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Connor Brady Canfield | Boys Swimming
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Connor Brady can claim an accomplishment not many swimmers can. Brady made it to the state tournament in Canton all four seasons of high school swimming.
“That’s probably my favorite part about going to states,” Brady said.
One of his most memorable experiences was soaking in the atmosphere surrounding the tournament.
“You get goosebumps at the very beginning,” Brady said. “It is absolutely crazy. My parents had to wait hours to get in. It’s one of the best meets ever.”
Brady was worth the wait this year, finishing fourth in both the 100 butterfly and 100 back.
But he was upset with his two individual performances.
“I’m a little bit disappointed with how this year turned out, to be honest,” Brady said. “I was extremely nervous before the butterfly race because I set myself some high standards that I wanted to live up to.”
Brady finished second last season in the 100 butterfly. It was also his favorite memory as a Cardinals swimmer.
“My coach, Andrea Linnelli, happened to be handing out the awards for it,” Brady said. “She was able to hand me my silver medal and give me a really big hug after that amazing race.
“It was so emotional.”
Connor admitted this season was extra special because he got to swim with his brother, Cullen.
“It was awesome — I got to give him a hard time and yell at him all the time to fix a lot of things with his stroke,” said the elder Brady. “I was trying to get him to catch up to me. That’s the main thing right now.”
Brady’s college plans are still up in the air, but he has a couple possibilities for next fall.
Swimming at Canfield had a big impact on Brady’s life.
“It was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t trade this sport for anything else,” Brady said. “I am most comfortable when I’m in the water. I absolutely love water. There is nothing better than to me than having a rough day at school and then hopping in the water.
“It’s the best therapy you can possibly have.”