Osseo put swimmers in the boys' state meet last season for the first time in about a decade, a resurgence led by Nolan Vander Ploeg.
As a sophomore, Vander Ploeg competed in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events and swam a leg of the 200 medley relay. As a junior this season, he has set six pool records and wiped a school record off the books.
Not bad for a guy who started competitive swimming as a seventh-grader. But a strong work ethic made up for what he lacked in experience.
"Typically, when it comes to the impossible, Nolan Vander Ploeg never fails to deliver," said Marshall Abrahamson, Osseo boys' swimming and diving coach.
There is much more to Vander Ploeg than what he does in the water. He has been taking private piano lessons for 10 years and plans to perform at the senior recital next year. He is a lifeguard. He enjoys camping in the Boundary Waters and competing in triathlons.
Vander Ploeg touched on many of these topics with Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque.
Q Did all your success last year push you to train more intensely for this year?
A Well, I was really glad to have made it to state my sophomore year. That was my goal. So I've been working harder to be even better this year. Last summer I swam with my club team, New Hope-Crystal-Plymouth, for the first time because I really was getting serious about my swimming career. God has gifted me with a healthy body to be able to do this so I do work really hard at it.
