Meet our staff
Benjamin Nuci
Owner
I've been passionate about sports for as long as I can remember. When I married Whitney, I was introduced to her love for the aquatic world and her dedication to coaching. I've proudly watched her earn the title of Coach of the Year for the Manitou Springs High School Girls Swim and Dive team and beam with pride as she led her team to state competitions year after year. This inspired me to become more involved and make a positive impact where I can. I hope that one day, our children will share in the love for the sport that has enriched out lives so much.
Whitney Nuci
Head Coach
Whitney Nuci is the Head Swim Coach at Manitou Springs High School with seven seasons of experience guiding high school swimmers to success. A former competitive swimmer herself, she now works with swimmers of all ages. Passionate about aquatics, she's dedicated to fostering a love of swimming in the youth of her community.
Under her leadership, her high school team has earned League Championships, produced numerous state qualifiers, produced a 1st place champion in the girls 100 yard Breaststroke, a 6th place 100 yard Breaststroke, and a 10th place girls 50 yard Freestyle in the CHSAA 3A state meet. A proud mom of two and a Manitou Springs High School alum, Whitney brings energy, encouragement, and a lifelong love of the sport.
Mission
At Manitou Megalodons, we believe in the transformative power of swimming to cultivate the leadership and life skills of young individuals. Out mission is to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where young swimmers can discover their potential. through dedicated coaching and a focus on skill-building, teamwork, and perseverance, we empower our participants to achieve personal growth and excellence in and out of he pool. Join us in our commitment to fostering a community where every child can dive into their passion and shine bright.
Vision
Our vision at Manitou Megalodons is to create an inclusive and accessible environment where every young person can engage in swimming as a means to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle. By fostering leadership, collaboration, and teamwork, we aim to cultivate a swim team dynamic that prioritizes fun, safety, and personal growth for all participants.
Values
Memorable- Give families a memorable experience at all levels from the coaching to the competitions. We strive to be personable and make every experience memorable.
Motivate- Inspire or encourage the youth of the community to take action towards a goal and take ownership of personal fitness and health.
Equality- Provide access to water sports for youth of all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, and financial status.
Growth- Provide an atmosphere for youths to be able to gain confidence in themselves and learn to work on a team along with being able to preform individually.
History
Manitou Megalodon comes from a rich history that has seen many ups and downs.
For the past 18 years, Manitou Springs had a robust swim team that saw much success. Through the hardships of COVID-19 and coaching staff changes, the team took a hit. The previous team was struggling and needed a new purpose and a better foundation. This is where Manitou Megalodons was born. The previous team was dismantled and more support to the foundation was provided. Keeping the positives, the Manitou Megalodons was launched in January of 2024. The first year was a success, as it served a great group of kids, but it still needed more. That is where Benjamin Nuci came in. He saw a need in the community and wanted to ensure it was met. The team was looking as if it was becoming stagnant. Now privately owned, there is no limitation for this teams growth. Just in the first few months of becoming private, there has been a 10% increase in participation and 25% in retention.
Whitney Nuci was also a youth swimmer for the previous team. That team instilled the love that Whitney has for the sport she currently has. Whitney brings the old with the new in an amazing dynamic. Without forgetting where she came from as a swimmer, she has instilled current trends to the team.
We are excited to remember where this team has come from while celebrating the day to day success.
Our "WHy"
Manitou Megalodons believe every young person deserves the opportunity to grow through sport, so we cultivate a supportive swim team environment that empowers youth to stay healthy, try new challenges, and develop both individual confidence and team unity.