MONROE — The Monroe-New Glarus co-op swim team has found its new coaching staff.

After Linda Moser spent nearly two decades at the head of the program, former pupil Rachel Root will join head coach Kendra Kalvin on the coaching staff this fall.

“These are pretty big shoes to fill. I heard it was a pretty good program,” said Kalvin, who just finished her first year as a first-grade teacher at Parkside Elementary School in Monroe. “The biggest thing is spreading the love of swimming.”

Kalvin swam at Middleton High School and with the Cross Plains Stingrays, but in college she played competitive ultimate frisbee. She currently coaches the Stingrays summer program, and applied for the MNG job after Parkside principal Todd Paradis suggested she throw her hat in the ring.

“I’ve never coached high school before,” Kalvin said. “When I was in high school the focus was on the competitiveness. What I want to do here is find that balance between competitiveness and the love of the sport.”

Root was a state qualifier for the Cheesemakers and qualified for YMCA Nationals three times. She graduated from Monroe in 2013 and went on to compete at Illinois State from 2013-17. She holds the ISU record in the 200-yard backstroke at 2:01.31 and earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honors.

“She’s a big benefit. She went through the program here and has a college background,” Kalvin said of Root. “She has things she likes about the program and others she wants to change. She’ll help out a lot with the technical aspects and our dry land training.”

Kalvin said she herself is more adept for the administrative and competitive strategy rolls, and that the two coaches will have “balancing rolls.”

The coaching staff has already met with the captains for this year’s team, but they don’t plan on any other activities until practice officially begins Aug. 13. The MNG team returns a slew of talent, including 2-time state champion Mekenzie Hammer. Last year, the squad sent competitors to the state meet for five events. Of the 21 returning swimmers from last year’s squad, 12 are from Monroe, with nine hailing from New Glarus.