WESTFIELD TWP. -- All those hours of swimming laps are paying off for Addy Ferguson, who last week became the first Cloverleaf High School swimmer to qualify for the state championship meet.

“She is a humble athlete but remains hungry for higher levels of success,” said Cloverleaf High School Athletic Director Craig Walkup about SportsInk.com’s Athlete of the Week, Addy Ferguson.

“I feel my drive and ability to work hard separates me from some others,” Ferguson said.

Last week at Cleveland State University, Addy Ferguson captured championships in the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 breaststroke. She becomes the first district champion in school history and the first to qualify for the state championships this weekend in Canton.

“As soon as I got out of the pool and could not wait to get over and hug my teammates,” Ferguson said.
 

It all started at home for Addy as she got started swimming thanks to the efforts of her older sister.

“She used to swim in the summer so I started and it went from there,” Ferguson said. “Mom and dad have been great taking me everywhere in the summer and during the season. I owe a lot to them.”
 

A member of Cloverleaf’s Student Council and Spirit Club, Ferguson works on her swimming efforts with practice at all hours. She practices four hours a day during the off season and two hours a day during the season. She does have college swimming in her sights. “It is certainly a goal of mine.”  
 

“I need to make it to the top eight this weekend as those swimmers get to go to the podium, and that is my goal as a sophomore,” Ferguson said. She is currently ranked fourth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the breaststroke.

 

“I really feel that I have been able to perform because of the support from my teammates and the push from coach (Mike) McGee,” Ferguson said in praising the girls and boys swim coach at Cloverleaf High School.

As a youth she was very involved in soccer and gymnastics, and that is where she developed some of the mechanics for her butterfly and breaststroke. “Gymnastics gave me the flexibility to compete in those events for sure.”

 

“Addy represent the total package when talking about the successful interscholastic athlete as she is a model student in and out of the classroom,” said Walkup, the athletic director.

 

Karla and Ross Ferguson have two more years of shuttling and cheering their daughter ahead as this super sophomore is just getting started on what promises to be a successful swimming career with the Colts.

 

Addy Ferguson 

Hobbies — hanging with friends

TV show — "Make it or Break it"

Movie—“Orphan”

IPod—anything by Taylor Swift

Pizza topping:  pepperoni ("Shhh -- don’t tell anyone!")