By Sarah Schulz
sarah.schulz@theindependent.com

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Lane Hickenbottom Scott Usher, who coaches the Grand Island Senior High swim team and the YMCA¹s Quicksilver team, spends much of his time poolside these days, as the GISH swim team prepares to compete in the state tournament next weekend. Lane Hickenbottom Coach Brian Jensen watches over a recent Grand Island Senior High swim practice at the Grand Island YMCA. Click Thumbnails to View

At least according to Olympic swimmer Scott Usher.

"He's a big, nice guy," Usher said. "I'm a living example of what he can do for kids. I wouldn't be where I am today without him."

Jensen coaches Grand Island Senior High School's swim team and the YMCA's Quicksilver team. He began coaching Usher when the young swimmer was just 6 years old. They've stayed in touch over the years and Jensen even traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., to help Usher train for the Olympics in 2004. He plans to be in Omaha for the Olympic trials when Usher tries out for the 2008 team.

In addition to giving Usher a chance to travel the world, swimming is a wonderful opportunity for exercise, fun and making friends all things that Jensen encourages as he coaches.

"I seem to have somewhat of an affinity for it," he said.

Jensen began coaching the YMCA team in 1988 and added the high school team in 1993. He's a swimmer himself and was working at the YMCA when he heard they needed a coach.

"I feel I can make a difference," he said. "It's a chance to mold kids."

He added that his favorite part of the job is "seeing kids achieve levels they didn't think they could."

Jensen can be found standing poolside nearly year-round, in the mornings and late afternoons, his steady voice blending with the splashes and laughs echoing off the walls.

"He makes you work hard," said Miranda Vlach, a Northwest High School freshman.

Ariel Lahowetz, a Northwest senior, agrees. She has been swimming for Jensen for most of her life. She said he's a calm person most of the time but can get excited.

"He has a way with words to get you motivated," Davin Jameson said.

Jameson joined the swim team as a freshman who had barely competed in the sport. Now, as a senior, Jensen said the teen could be a state champion.

"Kids like Davin are the reason you coach," Jensen said.

He jokes with his students that they're like his adopted children. He takes them to meets and watches them grow and mature both as swimmers and as people.

"I get pretty close to them," he said as he gazed out over the pool during a recent practice. "We spend a lot of time together."

Unlike other sports where the athletes may have different coaches from year to year, Jensen stays with his students from elementary school through at least high school. Natural talent doesn't apply to swimming, he said, as there are techniques that must be taught and it is difficult to find one person who knows the things needed to prepare students for competitions.

"You can't learn to be an Olympic swimmer in the backyard," he said.

Kids of all talents have found their way to Jensen's pool. He encourages each and every one of them in the water and out of it, said Kim Rerucha.

Rerucha's son, Ryan, is a senior at Grand Island Senior High. He has been swimming for Jensen since the third grade, so Rerucha has had numerous opportunities to watch Jensen at work.

"Ryan started out barely able to make it across the pool," she said. "But he works with them. He kind of adopted all these kids."

Several of the seniors have noted Jensen was one of the most positive influences in their high school careers during the recent GISH Senior Night, Rerucha said.

"He is a positive, considerate, hardworking, trustworthy role model," she said.

Zelda Shoemaker's daughter, Lauren, a senior at GISH, is also among the 39 students on the high school swim team. She's watched her daughter's techniques develop under Jensen's tutelage since she was 7 years old.

"He's been wonderful," Shoemaker said.

He's supportive and helps keep his students focused. For example, with the state meet coming up this weekend, Jensen wanted Lauren to concentrate more.

"He took away her cell phone because he thought it was a distraction and was stressful," Shoemaker said. "I don't know when she'll get it back. I couldn't get away with that."

As a parent, Shoemaker said she has no problem with Jensen's role in her daughter's life. In fact, she believes the more positive adult role models a child has, the better.

"They have disagreed, argued. But she knows he's just tryng to make her the best swimmer she can be," Shoemaker said.

Not only does Jensen watch from the sidelines, he competes as well. He has participated in the Cornhusker State Games for many years but missed last year because of meets his athletes had at the same time.

"Their stuff is more important than my own personal stuff," he said simply.