‘You Just Know’: Sophie Verzyl on Confidence and Competing for Team USA
In a thrilling finish at USA Diving Nationals, Sophie Verzyl officially earned a coveted spot on Team USA’s roster for the upcoming World Championships. She capped off a strong collegiate season with the University of South Carolina only months before with an SEC win on the 3-meter board. She didn’t let her success slow her down, though.
As soon as she returned from the NCAA Championships in March, she began focusing on World Cup meets and US Nationals. In an interview with Swimming World, she discussed that juggling finals, social events, and getting back into training was not easy, but necessary.
“I thought, you know, I’m built for this, I’m meant for this, and these are dreams that I’ve been wanting for so long,” Verzyl said. “So if I miss out on a few parties or gatherings, so be it, it’s worth it for sure.”
She also talked about the challenge of staying at peak performance across multiple meets over a four-month stretch, certainly a balancing act.
“Of course, you want to peak for SECs for you and your team, then you have to peak for Zones to qualify for NCAAs, and then you have to do it again for NCAAs,” she said. “So it’s a long time to be at your peak, and after the season is over, you have to compartmentalize your emotions and get ready for international competitions.”
Courtesy: University of South Carolina
Verzyl started the summer with the World Cup Series in April. She competed in Mexico and had three days of solo practice before flying to Canada for the next stop. Her placement at these meets qualified her for the super final in Beijing, where she placed seventh overall.
Her next meet was the U.S. Nationals, held at Auburn University. While she had a strong showing, it was not exactly a perfect meet. Verzyl opened the meet with the synchro event, where she and her partner, Anna Kwong, tied for first, but were not yet chosen to be on the Worlds team. The next day, she competed in the 1-meter event and was just four points shy of second place, which would have been an automatic qualification.
Although frustrated with a third-place finish, she did not allow herself to dwell on her emotions. She credited coach John Wingfield for the “Midnight Rule.”
“You can feel whatever you’re feeling that day up until midnight, and then once midnight hits, it’s done, you’re switching your mindset, you’re not dwelling on that anymore, it’s gone,” she said.
This is a great rule that not only applies to diving but swimming as well. Athletes often have multiple events in a week, and the ability to mentally reset after disappointing performances is crucial.
In the 3-meter event, Verzyl placed fifth in prelims and went on to place second in the semifinal. When she woke up the morning of the 3-meter final, she felt a new wave of confidence that she hadn’t felt throughout the week.
“Sometimes you have to try to convince yourself that you can win, but this time I just genuinely knew,” she said. “Sometimes you just wake up and you know, and you don’t have to convince yourself. It’s like you have a gut feeling. You know it’s about to happen.”
Her intuition was true, as she took the lead from the first dive. Verzyl had the highest score on four of the five dives attempted in the final, with her last dive receiving the highest score of the entire event. Ahead of the field by 40 points, she captured a first-place finish, qualifying for her first World Championships team. Even though she had made international teams before, this one felt different. Knowing she won the event, she felt that there was nothing left on the table. The spot was rightfully hers.
Verzyl has a busy summer ahead of her. Before traveling to Singapore for Worlds, she will be diving at the American Cup and Italy’s Bolzano Diving Meeting. She enjoys competing internationally, as she tends to step up when surrounded by elite divers.
“You mirror what you see,” she said.
She knows the World Championships will be fiercely competitive, but she’s not backing down from her goals. Her sights are set on making the final and aiming for a spot on the podium.