Kurtz tabbed new swimming coach

The first day of the brand new actions season all the time brings pleasure to athletes and coaches. Sometimes, the thrill will get amped up when there’s a new face to guide the path of the crew. That is the case with the Perham Yellowjacket Girls Swimming Program. 

Monday introduced change on the prime of the Yellowjacket swim program when Ellen Kurtz took the whistle for the primary day of observe. Kurtz replaces Courtney Skarie, who resigned previous to the 2025 season. 

Skarie helped develop this system throughout her three years on the helm and Kurtz hopes to construct upon that in her tenure with the Yellowjackets. 

“I am so excited to be on this side of the Perham swimming world after coaching with the LAPS program for five years,” Kurtz stated. “Being a part of the high school team, I’m so excited.”

Kurtz, a graduate of Hopkins High School swimming program, received her teaching profession began in Perham with the LAPS Program, which serves because the feeder program for the Perham High School Program. Her time with the LAPS program has helped make the transition simpler for her in her first highschool teaching position. Kurtz labored with Skarie throughout her time as properly and stated she was an individual that has performed an enormous position in her teaching profession. 

“She taught me a lot, “Kurtz said. “I learned a lot from her on what coaching looks like, work out, setting up, talking with the team and I really owe her a lot. In my last two years with LAPS, I was the head coach and that was my time to establish my identity as a head coach, which was awesome.”

Swimmers can count on a whole lot of the identical as they did below Skarie. Kurtz closely believes in being resilient, bouncing again from a troublesome swim or a tough time that may not even be within the pool. She believes in preaching positivity. 

“A positive mindset goes a long way, especially in swimming,” Kurtz stated. “It’s you versus you when you are in the pool, even though you are competing with other swimmers.”

Kurtz stated she is a very huge proponent of simply having fun with and sharing the love for the game. 

“I’m here because I love the sport of swimming and I know these girls are here because they love the sport of swimming,” Kurtz stated. “Obviously, we have goals that we want to accomplish, whether that’s sections or state, but in my book, as long as they are enjoying and giving 100 percent of that effort wherever that effort may lie, we are good in my book.”

Kurtz and Skarie had been planning on getting the group again collectively for the 2025 season, the duo coached along with the LAPS program earlier than Skarie grew to become head coach, nevertheless, that was unable to occur. 

“It’s my time to step up and I’m more than happy to do it,” Kurtz stated. “I’m very happy to continue what she has built for this program and build upon it.”