courtesy of Southeastern Swim Club
We are elated to announce that Jeff Thompson will be joining us as the Club Head Coach and Senior Head Coach starting June 1, 2025! Jeff is returning to his Hoosier roots, bringing with him a wealth of experience, including his successful tenures with the Terre Haute Torpedoes (17 years) and Germantown Academy (10 years), a USA Swimming 2024 Silver Medal Club outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His deep connection to Indiana, combined with his national-level coaching experience, makes him uniquely qualified to lead SSC into its next chapter. You can learn more about Jeff’s remarkable journey and accomplishments here, including the fact Jeff had four athletes at the 2024 USA Swimming Olympic Trials. We are confident that Jeff’s leadership will propel SSC to new heights.
In line with his vision for the future, Jeff intends to hire an Executive Director upon his arrival to further strengthen our club’s infrastructure and support our athletes’ development.
Immediate Leadership: September 2, 2024 – May 31, 2025
In the meantime, we are incredibly fortunate to have a stellar team in place:
- Interim Head Coach & Senior Head Coach, Southeastern Swim Club: Rich Wolfred
We are ecstatic to announce that Rich Wolfred is coming out of retirement to lead our club during this transition period. Rich’s legacy of growth and success is well-known, particularly his transformative work at Lawrence (19 years) and Noblesville (16 years), where he built powerhouse programs. His return to coaching is a testament to his deep commitment to the sport and to the athletes he inspires. You can read more about Rich’s extraordinary career here.
SSC is recommending Rich serve as the Hamilton Southeastern High School’s Boys & Girls Head Coach for the 24-25 season.
- Interim Executive Director, Southeastern Aquatics: Andy Pedersen
We are also thrilled to welcome back Andy Pedersen, our long-time Club Head Coach and Executive Director, as Interim Executive Director. Andy’s 28-year tenure with SSC was marked by remarkable achievements, including nurturing a culture of excellence and community within the club. His leadership and experience will be invaluable during this period of transition. Learn more about Andy’s incredible contributions here.
You will also find Andy on deck for various SSC practices throughout the week!
- Interim Age Group Director, Southeastern Swim Club: Dan Johnson
We are excited to have Dan Johnson, the very founder of SSC, serve as our Interim Age Group Director, supporting and guiding our Head Age Group Coach, Josh Fleagle, and his team of coaches and athletes through the interim period. Dan’s foundational work and ongoing commitment to the club have left an indelible mark on SSC’s history. His expertise will continue to guide our coaches and younger athletes as they develop. More about Dan’s pivotal role in SSC’s success can be found here.
Dan will continue his role as Head Coach of Southeastern Area Masters Swimming (“SAMS”). You will also find Dan on deck for various SSC practices throughout the week!
- Consultant, Southeastern Aquatics: Jeff Thompson
Even before his official start, Jeff Thompson will begin shaping SSC’s future. From Pennsylvania, Jeff will be actively involved in leading the vision and strategy for the swim club and related programs, which our interim team will implement with dedication and precision.
Welcoming a New Face: Emily Thompson
We are also delighted to announce that Emily Thompson will be joining us as a Senior Assistant Coach and an Age Group Coach for Southeastern Swim Club. Emily brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of experience from her successful tenure with FAST Tigers. Emily finished her swimming career at DePauw University, graduating “Cum Laude” with a Bachelors of Communications and a Minor in English Writing. In addition to coaching, Emily is taking classes at Indiana State University to obtain her teaching license and hopes to have her own 4th grade class beginning in August 2025.
We’re thrilled to welcome Jeff Thompson, Rich Wolfred, Andy Pedersen, Dan Johnson, and Emily Thompson to our dynamic leadership and coaching teams as they join us in guiding our club forward.
This is a monumental moment for SSC, and we couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead. While our approach may be unconventional, we know that Jeff is worth the wait. The future is bright, and we are confident that with this incredible team, SSC will continue to thrive and excel. We look forward to seeing parents and athletes at our town hall meeting tonight at 6:30 PM in the CCA Cafeteria at Hamilton Southeastern High School to celebrate this exciting new chapter together! This will be your first opportunity to meet our incredible new leadership, hear about their inspiring plans for the future, and engage in an open Q&A session.
With great enthusiasm,
Kyle Hultgren
On behalf of the SSC Board of Directors