Alex Cooper likes to figure out how things work. This is what he focused on academically, which helped him become a better swimmer.
Thomas Worthington junior set a new high in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke in the state competition last year, ranking third with five swimmers in both competitions.
Cooper, who suffers from achondroplasia (a short-limbed dwarfism), hopes to enter the field of engineering or computer science in the future.
"I really like engineering, but I also like to work with a computer," he said. "I just like figuring out how things work."
Cooper entered the Worthington Swimming Club to swim in the eighth grade through his brother Calvin, a second-year diver for the Cardinals.
"When you first start swimming, you really have to figure out the different strokes and how to apply the technique to all of them," he said.
In the past few years, he has been reducing time. In last season's state competition, he swam his best 36.7 seconds in 50 freestyles. He also swam 1:47.3.
"Last year the states were really cool because it was a big party and there were a lot of people," Cooper said. "I think I can really do my best there."
In contrast, as a freshman, he swam 46.1 in the 50 freestyle and 2:03.02 in the 100 back when the handicapped program was held at the district level.
"He is wasting his time frantically," said Killer Callahan, the third-year coach. "He completed 50 freestyles in 48, 49, and 50 seconds. A drop of more than 11 seconds in 50 frees is unheard of. I can't even describe it."
Swimming gave Cooper some expectations after two operations in February 2019.
"When he was born, he had hydrocephalus, which is an increase in fluid in the brain," said Patty Cooper, Alex's mother. "When he was 6 months old, he placed a shunt, which helped relieve stress. So, as he grows, and the vacancy does not grow as he grows, the pressure becomes more and more. Large. Therefore, they need to increase the open space.
"So, there was a big scar on the back of his neck, and they removed the top vertebrae. (2019), he underwent decompression surgery and shunt revision surgery. Therefore, those two operations in February ended.. ..... It's rough."
Cooper also participated in the Bill Keating Jr. Memorial Paralympic Swimming Open in Cincinnati, and plans to participate in other regional Paralympic competitions in the future.
Callahan played an important role in Cooper's progress as a swimmer.
"He is a very good coach," Cooper said. "If I did something wrong, he would tell me. I think he is really urging me to do my best."
Callahan learned the knowledge of coaching from his cooperation with Cooper.
"My first year as a coach was his freshman year, so we have been going through it all together," Callahan said. "You can't really accept your ideas and stick to it. This is to adapt to the needs of the athletes according to your status as a coach. This is one of the most important things I have learned from Alex.
"Being able to work with him changed my mindset, which is not the same for everyone. For him, we have been making a lot of adjustments, but this also applies to other swimmers. It will only help. Everyone is more successful."
Cooper quickly joked with his teammates. As everyone knows, he puts his teammates' shoes on his hands to ease his emotions.
"He is really a good teammate," Callahan said. "It is contagious to see his attitude continue to exist because he is so happy to be there, and he is passionate about the sport. It's great to see the relationship he has built with his teammates. You can't see them. What’s the difference between them. They just have a good time there and become each other’s teammates."
• Coach: Killer Callahan, season three
• Top athletes: boys-Ben Ambler, Nathan Ambler, Connor O'Brien and Christopher Richner; girls-Nanami Campbell, Evie DeCarlo, Paige Delma, Hannah Lehr and Kennedy O 'Brien
• Major losses: Boys-Andrew Harvey, Israeli Najera and Andrew Wingert; Girls-Ella Brown, Lauren Richner and Phoebe Sanders
• 2021 playoffs: Boys-Division 2nd, District 23rd; Girls-Division 1st, District 7th, State 17th
• Outlook: The Kilbourne women's team has a lot of experience, while the men's team has a lot of young talent.
Seniors DeCarlo and Campbell, junior Del Mar, and 2021 graduate Lauren Richner were part of two relay races that achieved status last year. He won seventh place in the 200 medley (1:46.7) and eighth place in the 200 freestyle (1:37.36). Richner also ranked 23rd (24.3) out of 50 freerolls.
De Carlo ranked 21st in the 100-person freestyle (53.01), and Del Mar ranked 24th (2:12.78) in the 200-person individual medley.
Junior Kennedy O'Brien, Sophomore Lyle and Freshman Ava Wells are also major contributors.
Connor O'Brien is the only senior in the men's team. He will be helped by juniors Ben Ambler, Nathan Ambler and Christopher Richner and sophomores Graham Brown, Dexter Jones and Mark McCloskey.
•Quotable: "We have some very good high-end talents (in) the women's team and our returning seniors. Our juniors and seniors will definitely become our main contributors, and some sophomores will help. ( The boys) have a very young team. We have a very strong elementary class. They are back and their training and dedication have made some very good progress in the summer. — Callahan
• Coach: Killer Callahan, season three
• Top athletes: Boys-Blake Arment, Zach Barnes, Nathan Edwards, Connor Florence, Matt Flalic and Rose Bobby; Girls-Sloan Antonez, Katie Browning, Charlotte Hulme, Natalie Smith and Sarah Walzer
•Key losses: Boys-Benjamin Gleason, Eddie Hulme, Ashton Rodler, Eli Short and Grant Simeone; Girls-Katie Bozoti, Law Len Justis, Natalia Callegis, Maya Lin and Nevin Woods
• 2021 Playoffs: Boys-Division 1st, District 7th, State tied for 37th; Girls-Division 2nd, District 15th
• Outlook: Thomas is very young, with only four seniors in the men's and women's teams, but young people are very talented, Callahan said.
Juniors Fralic, Florence and Barnes returned to the field after winning 18th place in the 200 free relay races (1:28.08) with the 2021 graduate Schott in the state competition last year. Flarich and Florence finished 14th in the 200m medley relay (1:35.41). Short and Simeone are also graduates in 2021. Fralic ranked 20th in the 100 butterfly strokes (51.45).
Ament (senior year), Edwards (sophomore) and Will Barnes (freshman) are also expected to be major contributors. Junior Carson Cole and sophomore Calvin Cooper led the Cardinals in a diving competition.
No one on the women's team qualified for the state tournament last year. But Walzer, the team's only senior, returned after a year off.
Juniors Browning and Hulme, sophomores Antonets, Olivia Price and Molly Bauer, and freshmen Natalie Holub and Stella Huisser Mu will also lead the women's team.
•Quotable: "Last year we lost several senior swimmers, but we also returned to a group of great young swimmers. There are only three senior boys and one senior girl in our team. But in their We have a lot of exciting talents under his leadership." — Callahan
• Coach: Jim Peterfish, season 21
• Top athletes: boys-Austin Hickok and Carson Houston, girls-Baylie Amrine, Anjali Paul, Emma Stoll and Katelyn Szczgiel-Hicks
•Key loss: boy-Micah Shemenski; girl-Lily Morgan
• 2020-21 MSL standings: Boys-Columbus College (337), Bexley (208), Wellington (189), Buckeye Valley (180), Grandview (169), Worthington Christian (37); Girls -Columbus Girls' School (394), College (241), Grandview (164), Bexley (157), Buckeye Valley (76), Wellington (64), Liberty League (24), Worthington Christian (23)
• 2021 Playoffs: Boys-District 26th, State 52nd; Girls-District 20th, State tied for 57th
• Outlook: Last season, the Warriors' two state-level players both returned to junior high school female swimmer Stoll and high school male diver Houston.
Stoll ranked third in the 500-man freeroll (5:27.87), and she was ranked 16th in the state (5:22.04). Also in the region, she ranked 11th among 100 flies (1:03.44).
Houston won the district runner-up (360.15) in the diving competition, and then finished 12th in the state with a score of 357.8.
Amrine, Paul and Szczgiel-Hicks are new female swimmers and Hickok is a new male swimmer.
•Quotable: "We have a group of freshmen and Emma Stoll, who was a junior who participated in the state legislature qualifier last year. We will have at least a relay race for the women's team. They all have club experience, which is great. They are Participating as experienced swimmers, this is only their first time participating in a high school competition." — Peter Fish