Ronning reflects on state

• Rebecca and Kathy Ronning

Rebecca Ronning, with her mom and diving coach, Kathy. Rebecca recently competed in the state diving meet. Matt Suoja

Talk about it

Two Harbors sophomore Rebecca Ronning may not have made it out of the preliminary rounds at the state diving meet last week, but she can look back on the experience and be proud.

She went up about 14 points from last year’s score at state in the preliminary round.

“I was really happy,” Ronning said with four out her five preliminary dives going better than expected, she said.

The scoring was tight, she said.

“They are very tough,” Ronning said with a smile. “They have no heart.”

Kathy Ronning, her mother and diving coach, said divers in the region don’t have the same opportunities that other divers have, with the various expertise of some top-tier coaches in the Twin Cities area.

Nerves were not a problem for Rebecca this year, compared to her last state appearance.

“She had a lot more fun this year,” Kathy said. “She had the best and loudest cheering section there, hands down.”

No matter what, Rebecca wants to get another dive at state.

“I really want to be a competition to the girls next season,” she said.

In order to get to that point, Rebecca vows to train even harder for next season.

“I want to be at their level next year,” she said.

She wants to work on dives that are more difficult.

“I’m really excited for next year,” she said.

If you go

Diving class

- If you want to learn the sport of diving from Kathy and Rebecca Ronning, they will have a diving class offered through community education beginning at 5 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Two Harbors High School pool. It is for those in grades six and lower. For more information, or to sign-up, visit www.isd381.k12.mn.us/CommunityEd/html/index.html or call 834-8201, ext. 8230.

Tags: two harbors, sports, swimming