East County Athlete of the Week: Cheney Morris

Cheney Morris, 14, is a swimmer with the Lakewood Ranch Swim Association Lightning. Lightning Head Coach Steve Lubrino said Morris, who specializes in the individual medley, is one of the club's hardest workers. Morris has a personal-best long course 200 meter IM swim of 2:52.25. Morris will compete in the 2022 AAU Junior Olympics July 28-31 in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

When did you start swimming?

I started swim lessons when I was 3 but I started swimming for real when I was 5 at the Lakewood Ranch YMCA. I tried some other sports like soccer and basketball but swimming was the one I wanted to keep doing. 

What is the appeal to you?

Obviously, living from Florida, it's hot here. It's nice to be in the water. That's a plus. My family also has a history of competitive swimmers. I wanted to keep that tradition going. 

What is your favorite stroke?

I swim individual medleys which means I have to be proficient at all four of those strokes (freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke). I don't know if I can choose one as a favorite. I can tell you that my favorite event is the 200 yard IM. I like the shorter distance swims. I also swim the 400 yard IM sometimes and that is not as fun. 

What have you been working to improve?

My breaststroke is the thing that keeps my IM times down. I have been focusing on that lately and improving my technique. Every time I swim it, I want to take something away from the swim. 

What is your favorite memory?

It's hard to narrow it down, but I think my favorite memories of swimming are any time I have heard and felt my teammates cheering for me from the side of the pool. Those moments are what I remember from meets more than the actual swims. 

What is your favorite food?

My mom (Lyndsey Morris) makes a great chicken Alfredo. Every time I walk in the house and smell it, I'm like, 'Aah.' 

What is your favorite movie?

I love "Blue Hawaii" starring Elvis Presley. 

What are your hobbies?

I love to travel with my family. We have made it a goal to travel to all 50 states together. We have four left that we have not visited: North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon and Washington. I cannot wait to go to those. 

Which super power would you pick?

I would pick time travel so I could relive moments of my life that I enjoyed but could never experience again. 

What is the best advice you have received?

Just keep swimming. I first heard it from 'Finding Nemo,' but it's true. No matter what happens, you have to keep going. Life will work itself out. 

Finish this sentence: "Cheney Morris is …"

Unpredictable. I'm all over the place.