Masters Highlight: Jeff Ockerman

Every Wednesday, Jeff Ockerman, one of the Masters swim coaches at the Nashville Aquatic Club, begins practice with a joke.  On a recent Wednesday it went something like this: ”How do you know you’re at a really emotional wedding? Because even the cake is in tiers.”

Corny. Yes. But this deck-side humor is something many swimmers have come to expect and look forward to before jumping into Nashville Aquatic Club’s pool. 

Coaching is something Ockerman never thought he’d be doing. Even his mother said her greatest fear was that Jeff would become a swim coach. Well, at the age of 61, Jeff continues to prove her wrong.

Ockerman, a relative newcomer to coaching, is in no way a newcomer when it comes to hours and years spent thrashing in the pool. His experience forty years ago as a collegiate swimmer and now as a world class Masters athlete give Ockerman a unique perspective on coaching adults.

Nashville Aquatic Club Associate Head Coach, Doug Wharam, says, “The energy and enthusiasm that Jeff exudes in his daily life carries over directly to his persona on the pool deck.” “His positive attitude is infectious,” Wharam states.

Like many Masters swimmers, Ockerman leads a double life—swimmer and Coach by early morning, and then it’s off to his job as Director of Health Planning for the Tennessee State Department of Health, a job he’s held for nine years.

Ockerman jumped back into the competitive pool after about a 30-year hiatus. When he started swimming competitively again in his 50’s at the Nashville Aquatic Club, he had no idea he’d end up being on deck instead of just in the water.

“Honestly, I can’t tell you how many times while growing up, my Mom told me to not even think about becoming a swim coach,” Ockerman says. “So I became a lawyer, practicing in the healthcare business and regulatory fields. Now 40 years later, I’m a coach.” 

Ockerman grew up in Kentucky and his parents played a huge role in getting him in the water when he was about 9 years old. “I was a short, scrawny, fragile, bookish boy,” Ockerman says, “with no hand-eye coordination. My parents were desperate to find a sport to make me stronger and more active.  They got more than they bargained for; I still thank them for finding swimming for me -- it changed my life.”  Because of his small frame, Ockerman started out doing distance free, but then branched out to butterfly and backstroke.  

Ockerman quickly became quite successful in Kentucky taking top prizes at state championships throughout most of his young career.  Jeff also dabbled in open water swimming and at age 14 he placed 4th in the National Long Distance Championships in the 4-mile open water event.

As he made his way to college, Ockerman would train under some of the country’s best coaches including Mark Schubert, Doc Counsilman, and Randy Reese.  Ockerman’s dream was to train under Eddie Reese, so he turned down UNC Chapel Hill and Yale, and against his parents’ wishes, chose Auburn to swim under Reese. College swimming was rough and like many swimmers, it didn’t turn out the way Ockerman had hoped.  “I barely improved in college and that was a huge disappointment for me,” Ockerman says.  “I experienced a total burn-out, like many young swimmers. Now 40 years later, Masters has taught me to love swimming again.”

Coach Wharam agrees.  “As a high-level swimmer himself, and having been coached at a high level by the de facto names in the American coaching world, Jeff's experience is vital on deck.”  “He comes to us with a unique understanding of the nuances necessary to easily explain swimming to a person new to the water,” Wharam says.

Ockerman’s been back in the water less than ten years but continues to rack up awards later in life. At age 58 he won his first national championship and in 2015 won two golds at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Kazan, Russia while achieving four world top-ten rankings in his age group. “That brought me joy,” Ockerman says.  “Of course my 96 year-old father always asks me how many competitors I have in my age group; I tell him that’s not the issue.”

“One thing that makes NAC Masters so unique is that our head coach, Ashley Whitney, is a 1996 Olympic gold medal winning swimmer,” Ockerman says. “She’s not only a great coach for our athletes, but a wonderful mentor to me since I’m still new at the coaching thing.” 

Ockerman tries to come up with unique workouts because he knows how boring practice can be and loves helping new swimmers overcome their fears.  “You can’t imagine how satisfying it is to see these people improve over time,” Ockerman says. “Especially triathletes, because they’re so intense.  All their land training is opposite to what brings success in the water, so you have to be very intentional with them.”

Ockerman’s advice to new Masters swimmers? “Everyone can join and it doesn’t matter your level of proficiency,” Ockerman says. “ There’s always room for a new swimmer.”  

Fifty years after his Mom got him to swim, Jeff thinks she’s possibly changing her mind about his passion. “ I joined them one winter in Florida and told her one of the Y Masters teams was chock-full of physicians. She changed her tune.” Ockerman says.  “I think she’s secretly hoping I’ll marry one."