Erik Healy
Water Polo Background/Experience
Erik played water polo at Mira Costa High School and later at USC from 1999-2003, culminating in the 2003 National Championship on which he was co-captain and played with his teammate/brother Nik Healy. Erik also represented the USA in the World University Games in Daegu, Korea in 2003. Erik has played semi-professional water polo in the Premier league, representing Long Beach Shore.
Currently, Erik Healy is the Loyola High School Head Coach and Director of the Trojan Water Polo Club.
Personal Background
Erik is a native of Manhattan Beach, CA.
Erik graduated from USC with a Bachelors degree in International Relations, earned a Masters degree in Education, and is a credentialed educator who teaches Health and PE at Loyola High School.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy helping athletes reach their maximum potential both individually and as members of a cohesive group. With proper focus and hard work, I believe that the Trojan Club will continue to be the lynchpin of the competitive beach cities water polo community. In addition to achieving success in the pool (his 2018 18u team finished 8thnationally, 2017 16u team finished 2ndnationally, and 2016 18u team finished 5thnationally), I enjoy developing ongoing, lasting relationships with players in and out of the pool.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Chris was a 2-meter defensive specialist and driver at UC Berkeley in 2001-2005. Prior to playing at UC Berkeley, Chris was a member of the 2000 Mira Costa CIF Championship team. He earned a spot on the First Team All-CIF team, was an Academic All-American, and holds the record for most steals in a season. He also played on the SOPAC Youth National Team in 2000.
Personal Background
Chris graduated UC Berkeley in 2006 with a triple major in Business Administration, Political Economy, and Slavic Languages & Literature. He has a background in real estate private equity, investment sales, and finance. When he's not on the pool deck, he's working on his start-up company.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
As a South Bay native, I’m excited to give back to the community I grew up in through coaching at Trojan. I believe that competitive team sports, particularly water polo, have a tremendously positive impact on the personal development of young men and women. Through my unique background and experience, I hope to help the Trojan family develop a new generation of water polo athletes with the skills necessary to be excellent competitors, in and out of the pool.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Antonis started playing club water polo in 7th grade. He played water polo at Mira Costa High School as well as at Trojan. After graduating high school, he played at Santa Monica College and LA Valley College each for one year. While there, he was MVP, leading goal scorer, 1st Team All Western State Conference, and an All American.
Personal Background
Antonis grew up in the South Bay and started participating on swim team at age 7. He is currently taking classes at El Camino College and planning to transfer to a nearby University. His goal is to become a teacher. In his spare time, his favorite activities are rock climbing and surfing.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I’ve always been passionate about the sport, the challenge along with the rewarding feeling you get for working hard is irreplaceable. Coaching allows me to spread that passion and guide the players towards pushing their limits while learning the multiple facets of the game.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Scott has played water polo for over 13 years, which includes playing with Royal High School (where he was a 2x High School All-American), LA/Waves Water Polo Club, and at UCLA.
Personal Background
Scott grew up in Simi Valley and is the son of a water polo coach. Scott is an artist, entrepreneur, and ocean lifeguard.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
The things I enjoy most about coaching is the ability to stay connected with the sport, share my athletic experience/expertise with the kids, and the opportunity to develop responsible, respectful young men in the community.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Kyle was introduced to water polo in 2005 as a freshman at Loyola High School and soon after joined Trojan Water Polo Club. He was quickly drawn to the sport. In addition to playing for Trojan, Kyle competed at Loyola on their water polo and swimming teams for the duration of his high school years. During that time he gained experience playing ODP and competing internationally with Loyola and Trojan teams in Hungary, Croatia, and Montenegro.
Kyle moved on to play NCAA Division 1 at Santa Clara University.
Personal Background
Kyle attended Santa Clara University where he competed through 2014 while earning a degree in Biomedical Science. After graduating, he worked as an EMT before moving to New York to pursue further education at Columbia University Medical Center. Kyle is currently living at home in the Pacific Palisades while completing his thesis requirements and has plans to continue on into medical school.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy coaching young athletes and giving back to the local water polo community.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Emily played at Notre Dame High School while playing club water polo. After graduating from high school, she played at California State Northridge for four years.
Personal Background
Emily is an ocean lifeguard in Venice as well as a yoga teacher and swim coach at Windward School.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy empowering girls by creating a challenging but supportive environment based on hard work and comradery for girls to learn how to support each other and ultimately themselves. Water polo is one of the hardest sports in the world and it makes me proud every day to help girls develop tools to be the best versions of themselves in and out of the pool.
Water Polo Background/Experience
John played at Mira Costa High School and then went on to play at UC Berkeley. He has 18 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and Dean at Harvard Westlake. John has coached with Larry Felix, Jack Kocur, Rich Corso, and Brian Flacks.
Personal Background
John has been a LA county lifeguard since 1988 and is on the Board of Directors of the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy helping kids improve and teaching the game to young athletes. I also enjoy being on a team and helping kids learn to enjoy the game as well as play with discipline and sound fundamentals. Most importantly, I enjoy watching our kids have fun.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Damon started playing water polo at 13 years old and played at Chadwick High School. After graduating, he attended and played at Whittier college
Personal Background
Damon was born and raised in South Bay.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy seeing the kids improve while having a fun experience and it is rewarding to have the kids supporting each other and working together to reach their goals.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Dave has been the Mira Costa High School boys and girls water polo varsity team Assistant Coach since 2005. Prior to that, he played for Coach Jon Reichardt and was teammates with Coach Healy and Coach Pawlik. At Mira Costa, Dave was a 3-year Varsity letter player. He was also Captain and MVP of the first CIF championship team in 2000, which earned him a spot on both First Team All-CIF and First Team All Bay League teams.
Since 2005, Dave has helped lead the Mira Costa boys teams to 10 Bay League Championships, 2 CIF Championships, and 3 CIF Final appearances. During that same time, Dave helped lead the Mira Costa girls teams to 2 CIF Final appearances. He is also the Mira Costa High School JV swim coach.
Since 2013, Dave has coached the 16u Boys team at Trojan Water Polo Club.
Personal Background
Dave grew up in Manhattan Beach where he attended American Martyrs and Mira Costa HS. Upon graduation, he earned a BA at CSULB and MA in Special Education at CSUDH.
Dave is currently a Special Education Teacher at Mira Costa High School.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy the process of teaching and helping athletes develop the mindset where they begin to see all games, wins, and especially losses as opportunities to learn. Also, I enjoy being around a pool deck and engaging in the healthy lifestyle that water polo affords. I hope that through coaching I am able to instill a passion for learning that allows each player to take what they have learned from playing water polo and apply it to their growth and development in their personal and professional lives. I also hope to give to my players what water polo gave to me: self-confidence, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work with as well as to collaborate and lead others. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to coach water polo in the South Bay and be a part of the Trojan Water Polo Club.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Stefan Menghin has been with Trojan Water Polo Club for more than 4 years and comes from an international water polo background.
He played 5 years professionally in Europe and coached for 10 years there as well. As a goaltender he led the team to 5 national championship wins. He received rookie of the year in 2003, MVP in 2005, and best goal keeper award in ‘06, and ‘07. He also participated in the European LEN Trophy, Champions League Europe, which is the top international league in Europe. Stefan served as the Austrian National Team’s goal keeper from 2004-2010. Stefan was also the head coach for the U13, U15, U17, U19 teams at his Club. A remarkable moment of his coaching career came when all four teams won the Austrian Championship for their age group in the same year.
Stefan is currently the assistant coach and goaltender coach for Loyola High School.
Personal Background
Stefan holds a Masters in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Innsbruck, Austria.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy teaching and helping young players develop into strong athletes and individuals in the community.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Ashley has played water polo for almost 14 years now, and currently still plays for the New York Athletic Club. She grew up playing for Los Angeles Water Polo Club practicing at a number of pools all over the South Bay. She attended Harvard-Westlake from 2007-2011 where her team won the first Girl's CIF Championship in school history in 2011. During high school, she was the CIF Division IV Player of the Year and was a USA Water Polo Academic All-American.
While earning her Bachelor's degree at Stanford University, she was the starting center for four years on the Women’s water polo team that won three National Championships. During this time, she was named a First Team All-American by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches, she made the MPSF All-Academic List, and she was awarded the Pam Stratharian Best Female Competitive Attitude Award.
After graduating from Stanford, she trained full-time for the USA Women's Water Polo Olympic Team and was the final player cut prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics. While on the team, her team won the Fina World Championships, the Pan American Games, and the Fina World League Super Final.
Personal Background
Ashley earned her Bachelor's degree at Stanford University in 2015 and currently works full-time for an Investor Relations firm in Brentwood. She grew up in Santa Monica with dogs, birds, and mice as my only siblings. Ashley is a nationally ranked triathlete, so she spends a lot of time training for triathlons in the Southern California area. She also enjoy grabbing a coffee and watching the sunrise, hiking, and is currently on the hunt for the best froyo place in SoCal.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I coach water polo for three main reasons. One, to give back to a community and family that has helped shape me into the woman I am today. Two, to empower young women to embrace their strength, power and athleticism through a contact sport. Three, to help those young women or men who want to play water polo in college, or to go to the Olympics, achieve their goals.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Ian has been playing water polo since he was 11 years old. Water polo has always been an important part of his life. He was co-captain and goalkeeper on both Mira Costa and MIT Varsity teams. At Mira Costa, as Co-Captain, he was named First team CIF All-Star, First team Bay League All-Star, and NISCA All-American Team CA/HI. At MIT, he was also a Co-Captain and was on the Men's All-Academic Team with Superior Distinction.
Ian has also been a private goalie coach over the past few years.
Personal Background
Ian was born and raised in Manhattan Beach and was the first of his family to play water polo. His brother followed suit shortly afterward.
Ian graduated from MIT in 2017 with a degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a concentration in Anthropology. During college, he worked as a volunteer on MIT's EMS ambulance service and as an officer for the National Engineering Fraternity, Theta Tau. He is also active in Jiu-Jitsu and enjoys playing both the stand-up and electric bass.
Also, Ian is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Commonwealth of Massachusetts
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I really enjoy coaching and I especially like watching players grow and overcome obstacles in the pool that have been keeping them from reaching their potential. Seeing their pride in their accomplishments is one of the best parts of coaching. I am thrilled to be able to pay it forward to the South Bay water polo community and to help these awesome kids reach their potential.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Charles started his water polo career in Peninsula HS mostly and he fell in love with it immediately. He has competed in Peninsula HS and has also participated in South Bay Peninsula Water Polo Club during off-seasons.
After graduating from UC Irvine, Charles jumped into coaching Frosh/Soph boys’ water polo in Palos Verdes HS during Fall 2017 and then JV girls’ water polo during the past winter season. Charles helped JV girls to capture the Bay League Title and also helped out with the varsity team as well. He is also an assistant swim coach at Palos Verdes HS.
Personal Background
Charles was born in Seoul, Korea and moved to America at the age of 9. He moved around from Las Vegas, Rancho Cucamonga, Palos Verdes, and to Torrance. Charles graduated from Peninsula HS in 2013 and earned his B.A. from UC Irvine in 2017. He recently completed his Masters of Arts in Teaching from USC along with a teaching credential. He is currently a substitute teacher in Palos Verdes and hopes to land a teaching position in South Bay! During free time, Charles enjoys watching college football and basketball games and catching up with Netflix shows.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy seeing kids grow into water polo and become better athletes and better individuals.
Water Polo Background/Experience
Growing up, she participated in the Olympic Development Program, Coastal Zone, 18U Team, “A” Travel Team, and was on the Junior National youth team from 2009-2010.
Marisa played at Mira Costa High School (graduated in 2011) and was Mira Costa's Female Athlete of the Year for 2010-2011 school year. She was team captain of the Varsity swim team all four years of high school. As Captain and primary set player of the varsity water polo team my senior year, she finished the season with 138 goals, 49 ejections drawn.
She also played for Los Angeles Water Polo Club, where she won the 18U National Championship at Junior Olympics in 2010.
After high school, Marisa was recruited to play at UC Berkeley (graduated in 2015), where she played under Richard Corso and Matt Flesher.
Marisa played for over 12 years and has coached off and on for the last 6 years. She coached water polo in the South Bay for 10Us, 12Us, 14Us, 16Us, and 18Us. I was an assistant coach for Marist College's NCAA Division I Women's water polo team for the 2018 season.
Personal Background
Marisa grew up in Manhattan Beach where I began swimming competitively for South Bay teams when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Marisa loves ocean swimming and racing and grew up participating in Junior Guards in Manhattan Beach from age 8 to 18.
Currently, Marisa is getting her Master’s degree in the Department of Information Studies at UCLA.
What do you enjoy most about Coaching?
I enjoy teaching kids life lessons in and out of the pool; seeing their confidence grow and sharing with them the greatest sport on the planet. I love growing water polo in the South Bay.
