New Era of Riley Swim and Dive
Written by: Meghan Freitag
Every morning and afternoon, Coach Dennis Molnar walks into the Riley natatorium with a tea in his hand, music blasting, and his trademark smile. He’s the new face of Riley Swim and Dive and he’s brought a new energy with him.
Riley High School’s boys Swim and Dive team was previously coached by John VanDriessche since 2000, later combining with the girls for the 2023-24 season. Brett Mauer began coaching alongside VanDriessche in 2017. Coach VanDriessche moved on to coach at Penn Harris Madison while Coach Mauer started his teaching career here at Riley.
Whole New Coaching Staff
Before the 2024-25 season the Riley high school athletic department was given the challenging task of finding a whole new coaching staff to lead the Wildcats to success. While discussing the matter with our athletic director Mr. Seabe Gavin he had stated the most important thing was that the new coach was “a person who is family oriented”. The wildcats swim and dive team has a steady tradition that has been carried down for many generations.
That tradition is centered around family, considering how much time the athletes spend together having a family-like bond is important. Coach Dennis Molnar took the family very seriously when it came to accepting the position here at Riley. He explained “I always knew I wanted to coach high school swimming. What led to the ultimate decision was my wife, telling her what I would like to do, then we both came to an agreement to jump in.” Molnar brought over his family oriented lifestyle to contribute for the better of the team.
This picture captures coach Dennis as he is focusing on his swimmers competing. Photo credits: Jason Whitmer
Riley dive is something that had been neglected for many years. Finding a consistent diving coach was a huge struggle that never seemed to be accomplished. The position had been mentioned to many different people but it was hard to have someone commit to the position considering its hours and efforts. Coach Stephanie Klemm shared her experience by sharing “I came in from previously coaching at Washington high school, I offered to help when needed, and then I ended up just kind of falling back in line to take the position.” Having her on our staff has become very influential to our divers, who aren't used to consistency.
Coaches have a huge impact on their athletes that's why it was important to find the best possible people to fill the position. You can learn more about what makes a great swim coach here.
Supporting Athletes
Student athletes are some of the most busy and hard working kids out there. It's tough when you put all of your energy into sports and school. The Riley high school swimmers come to practice every single day, sometimes multiple times a day while still staying on top of their school work. Sometimes our athletes can be affected by their performances both in and out of the pool. Our coaches become true mentors on how they show the athletes support. Molnar explained that having fun is the most important thing, “because when we have fun, we do better and we swim faster.” As a coach he values his athletes and wants to make sure they are enjoying the sport they chose to do.
Sometimes hard work can be scary, especially in a sport like diving. Athletes tend to need a push from their coaches to allow themselves to see their true potential. Klemm shared how she deals with nerves and anxiety that her athletes may be facing. stating “you have to start from the beginning, break it back down and almost try to re-teach yourself.” This technique allows the athletes to build up the confidence they need. You can see the Riley high school swim and dive stats here. With more coaches' support in the up coming seasons, the wildcats will be able to have their time to shine.
This picture shows a Riley girl diver being judged while in mid air. Photo credits: Jason Whitmer
Home of the Wildcats
As previously mentioned The Riley swim and dive team lives by the motto of tradition. There have been many different changes over the years but the one thing that has never changed about the environment of the team is that they remain a family. Molnar mentioned that his main goal was to bring the boys and girls closer as a team. “I want to have a team where we are an extended family. I want you to be one team and there's no separation between boys and girls.”
The environment that is being created embraces change while keeping the old traditions. The athletes keep a positive attitude which helps lift up the environment. When being asked to describe the team in one word Klemm described them as “Energetic, they're always hyper, bouncy, and playing around.” It's hard to believe considering they wake up before the sun to come to practice.
This team and the tight bond they have makes them pretty special, Gavin explained just how much that bond meant to him. “The team always reminds me of the conversation I used to have with my mother when I was younger. She used to talk about living in Arkansas, where they would all get together and go swimming in the creek. There was no segregation; they'd all just swim and laugh together." One team can make even the smallest difference in one's life. Gavin enjoys attending swim meets because he loves to see the students having fun together.
This picture captured the 2023 Riley boys swim team posing with Principal Shawn Henderson after winning the IHSAA Boys sectional championship. Photo credits: @RileySwimX
These sports have impacted so many lives. You can check out this article for more information about how swimming can change a life. Riley high school's Swim and Dive team has so many traditions that will last a lifetime. This new era of the team continues to carry those traditions while embracing new ones. The legacy that Riley Swim and Dive has created continues to change lives everyday and will forever live on.
