Stonington coach Ben Bowne was telling the story about Josh Mooney’s sophomore season when a lot of Bowne’s coaching advice consisted of “you can’t warm up with those sandals on.”

“I remember saying to (fellow coach) Jeff Parkinson, ‘If he can get over trying to be cool and focus on working hard, he could be something special,’” Bowne said. “He was a sophomore in high school and that’s what sophomore boys do, show up to practice with weird sandals.

“I said to him, ‘The coolest thing you can do is be the best. Then it doesn’t matter what you look like. No one can buy those things, no one can get those things.’”

Since then, Mooney has become effortlessly cool.

He is an All-American, finishing third in the nation at the championship level in the 60-meter hurdles in 7.80 seconds, the fastest time ever run in that event by a Connecticut athlete. He co-holds the state’s 55 hurdles mark at 7.26, tied with Norwich Free Academy grad Myles Bradley, who went on to compete at Stanford.

Mooney won the State Open in the 55 hurdles, then the New England championship.

He received a scholarship to compete beginning next year at UConn.

Mooney, who has led Stonington to three consecutive state championships, two in indoor track and one in outdoor, was named The Day’s 2023 All-Area Boys’ Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

“I think there’s a couple different perspectives,” Mooney said recently. “It’s been a slow progression to where I’m at right now. I didn’t just go from horrible to state record holder. I’ve kind of adapted to the mentality that this is where I’m at right now. It’s cool.

“I knew (the 55 record, which he tied at the State Open) was possible. I finished and my coach was like, ‘I think you got it.’ I was like, ‘Sweet.’ And then he said, ‘You have to go run the 55 dash now.’ I did that and got last (among the seven finalists). So everything works out to be a humbling experience.”

Mooney doesn’t enjoy a lot of fanfare.

At the national championship meet, held at the New Balance Track in Boston, there were fireworks during the introduction of the finalists — “he absolutely hated it,” Bowne said.

That’s also what led to his signing with UConn. On his official visit there, he felt the program matched his personality so well that he took one other visit, to Penn State, and canceled the rest. He already knew.

“They were my first visit and they made a really strong impression, an impression I honestly didn’t think they were going to have,” Mooney said. “It was just a really calm, chill environment.

“I feel like it was a chill visit. We went out to eat dinner. We talked. I got to meet all the coaches. Patrick Oatman (a sophomore pole vaulter), I stayed in his dorm. He got the team together and we kind of hung out.”

Soccer was Mooney’s first sport. He dreamed of becoming a professional goalkeeper. He also played football at Stonington through his junior season.

With track, Mooney, who has been battling through a bout with shin splints, said he doesn’t need anything specific to motivate him.

“It’s kind of like I love doing what I do. It never gets old,” he said. “I’ve always been very competitive. I want to be better. I don’t like to lose. That’s always been kind of motivating. If I can get better, I have less of a chance of losing.”

Mooney, who works at Kelley’s Pace in Mystic, said aside from track he enjoys being on the water, listing water skiing and wakeboarding among his favorites.

Above all, Mooney now has the benefit of perspective. He said he thanks his parents, Lynn and Pete, and his coaches often for getting him to this spot.

“Shout out my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad. And the same with my coaches,” he said. “It’s a select few people that have been there since the beginning. They deserve the thanks.”

Also, having spoken earlier in the conversation about the possible opportunity to engage in a name, image, likeness (NIL) deal at UConn, where he plans to major in kinesiology or business, Mooney continued his shout outs.

“Shout out Big Y chocolate milk,” he said with a laugh, mentioning that he wouldn’t mind a deal for free chocolate milk, which is his go-to. “I’m a big chocolate milk guy. Just all the time. I’m a chocolate milk connoisseur. Big Y is the No. 1 I’ve ever had.”

Said Bowne of all Mooney has accomplished: “It’s impressive and I’m happy for him that he took this opportunity seriously. He realized he had some special ability but he has a great work ethic. There’s so many talented kids out there in the world and they’re not willing to make the sacrifice.”

v.fulkerson@theday.com

The Day’s 2023 All-Area Boys’ Indoor Track and Field Team

Player of the Year - Josh Mooney (Stonington)

300 meters - Jeremiah Bobbi (Lyman Memorial)

600 - Anders Dahl (Stonington)

1,000 - Brendan Fant (East Lyme)

1,600 - Ryan Gruczka (Stonington)

3,200 - Sean McCauley (East Lyme)

4x200 relay - NFA (Stephen Lee, Conor Gaughan, Nehemiah Yorke, Jeremiah Paul)

4x400 relay - East Lyme (Shawn Henning, Lucas DeNucci, Kai Ritz, Brendan Fant)

4x800 relay - Ledyard (Hayden Baber, Auguste Estriplet, Gabriel Huff, Mason Day)

Sprint medley relay - Stonington (Landon Pelletier, Oliver Cooke, Anders Dahl, Ryan Gruczka)

High jump - Christian Wiltshire (Ledyard)

Pole vault - Mateo Viviano (Ledyard)

Long jump - Jacob Lenz (Ledyard)

Shot put - Thomas Matlock (East Lyme), Dylan Sheehan (Old Lyme)

Utility - Sergio de Olivera (Stonington), DeAndre Ducael (NFA), Charles Tarbox (Fitch)