time all American. Laughlin even placed third at Nationals.
After coaching for Lower Richland High School, Waterloo East, and UNI, he now joins the Tigers.

“This season I want the girls to have fun diving and to be all they can be, to teach the divers how to set goals and achieve those goals. The main thing is to enjoy the sport and teach them how to win. And winning is just a state of mind,” Laughlin said.

Sophomore Alea Pollock, a recent transfer from Grinell, is one of the three new divers this season. Her mom is also the new diving coach at UNI.
Laughlin’s goals are to send at least half of the girls to state this year. Junior Lauren Halloran went along with Bethany Olson last year, and placed seventh. Laughlin is expecting her to place high this year, especially since everyone who placed above her has graduated.

”We work hard up to the day before a meet. We taper, just like swimmers do, and only do about two dives per diver that day,” Laughlin said. This is compared to the 75 total that they usually do.

Primarily, Laughlin expects the girls to do their best.