Horns’ Cunningham a coach in the pool

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Horns’ Cunningham a coach in the pool

Sports

Wednesday, 12 January 2011 13:02

Tyler

Photo/Special to the News-Gazette

Harmony won four Orange Belt Conference and three district championships while Tyler Cunningham was on the team. He holds three school records.

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Tyler Cunningham really hasn’t been swimming for Harmony High forever; it only seems that way.
Cunningham, a four-event Class 2A state qualifier last season and owner of three Longhorns individual records, has been almost as much of a coach in the pool as a participant.
Even as a sophomore, he took time in practice to help teammates work on their strokes.
“Yeah, it’s something I enjoy doing,” he said.
One thing is certain: there is nothing wrong with the senior standout’s own swimming strokes. He holds school records in the backstroke (56.0), the 200 IM (2:05) and the butterfly (53.6, also an Osceola County record).
He also helped two relay teams, the 200 IM and the 400 free, reach the state meet, and as only one of two seniors on the team he led the Longhorns to their third district championship in four years.
Small wonder that Cunningham is the Osceola News-Gazette Male Swimmer of the Year.
His swimming career began only one year before high school, as an eighth-grader, when he joined the St. Cloud Aquatic Club.
“My parents wanted me to do a sport. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I went with swimming,” he said. “Pretty soon after I started, I realized I was pretty good at it.”
So did his coaches.
“We consider it to be an honor to have coached Tyler the past four years,” Longhorns Coach Terry Brown said.
“He has been a key part to helping our team win the 2007 regional championship as well as three district and four OBC titles during his four years at Harmony.”
Brown said Cunningham’s impact on the team went beyond swimming.
“What impresses me most about Tyler is not only his swimming ability, but his character,” Brown said. “He is a positive role model who has, and will continue to, make a difference in the lives of others.”
On the subject of making a difference in the lives of others, Cunningham is planning to become a pediatric cardiologist.
“I interned over the summer and I was able to watch a few surgeries. It really got me excited. I know that’s what I want to do,” Cunningham said.
He plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in biochemistry at FSU, UF, Miami or SUNY, the State University of New York.
“New York is my first choice. My brother is up there, about 35 minutes outside of the city,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham comes from a family of high achievers. His brother in New York is a U.S. Military Academy graduate who did two tours in Iraq. Another brother earned a masters degree in civil engineering.
“My parents have always been really supportive; I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Cunningham. “They never missed a swimming meet.”
Cunningham’s determination and talent were on full display at the state meet, when, tied for 16th place in the butterfly after the prelims, he had to do a swim-off against another competitor to earn a spot in the finals.
This was only 20 minutes or so after he swam a leg of the 400 free relay.
“It didn’t give me much time, but I was ready,” he said.
The result? Cunningham won, and he set the county record in the process.
On ending a successful high school career, Cunningham described a disoriented feeling after the Class 2A state meet in early November.
“That’s when I realized that it was over,” he said. “For a few days, I didn’t know what to do. There was no practice to go to. It was strange.”
He will compete with SCAT for the balance of the school year, he said, but he won’t continue the sport in college.
There are other avenues of competition he might pursue, he said.
“I’ve thought a lot about triathlons,” he said. “I do spin (cycling workouts), so I’ll be able to do the bicycling. It’s something I want to look into.”
The Osceola News-Gazette’s Female Swimmer of the Year will appear in the Saturday edition of the News-Gazette.