The Park High swim and dive program will have a new look this season on deck as Arachi O’Brien replaces previous head coach Will Arnsparger. O’Brien is Park’s third swim and dive head coach in three years as Arnsparger took over for longtime coach Amanda Johnson for just one season with the Wolfpack.

A 2023 Park grad and former Wolfpack swimmer for six seasons, O’Brien takes over a relatively young Park team with some veterans returning and lots of talented younger swimmers ready to make more of a varsity splash. O’Brien is taking a gap year from her college studies.

“When I was told that the coaching position had yet to be filled like a month before the season started, I decided why not,” O’Brien said. “I had always planned on coaching actually. I’ve been helping out with a swim training program that we also have here in the community ed, so I have a couple of years coaching experience. But this is super different.”

One interesting part of her new role at Park is that some of the older girl swimmers will now have had O’Brien both as a teammate and now a head coach.

“I was definitely worried about it before coming in, I was wondering if they would see me as a coach or just like as a friend,” O’Brien said. “But they’ve been really good about it. They’ve been very respectful, and they trust me, which is good.”

Park lost some good swimmers off last year’s team, such as Alayna Faletti, Zoe Pfeiffer and Ellie Imdieke.

But the Wolfpack also return a ton of talented younger swimmers such as eighth graders Chloe Micek, Evelyn and Grace Sahli, juniors Katelynn Norgaard and Eraya Nybakken. Micek made the section finals in both the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Grace Sahl finished sixth in the finals in the breaststroke (1:13.68).

Captains are Ava Elton and Alice Wood.

“I am hoping to create a lot of more like technique and knowledge-focused athletes,” O’Brien said. “I feel of coaches take the approach of just do what I say because I know more. But I don’t think that creates knowledgeable athletes and I think knowledgeable athletes turn into really, really good athletes. So, I’m hoping to push that some more.

“Obviously I’m hoping to get the girls to drop some times, meet their goals, try and do a little better than last season,” O’Brien said.

All home meets are at the Cottage Grove Middle School pool.

Thursday, Aug. 21 at Conference relays

Thursday, Aug. 28 at White Bear Lakr

Thursday, Sept. 4 Cretin-Derham Hall

Thursday, Sept. 11 at Woodbury

Saturday, Sept. 13 at Tartan Invitational

Thursday, Sept. 18 Irondale

Thursday, Sept. 25 at East Ridge

Thursday, Oct. 2 at Forest Lake

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Simley Invitational

Thursday, Oct. 9 Stillwater

Tuesday, Oct. 14 at Roseville

Thursday, Oct. 23 Mounds View