Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Timeout with … Hannah Kohagen
Senio | Kamiak swimming
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Mike Cane / The Herald PUBLICATION DATE: Tuesday, Oct. 6 CUTLINE INFO A four-year varsity team contributor, senior Hannah Kohagen is a co-captain of the Kamiak High School girls swimming squad. Kohagen's main events are the freestyle sprints, which she said give her a big adrenaline rush, but she also competes in the 100-meter butterfly. She takes several advanced-placement classes, has a 3.7 grade-point average and volunteers with her church youth group. Hannah hopes to attend Brigham Young University.
Swimming can feel like a gravity-defying ride at an amusement park, says Hannah Kohagen, who swims primarily sprint events.
“It's just down and back and you're done. It's so short, but there's a lot to it because you have to have the perfect dive and perfect flip turn,” said Kohagen, a four-year varsity contributor. “It's just like a rush and then you're done, almost like coming down from the (peak) of a rollercoaster.”
A swimmer since age 8, Kohagen wants to compete in college and hopes to end up at her dream school in Utah. The aspiring teacher enjoys studying English and science, volunteers with her church youth group and loves Taco Del Mar burritos.
Coach's corner
Talk about being open-minded. Kohagen is primarily a sprinter but swims anything the team needs, Kamiak coach Chris Erickson said. A member of two relay teams that qualified for the 2008 state meet, Kohagen has a positive attitude and is totally committed, Erickson said. She has never missed a team workout, even voluntary ones.
Fly away
The 100-yard butterfly event is grueling because the stroke is difficult, but Kohagen enjoys it. “There's a lot of strength involved in the butterfly,” she said, “and I've always had that. It was really enjoyable to win at that event. It really is the most draining and the hardest.”
Rise and shine
Where are you at 4:45 a.m. on a weekday? That's when Kohagen wakes up. Not satisfied with afternoon practices, she does morning pool workouts that start at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “It really sets my tempo for the day,” Kohagen said, “because if I didn't have it then, I just go to school and I'm half asleep for first period.”
Proudest pool moment
Kohagen hopes to qualify for the state meet as an individual and a relay member this year. The senior will never forget when she earned her first trip to state, as a sophomore on Kamiak's 200 freestyle relay. “I remember our whole relay was hugging and jumping up and down afterwards,” she said. “We were all crying because it was so cool.”
Studious swimmer
With a 3.7 grade-point average and a schedule packed with advanced-placement classes, Kohagen hopes to be accepted by her dream school, Brigham Young University. Kohagen, a Mormon whose parents attended BYU, wants to become a middle school teacher.
Helping others
During her sophomore year Kohagen and members of her church sewed several hundred blankets that were delivered to needy families around the world. Kohagen also volunteers with her youth group, pulling weeds and cleaning gardens for elderly people in her neighborhood.
“It's just down and back and you're done. It's so short, but there's a lot to it because you have to have the perfect dive and perfect flip turn,” said Kohagen, a four-year varsity contributor. “It's just like a rush and then you're done, almost like coming down from the (peak) of a rollercoaster.”
A swimmer since age 8, Kohagen wants to compete in college and hopes to end up at her dream school in Utah. The aspiring teacher enjoys studying English and science, volunteers with her church youth group and loves Taco Del Mar burritos.
Coach's corner
Talk about being open-minded. Kohagen is primarily a sprinter but swims anything the team needs, Kamiak coach Chris Erickson said. A member of two relay teams that qualified for the 2008 state meet, Kohagen has a positive attitude and is totally committed, Erickson said. She has never missed a team workout, even voluntary ones.
Fly away
The 100-yard butterfly event is grueling because the stroke is difficult, but Kohagen enjoys it. “There's a lot of strength involved in the butterfly,” she said, “and I've always had that. It was really enjoyable to win at that event. It really is the most draining and the hardest.”
Rise and shine
Where are you at 4:45 a.m. on a weekday? That's when Kohagen wakes up. Not satisfied with afternoon practices, she does morning pool workouts that start at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “It really sets my tempo for the day,” Kohagen said, “because if I didn't have it then, I just go to school and I'm half asleep for first period.”
Proudest pool moment
Kohagen hopes to qualify for the state meet as an individual and a relay member this year. The senior will never forget when she earned her first trip to state, as a sophomore on Kamiak's 200 freestyle relay. “I remember our whole relay was hugging and jumping up and down afterwards,” she said. “We were all crying because it was so cool.”
Studious swimmer
With a 3.7 grade-point average and a schedule packed with advanced-placement classes, Kohagen hopes to be accepted by her dream school, Brigham Young University. Kohagen, a Mormon whose parents attended BYU, wants to become a middle school teacher.
Helping others
During her sophomore year Kohagen and members of her church sewed several hundred blankets that were delivered to needy families around the world. Kohagen also volunteers with her youth group, pulling weeds and cleaning gardens for elderly people in her neighborhood.
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