{{short description|American Olympic diver and Diving coach}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} '''Dan Laak''' is the head dive coach of the [[University of Georgia]] (UGA) men's and women's [[diving (sport)|diving]] teams. He has also coached internationally as part of the U.S. Olympic dive team coaching staff.<ref name=UGACoachBio>{{cite web |url= http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/laak_dan00.html |title= Dan Laak Biography |publisher= UGA Athletics Department |accessdate= 2014-03-24 |archive-date= 2014-03-24 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140324082944/http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/laak_dan00.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>
==Diving career== Laak dove collegiately at the [[University of Wisconsin–La Crosse]] under head diving coach, Barry Schockmel, and graduated in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in recreation administration. He earned five All-America and Honorable Mention honors. In October 2003 Laak was inducted into the Wisconsin-LaCrosse Athletic Wall of Fame.<ref name=UGACoachBio/><ref name=Laak_101703>{{cite web |url= http://onlineathens.com/stories/101703/dog_dive.shtml |title=Laak to join UW-L hall of fame |work=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |date=October 17, 2003 |publisher=[[Morris Communications]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref><ref name=Laak_040108>{{cite web |url= http://onlineathens.com/stories/040108/swimming_2008040100550.shtml |title=Laak awarded NCAA diving's national coach of year |work=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |date=April 1, 2008 |publisher=[[Morris Communications]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref>
==Coaching and professional career== The 2013-2014 season marks Laak's 27th year as a coach for UGA. During his coaching tenure at UGA, he has been named National Coach of the Year twice (2006, 2008) and SEC Dive Coach of the Year three times (2001, 2005, 2006).<ref name=Laak_042006>{{cite web |first= Megan |last= Harrison | url = http://www.redandblack.com/sports/diver-and-coach-win-top-honors/article_544790cd-c580-5778-8120-0f83b7c106aa.html | title = Diver and coach win top honors | publisher = [[The Red and Black|The Red and Black Publishing Company, Inc.]], Athens, GA. | date = 2006-04-20 | accessdate = 2014-03-24}}</ref><ref name=Laak_042108>{{cite web |url= http://columns.uga.edu/news/article/laak-national-coach-of-the-year/ |title=Dan Laak, National Coach of the Year |date=April 21, 2008 |publisher= [[University of Georgia]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref> He has also served twice as a coach for the United States Olympic dive team (2008, 2012).<ref name=UGACoachBio/><ref name=Laak_042601>{{cite web |url= http://onlineathens.com/stories/042601/dog_0426010049.shtml |title=SEC honors Georgia's Bauerle, Laak, Campbell |work=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |date=April 26, 2001 |publisher=[[Morris Communications]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref><ref name=Laak_071612>{{cite web |url= http://columns.uga.edu/news/article/laak-national-coach-of-the-year/ |first=Sara |last=Freeland |title=Fun and Games: UGA athletes, coach among those headed to London for summer Olympics |date=Jul 16, 2012 |publisher= [[University of Georgia]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref><ref name=UGASwimDiveMediaGuide2014>{{cite web | url = http://issuu.com/georgiadogs/docs/2014_media_guide/7?e=1295612/5258984 | page=5 | title = University of Georgia Swimming & Diving 2014 Media Guide: | publisher = [[University of Georgia]], Athens, GA. | date = 2013 | accessdate = 2014-03-24}}</ref>
In 2008 Laak served as a United States dive team coach during the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing, China]] and National Team Coach at the USA Grand Prix.<ref name=UGACoachBio/><ref name=Laak_070808>{{cite web |url= http://onlineathens.com/stories/070808/sports_20080708014.shtml |title=Bauerle keeps busy with multiple Olympic responsibilities |work=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |date=July 8, 2008 |publisher=[[Morris Communications]] |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref> That same year Laak was named the NCAA diving national coach of the year after coaching UGA men's diver [[Chris Colwill]] to a first-place finish on the 1-meter springboard and two second-place finishes on the 3-meter and platform events and UGA women's diver Hannah Moore to a fourth-place finish on 3-meter spring-board.<ref name=Laak_040108/> For the 2009 [[FINA Diving World Series]], Laak served as a National Team Coach/Team Leader.<ref name=Laak_051409>{{cite web | url = http://www.redandblack.com/sports/georgia-diving-coach-to-serve-as-usa-assistant/article_89a48198-25fe-53e2-b6d8-7e454c98c722.html | title = Georgia diving coach to serve as USA assistant | publisher = [[The Red and Black|The Red and Black Publishing Company, Inc.]], Athens, GA. | date = 2009-05-14 | accessdate = 2014-03-24}}</ref>
Laak judged the [[Universiade|World University Games]] in [[Yugoslavia]] in 1987 and [[Spain]] in 1999. He served as a diving coach at the 1990 [[U.S. Olympic Festival]] and as a judge at the 1993 [[U.S. Olympic Festival]]. From 1997 to 2000, Laak was the Chairman of the NCAA Diving Rules Committee.<ref name=UGACoachBio/>
==See also== {{Portal|Biography|Olympics}} * [[Georgia Bulldogs]] * [[Diving (sport)|Diving]]
==Notes== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laak, Dan}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:University of Wisconsin–La Crosse alumni]] [[Category:College diving coaches in the United States]] [[Category:Georgia Bulldogs coaches]] [[Category:Georgia Bulldogs swimming and diving]] [[Category:Olympic coaches for the United States]] [[Category:American male divers]] [[Category:American diving coaches]]