Meet Neill...

1.    Name:  Neill Williams

 

2.    Zodiac sign:  Pisces

 

3.   Hometown: Richmond, VA

 

4.    Your favorite stroke: Breastroke

 

5.    Lane you swim in and why your lane is better than the other lanes on the team: 

I swim in lane 6 with fellow board members Andrew, Ryan, Brendan, Wonkee, and Fred.  I like our lane because we often work well together, share the responsibility of leading the lane, all the while listening to Fred talk in between send-offs.  (Fred never seems to be out of breath!)   We like to spend time together in and out of the water. 

 

6. 6.   Tell us a little bit about your aquatics/sports background? 
   

I began swimming at age 10 when my neighborhood summer pool was built - I joined not knowing how to do breaststroke or butterfly.  After a few summers of swimming, I joined a local year-long age group team at age 15.  I had a great coach who encouraged proficiency in all four strokes over specialization.  I was inspired by teammate Whitney Hedgepeth, who went on to make two olympic teams ('88 and '96). After 3 years of age group swimming, I swam at American University for 4 years (Just after Enrique and Tim graduated, and way before Andrew swam there) where I was the team's sprinter/im'er. 

 

7. 7.   When and why did you join DCAC (any interesting stories associated)? 
   

It was at my first gay games (NY in 1994)  where I first learned of DCAC.  I was the only swimmer representing Virginia Masters, and I ended up sitting next to the large DCAC contingent.  I remember meeting Jose Cunningham and Bruce Bornfleth at that meet.  I moved to Charleston soon afterwards for my psychiatry residency, but I moved back to DC once my internship was over and joined DCAC in July 1995.

 

8. 8.   What is your favorite kind of swim set/workout and why?
   

I prefer swimming race-pace sets - these are sets where you swim the speed you want to be swimming at meets, which usually means needing a good amount of rest intervals.    I think these sets most closely prepare you to swim fast in meets.    However, many of my lanemates prefer aerobic sets with little rest, so I end up modifying the workouts quite a bit, and hopefully stay out of their way! 

 

9. 9.   Do you compete, if so, what competitions are you planning on participating in the next year?
   

I swim quite a few meets every year.  Next year, I am planning on swimming the Tropical Splash, possibly the VMST winter meet, the Maryland Masters winter meet, the Albatross Open, Colonies Zones SCY championships, USMS SC Nationals, Swim for life, DCRP meet, and the gay games.

 

10. 10.    Do you have any swimming/sports goals for the coming year?  If so, what are they? 
    

My goal for next year is to break 54 seconds in the 100 yard IM and try to go under 1:00 in 100 yard breast without legskins!

 

11. 11.   What do you love most about swimming? 
    

I love the feeling of swimming a great race, getting close to a personal best time.  I also love the feeling of accomplishment along with fatigue you get after a hard swim practice.  And winning 8 IGLA trophies was pretty nice! 

 

12. 12. What do you dislike the most about swimming? 
    

I very much dislike swimming in cold water- my lungs seem to collapse and muscles freeze up..

 

13. 13.   What's in your night stand drawer? 
    

I have spare watches, a sleeping mask, and a bookmark.

 

14. 14.   Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, or Kristen Stewart and why? 
    

Taylor Lautner- i'm not into pastey white!

 

15. 15.   Ever "date" anyone on the team past or present?  Care to elaborate? 
    

I've never "dated" or dated anyone on the team, not that I haven't tried :)  Geoff Heuchling recommended a policy of keeping things separate when I first joined the team, and I guess I listened to him.

 

16. 16.   Anyone you want to date on the team?  Care to elaborate? 
    

I had a few crushes the first few years I was on the team, but no one recently.  Oh yeah, and I have a boyfriend!

 

17. 17.   If you could be anyone else on the swim team, who would you be and why? 
    

I am going to answer this by naming whom I most admire on the team, and that person is Jack Markey.  I had the privilege of joining the team when Jack was captain and even served as co-captain when he was captain in the mid '90's.  He has unparalleled motivational talents which led us to our first IGLA victory in 1995.  I admire his boundless energy and others often wonder when he was captain if he had a job other than representing DCAC.   He is able to get me fired up and excited about swimming.  Even though he has a pretty demanding job now, I hope that sometime in the future Jack will be able to devote more time to the team!

 

18. 18.   Please describe DCAC in three words or less:  
    

competitive, feels-like-a-family, comfortable

 

19. 19.   What is something that most other people on the team don't know about you? 
    

That I have a twin? oh no that's been taken.   Teammates may not know that I'm a reality tv junkie- my favorites are Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race, and America's Next Top Model. 

20. 20.   How sick are you of these questions right about now?  
    

just a little bit :)