The Epic Tale of the 1985 Minnesota High School Swimming Champions
This week the Moonlight Graham Show takes a dip, and we aren’t talking about the Thanksgiving appetizers. What better time for our first episode about swimming than just as the first rounds of snow hit the ground? Tim sits down with Paul Jensen and Don Appleby of the 1985 Minnesota state swimming champions from Burnsville High School. This team was a true underdog story.
Minnesota might be the land of 10,000 lakes, but most think of fishing, recreational swimming, and frozen lakes for ice hockey more than racing lanes. “Swim or die” is a Minnesota mantra because of how much time is spent around water. Every little kid needs to learn to swim just for safety. But Paul Jensen and Don Appleby went from being swimmers to champions in the mid-1980s and credit their teammates and their legendary coach for making that jump.
In 1984, the Burnsville swim team set the goal of qualifying for the state meet. The qualifying times were very fast, so making it to state was an achievement in itself. That 1984 Burnsville team finished 22nd in the state and was very accomplished. That changed the expectations for the 1985 season, though.
Paul and Don were part of that 1984 squad and entered the 1985 season as a senior and junior, respectively. Coach Dennis Dale had been an all-Big Ten and All-American swimmer at the University of Minnesota in the 1960s. After his time at Burnsville, Dale won Big Ten titles as the head coach at the University of Minnesota in the 1990s and 2000s. Paul and Don consider Dale one of the best leaders they have ever seen in any field. His coaching philosophy, expectations in the weight room, and the way he ran a practice were what helped to set their team apart.
This episode tells the glory-days story of how the Burnsville underdogs went from 22nd in the state to the top of the podium. The lifelong relationships, life lessons, and memories of that season shaped these teenage guys and helped them lead successful careers in the Navy and their professional careers. There is nothing like a good high school story to kick off Thanksgiving weekend.
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Every Iowa sports fan knows the reputation of Harlan Community High School. The Harlan Cyclones are known far and wide for their success in every sport. Coach Bladt and the football program built a foundation of success that the entire community rests on. There is a lot of pride in the school colors and full bleachers whenever they take the field or court. Mitch Osborn has helped to continue that success in his roles as AD and head basketball coach. This week we sit down with Coach Osborn to learn about his career and what makes Harlan so darn special.