​Eagles look to repeat success of 2022 season

by Michael Smith
 

The Grain Valley swimming and diving program will enter its fifth year in existence in 2023.
 
Last year was perhaps the best season yet for the boys team.
 
The Eagles took all nine of their swimmers and divers to the 2022 Missouri High School Boys State Swimming and Diving Championships
 
Kollin Hansuld became just the second Eagle to earn all-state honorable mention honors as he took 13th place in the 1-meter diving event with a score of 312.95. The Eagles qualified another diver in Gage Wright and the 200-meter free relay team of Evan Reich, Mason Enlow, Wright and Landon Gilbert also competed on Missouri’s biggest stage.
 
The Eagles hope to repeat that success in 2023 as the team has been participating in conditioning sessions over the summer at the Blue Springs South Aquatic Center.
 
Currently, they have six swimmers and divers combined that have been getting work in the pool the past two months but the swimmers and divers are looking to recruit more students into the fold.
 
Hansuld is just one competitor who has been hard at work over the summer. He said he’s been working on the basics in regard to his diving technique.
 
“This is my last shot at it, so I am looking for more progression this year,” said Hansuld, who is a senior. “I have to push Gage, too, he’s a sophomore. I got to push the team to make the legacy for the upcoming divers.
 
“I have been working a lot on my approach. I want to make sure that it’s comfortable and fluid. I just need a little more practice and I will be good to go for the start of the season.
 
During the conditioning sessions, Hansuld said he likes to be like a second coach to Wright.
 
“I like to help him focus on the mental aspect of diving,” Hansuld said. “I don’t give him a hard time but I make sure to remind him to slow down and breathe. Just focus on one dive at a time. You can be in great physical form, but a lot of it is mental.”
 
Sophomore Hayden Harshman was an alternate for the 200 free relay team last season at state, and he said he hopes that he can help the Eagles make it back in 2023.
 
Since the Eagles have an even smaller team this year, he will be competing in numerous events including 100 free, the 100 breaststroke, the 50 free and will be a part of two relay teams.
 
One of his goals coming into the season is to break the school record for the 50 free, and that’s because of one special reason.
 
“My dad (Matthew Harshman) was a 50 free sprinter and he held a record at William Chrisman,” Harshman said. “He had it for maybe 25 to 30 years. I want to lower my time and beat his time of 22.9 seconds.”
 
The Eagles have also been working on the relays, too, as they have big goals for those events.
 
“We have been working on relay starts and jumping on the block,” Harshman said. “We just want to lower our time in general. We want to get the 200 medley relay to state. It would be awesome to get both relays to state.”
 
Added Hansuld: “I think we can get everyone to state. Hopefully we can get more freshmen to join, too.”