09/26/2026
After 10 years leading our Mermaids, Head Coach Ludi Stsepaniuk is chasing a lifelong dream: coaching the Australian National Team to LA28 🇦🇺. She’ll be stepping down as head coach at the end of this month and taking on a new role as Admin Coach.
Ludi has been the lifeblood of our club since she took it over from founder Linda Tannenbaum. Coaching a national championship-caliber team while running a club is no small feat, especially through a pandemic. We’re now more than 70 members strong, with a thriving Rec program and a growing medal count. We’re lucky to have had a decade of her leadership and direction, which has made the Desert Mermaids such a unique team rooted in Las Vegas entertainment, culture, and sport.
Maya Plotnitskaya, a longtime Mermaid athlete, assistant coach, and USA National Team alum, is filling the Head Coach role effective October 1st, following years of training under Ludi. Congrats, Maya!! We look forward to your leadership and our club’s ongoing success!
Coach Ludi, thank you for everything you’ve done for a decade of athletes and the community. We’ll be cheering you on in your Olympic run, though we’ll still have to root for Team USA ;) See you in LA!
- Your Mermaids Forever
P.S. Drop your favorite Coach Ludi memory in the comments 💙
