Quick Chat: Neil Versfeld

By John Frierson
Staff Writer

Neil Versfeld returned to Athens last summer, joining the Georgia swimming and diving program as an associate head coach. Versfeld, from South Africa, was a seven-time All-American during his Georgia career and the 2009 NCAA champion in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Versfeld, who is married to former Georgia swimmer (and 10-time All-American) Michelle McKeehan, has seen the world through swimming and competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. During a recent Quick Chat, he talked about finding a new routine amid the coronavirus pandemic, coming to the U.S., traveling the world and much more.

Here's some of what he had to say:

Frierson: Swimmers and their coaches are so used to a very specific routine — practice in the morning, practice in the afternoon — so what is your daily routine like now?

Versfeld: It has been a bit of a challenge, definitely, transitioning from having a lot of structure to trying to create your own structure at this point. What I'm doing, and I told our student-athletes to do the same thing, is set a schedule and stick to it, just to try to make a daily routine feel somewhat normal.

I'm waking up at the same time every day, getting a workout in — my wife and I do a little yoga in the morning — and get the day started. Getting a schedule together has helped a lot.

Frierson: Since you can't coach and help swimmers train right now, how are you filling those hours in the day?

Versfeld: I still have managed to keep myself pretty busy, which has been good. I'm getting outdoors a lot more which has been great. Moving from Midtown Atlanta (in 2019) and now having a big garden to deal with has been a big change, so I'm really getting into a lot of gardening and doing a bunch of yard work.

We've also gotten ourselves a new puppy so we're going on long walks with her, which has been nice.

Frierson: I looked it up and in your household there are a combined 17 All-American honors, which is pretty impressive. For two accomplished swimmers and competitors, are you two competitive with each?

Versfeld: Competitiveness hasn't really translated to life outside of the pool for us. We do work out together and do a couple of outdoor activities together, but nothing competitive.

Frierson: When you were a teenager just getting really good in the sport, were you already thinking about maybe going to college one day in the U.S.?

Versfeld: I think in my teenage years is when it crossed my mind, knowing that a lot of South African swimmers had come to college in the U.S., so I always knew after high school that that would be an option.

Frierson: I've traveled abroad a good bit but never moved to a different country, so what is it like to be 17 or 18 years old moving such a long way from home?

Versfeld: It was intimidating. I did have some friends that weren't at UGA but at other colleges in the U.S., so I know somewhat what to expect. Definitely, there was a transition coming from South Africa straight into the college setting. As a freshman, there was definitely some changes and some growing to be done. That transition period took a couple of years.

The reality of staying and living here in the U.S. after college just gradually came about. I hadn't made that decision until after college when I stuck around to train for the next Olympic cycle. And then that transitioned into a job here in the U.S. coaching, and it just snowballed from there.

Frierson: Do you still swim a little or have you already done a lifetime's work in the pool and you'd rather do something else for exercise?

Versfeld: I think I'm pretty much done at this stage with lap-swimming as a form of exercise. I get pretty bored now within 10 minutes. Actually, the last swim I did was with (associate head coach Stefanie Moreno), when we were getting ready for the Swim Across America event back in September.

Frierson: Is there any part of it you miss? It's obviously something you were very good at, but it's also an incredible amount of work.

Versfeld: I do miss being in the water and I miss the competitive side of things. Racing was the fun part for me. Knowing I'm not in nearly good enough shape to race definitely stops that thought process pretty quickly. Now, being a coach, I feel it's as if not more rewarding, being on the sidelines helping student-athletes reach their potential. I think that's even better than when I was doing it. It's actually a little more nerve-racking not having control over where I'm at and getting the job done myself.

I'm having great fun being on the sidelines and coaching these kids and helping them reach their full potential.

Frierson: When did you know that coaching was what you wanted to do? Was there a moment where it clicked for you?

Versfeld: I think as I was an athlete I knew it was something I could do, I think I loved the sport of swimming so much and kind of analyzed the sport a lot as an athlete. As a student of the sport, I knew that I'd like to pass as much knowledge on and help people reach their potential, even competitors that I was training with at the time. I was always trying to make them faster at the same time.

I definitely knew I had that coaching ability in me and I think the moment when I realized that this was something I really wanted to pursue was probably within a year of stopping swimming. I knew I wanted to give back to the sport in some way and I knew coaching was a really rewarding profession to pursue.

Frierson: What is it like working with Jack Bauerle now in this capacity after training under him for so long? Do you see a different side of him or is Jack just Jack?

Versfeld: I think Jack is Jack. I think from this end I'm just learning as much as possible from him in the coaching capacity. Watching him in action day in and day out and being able to learn from a living legend in the sport has been very rewarding.

Frierson: How often do you think about your experiences competing in the 2008 Olympics? Is there one memory that stands out?

Versfeld: I think I was just in awe of everything at the Games there in Beijing. They really put on quite a show. I think the biggest thing was walking out for my (200-meter breaststroke) semifinal and just realizing the gravity of where I was and the opportunity I had to compete on that stage. It was the ultimate.

Frierson: I talk to swimmers and track athletes, tennis players, golfers and so many people that have been able to see the world through their sports. Are you amazed at the opportunities that have come your way and where swimming has taken you over the years?

Versfeld: Oh, absolutely. I count myself very blessed to be able to go and travel as much as I have for many years. I think my first international trip was when I was about 11, making the junior national team back in South Africa. I remember going on my first trip to Australia back then, and now to write down all of the countries I've been able to visit and pull up pictures, it's incredible.

Frierson: What's the best meal you've ever eaten? Is there one that stands out above the rest?

Versfeld: I think it was my first experience at one of those Brazilian steakhouses. My parents came to visit and we were down in Miami Beach and we went to a restaurant called Texas de Brazil. I think it was the all-you-can-eat meat, my dad and I were in our element [laughs].

Frierson: If you could be great at anything for a day, just to experience it, what would it be?

Versfeld: I'd say surfing, to be able to ride some big waves would a great experience. I grew up really close to the ocean and did a lot of bodyboarding and a little surfing, but I'm not very good at it. Certainly not now because it's been quite a while.

Frierson: I know you're getting into gardening a bit now but are you picking up any new hobbies during this time or reacquainting yourself with any old ones?

Versfeld: Some new projects I will be doing, also still in the yard, but I'm trying to do some building of my own. I'm going try to make a pagoda-type thing in our yard and then also put in a little pavement for our grill. I'm going to have to do a little YouTube watching to figure it all out. It could be interesting.

(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)

John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.

University of Georgia Athletics

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