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In Loving Memory of
Coach Pete Nestel
(1955—2026)
Pete Nestel was a dedicated swimming coach whose career spanned decades and touched countless lives. Before coming to Colorado, he served as head coach for men's and women's swimming at Purchase College (SUNY) for over a decade, leading teams to conference championships and earning Coach of the Year honors multiple times.
In the Boulder community, Pete coached with Boulder Aquatic Masters, the Louisville Dolphins, Boulder Swim Team, and Centaurus High School. He was known for his kindness, his teamwork and willingness to help out, and his special gift for teaching beginners the fundamentals of swimming. Many swimmers will remember him from his Wednesday morning sessions at BAM, where he brought patience, expertise, and a genuine love for the sport.
Message from Pete's Sister
"I want to thank each and every single one of you who shared such heartfelt and genuinely thoughtful memories of my brother - underscoring who he was as a human being and a coach. My husband, son and I were deeply moved by the outpouring of love you all shared at the memorial swim and the time you took to share your grief and personal stories with us that morning.
I have shared your memorial page with other family and close friends so that they, too, could get a bit of a window into how beloved Pete was and know that all that we knew and loved about him was shared by a much larger community."
❤️ Jane Nestel-Patt (Pete’s sister)
Share Your Memories
If you or your family members were coached by Pete, or if you worked alongside him, we invite you to share your memories.
“I took a break from Masters. Pete was one of the reasons I came back because I knew he would welcome me and encourage me. He always made others feel good regardless of ability and swim speed. He treated all alike. He was THE BEST.”
P.S.
“One of the complaints masters swimmers often have is not getting enough feedback on stroke, turns, etc., from those on the deck - Pete was the exception! Pete was always in swim coach mode - looking at his clipboard for the next set and interval while giving constructive and affirming feedback on my stroke and for that, I thank you Pete. Pete and I talked about starts and turn strategy for sprints this past week and he graciously offered to work with me this coming week on these in prep for Masters Nationals - a true coach. Thank you Pete!”
J.L.
“After a long break from swimming, I decided to give masters a shot. The first workout I tried, I was welcomed with warmth and kindness by Pete. During my trial swim, he provided helpful feedback on my stroke and encouraged me to join BAM. I am immensely grateful that I decided to join BAM and continued to go to many of Pete’s workouts.
I could always count on showing up to the pool to be met with Pete’s smile and kind words. His presence on the pool deck always radiated passion and joy. Recently, when I told him about getting a puppy, he lit up and told me about a dog he had many years ago. He shared about the dog always being on deck with him, and his profile picture was of the dog giving him a kiss from the deck when Pete had been pushed into the pool. In the time I got to know Pete, I could tell how much he cared about others and wanted to help everyone around him.
Pete always challenged me to work harder and believed in my ability. I will always remember his encouraging words and I know I am a better swimmer because of him. Pete will be very missed, and I am very thankful to have known him. May his memory be a blessing.”
Z.B.
“I just swam last Wednesday morning at Pete's 6:00am BAM practice. I am surprised and deeply saddened that I won't get to see him again. He was a fantastic coach.
What stands out to me is that as an adult it can feel like you are alone and need to figure out things for yourself. But at Pete's practice, it felt like you were part of his workout and a sense that "I got you." During those hour long workouts, he looked out for all of the swimmers, and would make sure that you had a good workout, were challenged, maybe learned something new - but beyond that - there were many workouts were he would make it clear that he saw you and he would tell you that you were doing a great job.
Coach Pete was one of the good ones. I miss him already. “
L.M.
“Boulder Swim Team would like to thank Coach Pete for his dedication to our team. While Coach Pete has not been directly involved with Boulder Swim Team for the past few years, his passion for swimming is still felt in many of the swimmers today. On deck, Coach Pete poured his love for swimming into the development of young swimmers every chance he got. He showed up for early morning practices, long swim meets, and every team function. Coach Pete made every swimmer feel valued and seen regardless of their performance in the water. His presence in the swim community will be greatly missed; however, his love of the sport will never be forgotten.”
A.H.
"Our swim community has lost one of its true treasures in Pete. Pete was an amazing coach who knew how to bring out both effort and laughter. With clipboard in hand and the day’s workout ready, he inspired us to work hard while keeping joy at the center of it all.
Pete had a rare gift for connecting with every swimmer—newbies, seasoned athletes, young, old, and every level in between. He always had the right tip, the right encouragement, or the right adjustment to help each person improve. He made me better not only in the water, but as a man through his example.
What many may not have known is that Pete carried a serious health condition with remarkable courage. Even through pain and challenge, he kept showing up, learning, teaching, and giving to others. He remained a student of swimming until his final days, always seeking new ideas and sharing his wisdom.
I will deeply miss Pete—from the pool deck, to the shores of Boulder Reservoir, to our quiet conversations and laughing. He will always be etched in my mind as one of the kindest, gentlest, and most understanding coaches I have ever known.
Rest well, Coach Pete. Your legacy lives on in all of us."
E.H.
"In my 30 years of swimming, I don't think I've ever had a coach quite like Pete. He had this relentless, genuine enthusiasm and positivity. While it may have sometimes gone under appreciated at 6am, you always left a Pete workout feeling good about yourself. He was the only coach to ever compliment my breaststroke. Naked 50s, tickle 50s, butterfly fist drill, battle kick. Some days, he'd have themed workouts. "We're hiking a 14er today!" or "We're going skiing!" But my favorite was one summer morning at 5:55am when he said (with no other context) "Bruce, it's hell week!". Thank you, Pete."
Bruce
"This just happened last week, and it perfectly shows what made Coach Pete so great.
I showed up to practice and realized I had left my swimsuit at home. Without hesitation, Coach Pete reached into his bag, pulled out an extra suit, and handed it to me. The only thing he said was, “You learned a lesson today—always have an extra suit in your bag.”
Simple, but something I’ll never forget."
C.H.
“When I joined BAM in 2023 I was a relatively inexperienced masters swimmer. Pete patiently guided me as he helped me become a more proficient freestyle swimmer. We shared our New York background and had fun talking about his coaching at Purchase. I enjoyed seeing him recently as a volunteer timer at the Colorado State Masters Championships and again at the volunteer Scott Carpenter prep session. I was very fond of Pete’s compassionate personality and his love for coaching swimming.“
B.E.
“Pete was the first person I spoke to at BAM, and the reason I became a Wednesday AM regular. He made every newbie feel immediately welcome. As an educator, I can say that his passion for swimming, mentoring, and teaching were genuine and beyond. His reach and impact within the Boulder swim community was long and his loss will be mourned for a long time. He had my family's holiday card on his refrigerator, and we had grand plans with my kids this summer. My heart is empty.”
V.K.
“Pete was a special masters coach. He was kind and welcoming to everyone. He was always present and paying attention to us in the pool. He saw you as an individual and an athlete and genuinely wanted you to succeed and improve. As a masters athlete who believes we can still be athletes, not just getting a workout in, I loved his coaching style. Like my age group coach, I worked harder with him on deck because I knew he believed in me and had expectations, in a good way - he cared, he encouraged. He coached us to be better swimmers in the same way he coached his age groupers and high schoolers, and to me, that was a gift. I wish I could thank him one more time for the thoughtful words about my swimming that made me feel seen and the always interesting and challenging workouts that made a difference in my swimming and my life.”
K.D.
“I remember him being my coach on Seals and thinking he was such an amazing and kind coach, then when joining high school swim, I learned he was my coach again and I am so grateful for the memories and things that he taught me. I’m so grateful to have met Pete and been able to experience him as both a coach and a friend.”
M
“Pete joined our club (Denver Athletic Club) at the beginning of this season and was instrumental to continuing our swim team program here and rebuilding the team. When I first interviewed Pete for the job, I was impressed by his lifelong coaching experience and multiple pages of swim coaching experience in fine text on his resume. He didn’t bat an eye at coaching a smaller team that had just lost a great 10-year long coach or that he would be driving all the way from Boulder each day for practice and long meets. I knew he was the man for the job and this was a labor of love for him. I’m sad he only was able to spend a season with us but grateful for the lasting impact he will have. He was a compassionate and enthusiastic coach that developed swimmers to the best of their ability while maintaining the joy of the sport. My last memory of Coach Pete will be him consoling a swimmer, sitting next to them on our bleachers.”
Keegan (DAC Aqua Manager)
"I always knew Pete wanted me to be a better swimmer. He welcomed my efforts to improve and even encouraged me to send him my footage, which he would watch and reply to in his free time. He stands out from other coaches I’ve had in terms of the level of effort he would go through to help me improve. Thank you and you’ll be missed."
J.W.
"Pete was one of the first people I met when I moved to Boulder, it was my first BAM practice at EBCC and it quickly became my favorite day of the week because it felt like home. When I broke my ankle and was afraid to swim and be in the way, he gave me my own lane and cheered me on the whole time. He was so kind and genuine, and he was also snarky in the best way. I have often said that my biggest goal in swimming is to be as fast as Pete thinks I can be. Once when we were supposed to be sprinting and I wasn't going fast enough, he stopped everyone to call me out for it. Another time he told me I was the most improved swimmer, and that improvement is thanks to him. I remember every single piece of feedback he ever gave me, and I hope he knows I am working hard on them."
S.H.
"Pete made my Wednesday mornings start off so great! Wednesdays are my hardest day at work, and he always had something positive to say during practice to get my day off to a better start. He would always joke when I had to get out early for work that he was going to call my boss to excuse my tardiness. His positivity and happy energy radiated through every practice and it will be missed so much. <3"
M.D.
“Coach Pete was my first introduction to BAM. In my first practice, he was very encouraging but also told me I’d be a lot faster if I fixed my pull. I had no idea what he was talking about because I’d swam for 15 years and no coach had ever commented on my pull! But sure enough, I take his advice to slow it down and it immediately made me faster and more efficient. Pete was a brilliant and enthusiastic coach. Even if I had just a second between intervals, I’d always hear him yelling to keep it up and that I was doing it great. He knew just how to push us and make us better swimmers. Pete will be very missed.”
O.R.
“Pete was one of the kindest coaches I’ve ever come across, both in my masters swim world and as a swim mom. I’ll always remember this past winter break when my son swam with BAM. Pete made him feel so special with sincere compliments and attention. He didn’t need to say anything to a drop-in college kid, but he did. What meant even more was that it didn’t stop there. After my son went back to college, Pete would still check in and ask how he was doing at his meets. He made an extra effort to cheer him on, after coaching him at just two Wednesday morning practices. Pete was a wonderful person.”
C.S.
“Pete was the first BAM coach I met when moving to Boulder. He was welcoming, engaging, and endearing. His sessions immediately became my favorite and I often decided what my swim schedule was based on when he was coaching. He was always up for a good chat and I could count on him to be a friendly face at the pool. I only knew him for a few months but I will hold his friendship dearly <3“
K.S.
“Pete was a great coach-always positive, always made it interesting, and gave everyone, regardless of whether they were fast, or "less fast,” equal attention and coaching. Even when I was having a bad day, he would say, "great job today." Interestingly, Pete and I both shared memories of being from New York and having ski raced on the east coast. I felt like I had a special bond with him in that respect. I'll miss him dearly.”
K.L.
“My daughter was only coached by Pete this season, but we really appreciated his dedication and support. He really helped my daughter improve and gain confidence. I enjoyed speaking with him throughout the year and am sad that he won't be able to see his efforts pay off as my daughter continues to grow. He will be missed.”
D.R.
"Just two weeks ago I had this really special conversation with Coach P about our daughter, Hanna. He always found ways to compliment her swimming to me, and in this conversation he said really specific things that made me realize the special talents he saw in her. It motivated me as a parent, and I know it motivated Hanna when I shared this insight with her. He had a way of seeing athletes and guiding them through improvement. I was fortunate to be the recipient of some of his wisdom and observations. We will miss him dearly."
J.L.
"Pete was always welcoming. No matter if you were late, or tired, or things weren’t working well for you that day, he welcomed you to swim with the group. You always knew that if Pete was coaching, you would have a good swim and then furthermore a great rest of the day!"
K.M.
"I am so heartbroken to hear of Pete's passing. He was so genuine, caring, complimentary, warm, and funny! He always had words of encouragement and tips on how to improve your swimming. You always felt better after having a swim workout created by Pete. This is a tremendous loss for the BAM community and to others who were fortunate to have known him."
S.B.
“Pete always greeted me with a warm smile, and I truly valued our joyful conversations on the deck before practice. He never seemed to mind my delay in getting into the water. I will miss that. Pete was so kind and his genuine care for every swimmer was evident in the excellent technical tips he provided.
I also enjoyed catching up with him at high school swim meets, where it was clear how much the students loved him. Pete was a wonderful person and will be deeply missed by so many of us.”
D.S.
“Pete always had the best workouts for us at BAM! They were always interesting and challenging and fun. Just like him. He was so kind and supportive every time I saw him. I will really miss him.”
O.L.
“Pete was the most complimentary coach - always telling me what a pretty backstroke or underwater kick I have. It sounds like such a small thing, but it was a sweet way to start the day, with a little boost of confidence. I hope all his swimmers had the same experience.”
T.S.
“During my first workout with Pete, it was raining at Scott Carpenter pool. For warmup, he confidently told me to do 150s LCM (middle 50 non-free) on 2:15. Baffled, I asked "1:30 base for warmup?" To which he responded "Yes, you have a pretty stroke. You can do this."
Later, I came to learn that this was a theme for Pete: he believed in me more than I believed in myself. He saw things in us that we could not see. He was known for his "optimistic intervals" and genuine encouragement. Once, during a summer workout, Pete asked us to do 200s max effort. And we did. And then he asked us to do more 200s even faster ("maximumer effort" as we coined it). At every Pete workout, you could look around the pool and not be able to tell the difference between smiles and grimaces (sometimes people were wearing both at the same time). With the way he coached, you learned to smile through the pain.
Pete was also incredibly generous with his compliments, warming everyone's hearts at each and every workout. But he also liked to lightly tease people, knowing that humor could inspire just as effectively as a hearty compliment. As a coach, I aspire to teach and motivate as effectively as Pete did. When Pete coached intro sessions, I saw swimmers go from hardly able to float to doing pretty darn good freestyle and backstroke within an hour. He once asked my opinion on a swimmer's stroke. What I said amounted to highly technical gibberish that he translated for the swimmer so easily that the swimmer implemented the correction immediately thanks to Pete's expert instruction and technical fluency.
I will miss Pete's genuine smile, hearty compliments, and robust laugh. Mostly, I will miss the positivity that he brought to each and every conversation I had with him -- the marvel with which he viewed the world and the love and kindness he exuded. He made a tremendous impact on Boulder Aquatic Masters and the swimming community at large. And he made all of us better by sharing his immense gifts.”
C.M.
"My wife and I just met Pete two weeks ago at a BAM workout. Pete was covering for another coach. I am recovering from shoulder surgery. Pete gave me some valuable insights on my stroke to help with my recovery. He was very positive and encouraging. Both my wife and I commented several times after the workout on what a wonderful coaching experience we had with Pete. Sadly, we were both looking forward to seeking out future workouts with him. Please share our condolences with Pete's family."
A.F.
"He said I had the best backstroke of anyone at BAM (though there are many who are faster than me). He gave great sets and would ask people for their “hall pass” if they were late."
P.M.
"Having swum with all sorts of different coaches over many decades, I can say with certainty that Pete was the most supportive, caring and dedicated of them all. His passion for swimming and his devotion to seeing us all improve was evident in everything he did. Pete ALWAYS had a compliment to share and made each of us feel special. Seeing Pete every Wednesday morning brought joy to my day. If life got busy and it wasn't possible to fit in a lot of workouts, I always made sure to attend Pete's. He worked us hard, always knew just how much he could push us, and we left his workout feeling exhausted but happy. How could you not? He always had a smile and kind word as you headed into the locker room. We will miss Pete so much. He wasn't just a coach- he was a kind and excellent human being. My life is richer for having known him."
Cilla
"My fondest memory of Pete is his smiling face as the sun was rising over Boulder Rez at the early morning open water swims. I am not very confident in OW and Pete always had encouraging words for me. He never judged distance or time; he only celebrated my accomplishment of an open water swim. Pete truly cared about the person and I will miss him."
K.D.
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