Madison's Myers glad to be accompanied by teammates at state
Feb. 22—Before anyone could even throw Cooper Myers a towel after completing his final swim in last year's district swim meet, the Madison senior already knew the goal for his senior year would be to swim his way to the state tournament.
But what means even more to Myers is that he'll have his friends along with him.
Myers is scheduled to compete in the semifinals of 100 butterfly and as part of the 200 medley relay team tonight at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.
He'll be joined by Carson Petersen, Adam Gibbons and Lindon Blake on the relay team.
Getting to state is good, getting there with a relay team makes it really special.
"Absolutely 100 percent," Myers said. "More than I wanted to make it to state in my individual events, I wanted to be there with the other swimmers. It's very special to have your team with you and it doesn't feel the same when they're not. Relay teams are special and it wouldn't be the same without those guys."
Myers took 10th in the 100 butterfly during the Cleveland State Division II District meet last weekend with a time of 54.75. The relay team captured eighth with a school record 1:42.3.
"They pushed each other all year," Blue Streaks coach Chris Elliott said of the relay team. "They dropped almost eight seconds since last year at districts."
Dropping time meant picking up weights ... a lot of weight a lot of times.
Elliott said a lot of his guys spent almost as much of the offseason and during the season in the weight room as they did the pool.
"We have probably four kids that deadlift 400 pounds and at least six that can do 300," the coach said. "They got after it all summer long."
Myers said the weight room definitely helped.
"Being in the weight room really connects what you do in the pool to strength in general," he said. "Having the muscle ability to pull through during races, not just relying on technique, but also being powerful to get through the water faster. Having muscle and getting in the weight room is a very important piece to what we do."
Myers said that he and others on the Blue Streaks team typically lifted five times a week, about the same amount of days they work out in the water.
The relay team is hopeful of breaking the school record that they already own. As for Myers individually, he's chasing the 100 butterfly record held by Greg Pristov of 52.63 in 2009. Myers' current best time is 54.75.
Regardless of how they he or the relay team finish, though, being there together is what Myers said they'll all remember most.
"Our team is very close, we're all interconnected and I love everyone of them," he said.