Coach Cherie Langland
Next Wednesday, 45 sharks will take to the water at The Beach Ottumwa and make history.
The OHS Shark Club, the recently revived synchronized swimming program, will host their first performance in over 25 years at The Beach Ottumwa on Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. The event is called, "OHS Studios present 'Shark Club II: The Legend Continues.'" Using a movie theme, spectators are encouraged to arrive early and walk the red carpet. Papparazzi will be on hand to photograph people as they enter the pool area. Photos taken can be ordered online after the event.
Shark Club has been a goal for Cherie Langland for the past three years. Langland, who participated in Shark Club while at OHS, was hired as the district's girls swim coach in 2014. After convincing OHS athletic director, Mike Egbert, to let her start a club in December, she hit the ground running. Along with volunteers Jennifer Keith and Dana Lippincott, the group held their first practice in early March.
As in the past, the OHS Shark Club is meant to be fun. Swimmers learn basic stunts, formations, then break into groups and begin developing routines. All this culminates into a performance in May. None of the 45 swimmers had experience in synchronized swimming. "Its been kind of a building process," said Langland. The group has two official practices a week. For students in spring sports, the club volunteers arrange other practices so that Shark Club doesn't conflict.
OHS junior, Olivia Bohlmann, has enjoyed learning synchronized swimming. "I like the gracefulness of swimming and thought it was a really cool opportunity," said Bohlmann. "Not a lot of schools in Iowa have this opportunity. It is a neat memory to make."
Originally the plan was to only offer the activity to high school students but word of mouth resulted in two groups from Evans Middle School joining. They will also perform next Wednesday.
Fundraisers helped fund suits for the performance and the OHS drama department has let the club borrow lots of props, as well as spot lights. All swimmers are dressed "on land" and perform land routines prior to entering the water. "Come with expectations of being entertained," said Langland. Groups range from a solo act to a group of eight and everything in between. The performance will open with "Harry Potter."
During a performance break, former OHS Shark Club members will be recognized.
Langland has reaped two benefits from the experience. She hopes to continue to build the girls swim team. Already two Shark Club members have expressed interest. Meeting a lot of new high school students is the other. "We've had so much fun getting to know each other," she said.
Bohlmann agrees. She has found that the common experience of learning something new has created a unique bond with the other Shark Club participants. And she has learned to be more comfortable in the water and improved her diving skills by learning different entrances into the water.
"I'm really glad we brought it back," Bohlmann said. "It is so fun. I have a class in the library and found pictures of Shark Club from 20, 30, 50 years ago in old yearbooks. Now we can be part of the generation that brings it back."
