OUR
MISSION
Through world-class coaching, Patriot Aquatics strives to build self-esteem, character, teamwork, and a strong work ethic, and we encourage our student-athletes to apply these values to all aspects of their lives.
NEVER MISS A THING
WHY PATRIOT?
- We have world-class coaches who have excelled in their sports, and have widespread college connections
- We train in a state-of-the-art Olympic-size pool
- We have modern equipment plus extra training aids to help advance your skills
- We participate in monthly tournaments to improve your live game skills
- You will have excellent preparation to play and swim on your high school team
- You will develop friends for life – the Patriot family!
- You will learn and grow in a healthy, competitive, team environment
- You will learn commitment, discipline, and giving a 100% effort
- Our double-goal coaching philosophy ensures that you will also learn valuable life lessons along with winning
- You will be able to serve our community through our outreach program
PCA
POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE
- The Double-Goal Coach, whose first goal is winning, and whose second, more important goal is teaching life lessons through sports.
- The Second-Goal Parent, who concentrates on life lessons, while letting coaches and athletes focus on competing.
- The Triple-Impact Competitor, who strives to impact sport on three levels by improving oneself, teammates, and the games as a whole.
Coach Tijmen Egtberts was recently selected to be a 2021 Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal Coach Award recipient. He was in a class of 100 coaches across all sports and was the only water polo coach to be given the award.
Coach Duje Grubisic was recently selected to be a 2020 Coach of Character Award recipient by the Orange County Athletic Director Association.
OUR COACHES
CLUB DIRECTOR & PRESIDENTDUJE GRUBISIC
Duje Grubisic’s water polo career began in Croatia, where he played professional water polo, starting at the age of sixteen, and had the immense opportunity of being coached by some of the best water polo coaches in the world.
HEAD COACHTIJMEN EGTBERTS
Coach Tijmen Egtberts was born and raised in The Netherlands. He started playing competitive water polo at the age of 8. His talent got recognized at Santa Rosa Junior College where he played for two years and was added to the coaching staff for one year as well.
HEAD COACHMATT CALHOUN
Coach Matt Calhoun is from Visalia, CA in the central valley where he played water polo and swam for Mt. Whitney High School. After graduating he attended the College of the Sequoias for an associate’s degree, where he also swam, before transferring to UC Davis. At Davis he studied Psychology and played for the men’s club water polo team.
ASSISTANT COACHJEFF HAMILTON
Coach Jeff has been with Patriot Water Polo since 2019 as an assistant 10u coach. From 1991-1995 Jeff played water polo with Canyon High School in Anaheim Hills. In 1994 he was selected to play with the USA Junior National team and then went on to win two back-to-back California State Championships with Golden West College.
