Coaching staff Sarasota United

 Coach JP comes to Sarasota United from the Bainbridge Island Water Polo Club in Washington State. 

He found Water Polo (or, Water Polo found him) later in life when the local Masters needed a 14th player.  Water Polo being such a great and welcoming sport JP kept on,  began teaching an intro class for young kids, teaching swim classes to fill the Bainbridge water polo pipeline, and refereeing High School games. In 2021 Coach JP  took a 14U Boys’ team from three clubs to Junior Olympics in Dallas, TX.

Coach JP graduated from the US Naval Academy, then served as a Navy helicopter pilot for 22 years.  

He worked with the Seattle Children’s Hospital Therapy Pool, and is in his 35th year as  coach for the Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team “The Skyhawks”. JP really enjoys coaching, emphasizing movement details, teamwork, and fun whether in drills, scrimmages, or games.

Best of all is seeing kids learn a workout ethic, a team ethic, and skills that carry them throughout life. He is a USA Water Polo certified coach and referee, and is excited to coach with us at Sarasota United.

 Coach Will joins us from Suffield Academy (Class of 2005) in Suffield, CT where he was Boys' Varsity Head Coach, Assistant Director of Admissions, and Head Dorm Parent for an upperlass boys' dorm.

Prior to Suffield, Will lived in Denver, CO and served as private swim and Water Polo coach.  Originally from Rye, NY, Will picked up Water Polo at an early age--attending summer clinics and camps very similar to SUWP.  Clearly hooked, Will continued his polo career at Suffield Academy and during college for various clubs in Northern California.

 Coach Will is excited and eager to contribute to the Sarasota United Water Polo Team!

 Coach Beth began her coaching career in 1989 coaching club and high school swimming and diving in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She transitioned to water polo in 2016, becoming the first Girls Water Polo coach at Venice High School.  She has attended USA Water Polo’s Olympic Development Coaching Camp at the Olympic Training Center, assisted at the USAWP Girls National Team Selection Camp in 2019 & 2021, and has served as a USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program Head Coach for the Southeast Zone for the past 3 years.

Coach Beth took 2 teams to the the 2019 National Junior Olympics, and the 14u girls won a Silver medal with 7 straight wins in the tournament. In 2021 she led the Sarasota 16u girls to a Gold Medal finish in the Platinum Division and the 18u girls team to a Silver Medal also in the Platinum Division. She has taken teams to numerous local and regional tournaments, and helps her athletes develop through the ODP process and with college recruiting. 

In 2022 Beth led our Girls' 18U team to first-place championships in both Florida's Sunshine State Games, and USA Water Polo's Junior Olympics in Dallas, Texas.

Coach Beth is a USA Water Polo certified coach and a certified lifeguard, and coaches and is club administrator for Sarasota United.

In the spring of 2022, Beth began the process of passing the club on, and transitioning to life in California, leaving our club with a rich legacy of excellence in training and competition.  We are very grateful for the great effort and work she gave to develop Water Polo in our region.

Coach Mike

Masters Water Polo is in Sarasota because of Coach Mike! 

'Nuff said....find him competing or on the Shark Tank deck.

Coach Jeff is an athlete turned ref turned coach. He played Offensive Tackle for Stanford University under two of the best coaches in football, Bill Walsh and Denny Greene. To support water polo in Southwest Florida, Coach Jeff became a USA Water Polo certified referee, leads the referee recruiting and training effort on Florida's West Coast, and was a referee at the 2019 USA Water Polo National Olympic Development Tournament.

Coach Jeff has supported Sarasota United in tournaments including the 2019 National Junior Olympics where he was the lead coach for the U16 girls team. In 2021, he assisted all three Sarasota teams at the National Junior Olympic Tournament in Dallas, TX. In addition to coaching and refereeing, he led the officials table for the 2019 UANA Tournament in Tampa, FL and has played on the masters team in several tournaments.  

Coach Jeff is a USA Water Polo certified coach and referee, an FHSAA certified referee, and is currently serving as President of the Board of Directors for the Southeast Zone. 

With wife Beth, in the spring of 2022 he began the process of passing on the leadership of our club.  We are very grateful to Jeff and Beth for all the effort and work they gave to develop Water Polo in our region.