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Heather Harris, a 2001 Holmen High School graduate, swam collegiately at UW-Stevens Point despite Holmen not having a high school swimming team.

She'll get the chance to coach athletes who have the prep opportunity she didn't this fall when she takes over the reins of the fourth-year Onalaska-Holmen-Aquinas program from Jon Parkhurst.

Parkhurst, who will remain as a social studies teacher at HHS, coached for 15 years in Austin, Texas prior to his time at Holmen. He also coached in the Holmen Hurricanes youth program in the mid-1990s and in La Crosse YMCA programs. Parkhurst was a four-year collegiate swimmer at UW-La Crosse.

“We've gotten the program started and it's going well, and Heather has a good swimming background. But me having three young kids is the biggest issue with me continuing with the team,” Parkhurst said of why he's stepping down. “The time commitment with evening practices is too much.”

Due to lack of their own facility, the team practices until 10 p.m. two days each a week at the La Crosse and Onalaska YMCA's. When school begins the only after-school practice day is Friday's, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Parkhurst said he will remain with the program in a limited capacity as a periodic volunteer assistant.

“If we had our own facility, it would be easier,” Parkhurst said.

Parkhurst coached one athlete to the state tournament, Colleen Tierney in 2006.

“That first year and getting Colleen to state was definitely a higlight,” Parkhurst said. “But the overall growth and continued support of the parents and the swim community also has been a highlight.

“It should grow even more. More girls are starting to look at us vs. the Y program.

“We should have the strongest team in terms of depth in the area this year. And there's the potential to get even better in the coming years. Most of our girls are starting to do a lot of swimming in the summer.”

With a high school progam not an option, Harris parlayed swimming for the YMCA into a four-year career at Stevens Point. Harris teaches gym, health and adapted gym at both Holmen Middle School and Holmen's Evergreen Elementary.

“I want them to enjoy being part of the team,” Harris said of a philosophy of coaching. “I want them to learn how to be better swimmers and be better people.”

As the assistant to Parkhurst the last two years, Harris says she won't make many significant changes.

“We'll continue doing a lot of the same things, but we are going to add in some extra dryland practices,” Harris said. “I'd like to be a better conditioned team.”

Harris said OHA's top returning swimmers could be sophomores Brooke Reynolds and Stephanie Bowman.