Gazette MVP: Cooper Flora cements reputation as best swimmer in Cloverleaf history

The goal of every swimmer is to be the best he can be. Cooper Flora leaves Cloverleaf as the best the Colts have ever had. Four seasons ago, the senior set forth on a mission to be the first state qualifier at the school. The 2020-21 Gazette MVP in boys swimming accomplished that, but also became Cloverleaf's first All-Ohioan. "You know, I always had in my mind that I wanted to make it," Flora said. "When I got there, it was everything I dreamed. "I told myself not to think about that goal. As long as I took it one day at a time there was nothing to worry about. There's no reason to focus on tomorrow. You just have to worry about what you can do to make yourself better and swim your best. It just matters how well you try." A 10-time district qualifier, Flora knew this was his last hurrah and pushed himself to the limit in the 100-yard butterfly, 200 individual medley, 200 freestyle relay and 400 free relay. His best shot was in the fly and he knew it. When he finished in 53.40, only Aurora's Connor Zamary stood ahead of him at the Northeast Division II District. That made him an automatic qualifier. "The last thing I always tell him is to have fun," Colts coach Mike McGee said. "He told me that's all I ever do. He doesn't let the moment at sectional or district get to him. He just goes out and does the best he possibly can. He just went out there and did what he could and had fun with it." It's why he tied for 14th at the state meet to finish all-state in a school-record time of 53.23. It gave him two school records (200 IM, 2:04.83), but more importantly gave him the honor of not only getting to the state meet, but succeeding once there. While McGee was a bundle of nerves at the meet, Flora may as well have been in a Barcalounger with a remote control in hand and slippers on his feet prior to the fly. "I guess he really wanted me to do well," Flora said. "I took his advice and was very calm. I was just trying to have fun. I knew this was it. There was no point in wasting time because I just wanted to have fun and have a good time swimming with my coach. Finishing All-Ohio was definitely something I didn't see coming. I didn't even know that was a thing, but when everyone started talking about it, I was very proud to be in that restricted group of swimmers." Flora leaves as the benchmark of the program, but is prouder of the fact the Colts set a school record for wins in a season (9) that could have washed away due to the pandemic. Don't get him wrong, he's ecstatic with what he accomplished. He's just more pleased with what his teammates did. "I am always going to be proud that I was the first boy to go to state, but I'm always looking forward to seeing what is going to happen," he said. "Obviously, it will be sad to see my records get taken down, but I would love to see Cloverleaf do better. "It's all about the team. If I would have gone out on top by myself it wouldn't have been fair. It wouldn't have been fun. To see all of my teammates do well and have a great season, it was amazing." That's what McGee will preach about his star in the seasons to come. "They can look and see what he did," McGee said. "I have a very young team with three freshmen out for boys and even the girls with five freshmen. Just for them to see what he could do and witness it was great for them. They see you can work hard, still have fun and put the dedication into it." Contact Brad Bournival at bournival929@gmail.com.