Preps Insider: Father-daughter duo leads Blaine's swimming and diving excellence

Kristen Luedtke and her father Dave have re-defined their relationships through a lifetime of swimming.

She observed him through a young girl's eyes as he coached at College of St. Catherine from 1979-1998. She later called him coach when she swam at Blaine High School. A few years later, as Kristen was ending her swimming career at St. Thomas, she pondered taking her turn as a head coach. Dave, who retired from coaching by then, was all for it.

"As I remember, we were having breakfast and I told him I was interested in coaching," Kristen said. "He said, 'When you're ready to start coaching, I am, too."

Kristen was hired for the Blaine job in 2015. She bought her father on as an assistant and used some of his principles to build a consistently competitive program. The Bengals won their fifth consecutive section team title and sent a solid contingent of swimmers to the Class 2A state meet. The event takes place Friday and Saturday at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus.

"We want people to know that Blaine is not a fluke," Kristen said. "Being consistently successful is very much about the girls' hard work and dedication. And it's a gift to have girls with this amount of talent and the desire to compete."

Blaine is represented at state by sophomore Maddie Schrank, senior sister Allison Schrank, eighth-grader Addison Stadden and senior Hanna Ryan in various individual events. The Bengals also have entrants in the 200-yard medley relay and the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

Kristen's philosophies on building a winning program owe in part to Dave's example as a coach.

Sounds familiar to Dave.

"I couldn't be more proud of the way she's handled this team since she's taken over," Dave said. "She relates so well to the girls. She is their biggest champion, yet she holds them accountable. She earns their respect."

As an assistant coach with the Gophers in the mid-1970, Dave said saw those same intangibles in his boss and mentor, the late Jean Freeman.

Father and daughter said their roles have evolved. When Kristen started at Blaine, she sought his reassurance.

"I'd tell him workouts I wrote or the lineups I wanted and I always ended by asking him, 'Right?'" Kristen said. "Now we're in a rhythm as a program. It's nice to have his support. He's engaging with our athletes and helps them with whatever they need."

Their great relationship on deck allows for a little needling.

"He doesn't ever say, 'I told you so,' but I've seen that smirk on his face a couple times," Kristen said.

Dave laughed.