SPORTS WRAP
Owatonna dance team has a new head coach. Emma Paquette has served as junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant coach over the last four years and competed with Faribault for six seasons.
She’s enjoying the sport from the coaching side. “It’s just fun to see the difference between the kids when they’re actually performing versus in practice. Because some of them are really quiet, but as soon as they hit the floor, they’re a completely different person. They just own it,” said Paquette.
The main goal stays the same. “We focus on making good people first and then good dancers.”
And dance well they did, taking second at the conference meet hosted at OHS in January. “The team’s goal is always to make the coaches cry. I never ever cry, but that day I did… I’ve never seen them dance like that before and it was the coolest thing,” she said.
Having 10 seniors on the squad added to the emotion as many of them started on the team the same time she did. Paquette loved the fan support with a “wall of blue.”
The offseason has changed due to a rule imposed by the Minnesota State High School League. “They’re taking away the spring try-outs because no other winter sport gets that. But no other winter sport is like dance at all.”
She says they’ll hold a clinic to get an idea on how many athletes to expect and will still participate in the homecoming parade and perform at a football game.
The senior dancers and coaches have already brainstormed their performance for next season. It will be very upbeat. “I think we’ve finalized our ideas. It will be really exciting when we get to show that to all the team.
“They honestly come up with 90% of it. The coaches just clean it up. It’s really cool being able to see their ideas come to life and then they like the dance even more because it came from them,” said Paquette.
Owatonna has a great number of kids getting into dance at the local studios, which is highlighted during the annual community day program. “It’s fun to be able to see them interested at such a young age already. And it’s fun for the coaches to see a glimpse into the next few years.”
Former head coach Nikki Gefre will stay on as strength coach. “There’s a lot of band work in the fitness center, making sure specific muscles are stronger. Because dancers use such specific parts of their bodies,” Paquette told Owatonna Live.
The verdict is in
OHS had a pair of “outstanding” award winners at the state mock trial competition in early March. Ayoub Farah won as an attorney and Veronica Morales won as a witness. As a team, Owatonna finished 11th out of the 16 qualifying schools.
Advisor Sam Ashton wrote in an email, “I think we brought the best we could to state. The students worked really hard preparing prior to the tournament.”
Save the dates
Owatonna High School’s performance of Mamma Mia is among the selections to be highlighted during the Showcase Spotlight at the State Theater in downtown Minneapolis on June 9. OHS Theater’s Newsies was part of the same celebration a year ago.
Former OHS boys basketball players and supporters are invited to a get together with former head coach Len Olson on Saturday, June 28 from 3-5 p.m. at Torey’s Restaurant.