Who Are The Nevada Desert Mermaids
We are Nevada's only nationally-ranked artistic swim team! The Mermaids were founded in 1999 by Linda Tannenbaum who has achieved many prestigious awards. Linda was a World Champion, Pan American Champion, and has also served on the U.S. Olympic Committee just to name a few of her accomplishments.
The team is now led by head coach Ludivine Stsepaniuk, a USA Youth National Team head coach for four consecutive years. The Mermaids coaching staff includes National and World Champions, Olympians, and Vegas performers. Many of them have performed in top headline shows including "O" by Cirque Du Soleil, Le Reve by Franco Dragon and Steve Wynn, and Splash by Jeff Kutash.
The Mermaids continue to provide competitive swim teams that have to qualify for Nationals and Junior Olympics events. Only the top three teams from each region can qualify to participate. In addition to sending our team members to this National Competition, we have girls that have qualified for the National Teams in their age brackets and competed in the Pan American Games around the world. Some of our swimmers have also moved on to swim collegiately at colleges such as Ohio State and Stanford University.
We have girls from ages 7 to 18 who swim at all levels. We are a year-round synchronized swimming program and swim mainly in Summerlin at the Pavilion Center pool, a heated, indoor, 25x50 meter pool. We are a non-profit organization and are administered by a board of directors made up of parents and coaches.
Artistic swimming is a very demanding sport and requires girls to develop many skills and abilities, including concentration, discipline, agility, grace, coordination, strength, and athletic ability. We have beginners who don't compete but participate in a few shows each year, as well as age-group competitive teams who travel mainly to Arizona to compete a few times a year. We promote teamwork and physical fitness.
We put on a Water Show each spring for the local community and friends and family to see what synchronized swimming is all about!
Our Mission
Our Goals
- Create a positive learning environment that promotes individual and team improvement to achieve success in each swimmer's and team's division.
- Provide each athlete an opportunity to improve their swimming skills to the highest level of their natural ability.
- Help athletes through sport to develop a healthy lifestyle and enjoy team camaraderie.
- Support each athlete's academic achievement through performance.
Our Commitment
We are committed to ensuring our purpose and values always remain at the forefront of everything we do. Our aim is to further strengthen the Nevada Desert Mermaids' enduring status in the artistic swimming community while contributing to the well-being of our member families, coaches, athletes, and the communities in which we live and swim.
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We will provide an environment that enables our athletes to achieve their fullest potential.
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We will lead by example to promote and develop important life values for our athletes.
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We will establish a positive and enjoyable learning experience for our athletes.
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We will encourage a positive and professional atmosphere harmonizing the efforts, dedication, and commitment of our athletes, coaches, volunteers, and family members in a unified and constant pursuit of excellence.
Our Values
- Integrity: We consistently act with respect to do what is honest, fair, and trustworthy.
- Innovation: We approach all that we do with creativity, enthusiasm, and determination.
- Responsibility: We are accountable to each other for the results of our decisions and actions.
The Southern Nevada Desert Mermaids does not discriminate against its coaches, swimmers, parents, governing board or community of participants based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or national origin. Artistic swimming is a global support that spans people of all walks of life, and our club strives to create opportunities for all.
