The Manitou Springs High School Swim and Dive team, trained by head coach Whitney Nuci, dove headfirst into the 2021-2022 season starting this October. On October 18, the first pre-season practice took place at the Manitou Springs Pool and Fitness Center. Swimmers, coaches and students are looking forward to a 2021-2022 swim and dive season with less COVID-19 restrictions than last season. They still face new and upcoming challenges, as they aspire to bring MSHS to State as they have previously. They are hoping to follow in last year’s State champion Bella Kuzbeck’s footsteps.

“This year is going to be a lot different because a lot of our top swimmers were graduates. So now it is just really going to be redefining a lot of those skills that our underclassmen and even juniors last year had, and hopefully get them to where not only where they want to be personally but get them to a place where they really benefit the team as well,” head coach Nuci said.  The loss of skilled graduates gives Nuci the opportunity to focus on developing the young new participants on the team.

The dive team will feel the loss of last year’s seniors as well.  “Abigail [Kilpela] and Tera [DeRemus] (‘21) were my best friends and have been for years, so them leaving sucks because the reason I look forward to going to practice every day was because they were there,” diving team captain Paige Harrison (12) said. Not only will the graduation of seniors last year affect the team’s competitive status,  it will also affect the mental attitude in some of the players. 

However, team swim leader Aidan Cote’ (12) is optimistic about the upcoming season. “I think we are walking into a really good position. We do have some pretty tough competition up in Denver, but I know if we hold it together, then we have a really good shot of having a pretty incredible season,” said Cote’.

Even though they face obstacles this season, like a smaller, less experienced team and the loss of key seniors, the Swim and Dive team feels confident they can overcome this obstacle.’ “I think [the season will] yield good results, as long as it’s normal,” Cote’ said. “It really just depends on quarantines and everything; but, honestly, everyone seems to have a really good attitude about it so that’s all I could ask for.”