When synchronized swimming coach Linda Gust heard about her recent induction into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame,she said she felt grateful to be recognized as an accomplished coach.

“I (was) totally excited (to be inducted), I knew I had been nominated, I had actually been nominated a few years ago. It’s nice that someone felt I gave enough to synchronized swimming and sports to get nominated,” Gust said.

Freshman Maya Lee, who has swam for Gust since she was in seventh grade, said Gust works closely with athletes and works to improve their skills.

“She always make a lot of corrections, which always help me. And she’s also just a very nice coach, she’ll always help you out with what you need,” Lee said.

Gust says that her goal, with the athletes she coaches, is to make sure they better themselves and take their experience into adulthood

“It’s a process from seeing where they are now and where they are going. We even talk with them about goals and setting their own goals for where they should be. Relative to being that balanced, responsible adult when they leave high school. So having that environment of having a place to grow,” Gust said.

Junior Hope Cassman credits Gust for setting goals for swimmers and making sure they are always improving.

“She pushes us pretty hard to do our best and is always workin us to make we can do our best,” Cassman said.

Gust believes that her method of coaching is what has led to her success with athletes, because her methods give the athletes new life-lessons.

“My philosophy of coaching, it’s always been for me more about the life lessons that people take with them from sports and not so much about whether you win or lose,” Gust said. “So relative to my coaching, it’s not win at all costs, it’s making sure athletes are learning to be good leaders, teamwork and other life skills.