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. Duje then landed a full water polo scholarship at Concordia University where he was voted most valuable player and earned all-American honors, three years in a row. After his undergraduate work, he was offered a graduate scholarship and while earning his Master’s Degree also landed a position as a graduate assistant coach for the men’s water polo team at Concordia. Additionally, Duje has been recognized as the captain of every water polo team he has been a part of.
HEAD SWIM CAOCHTIJMEN 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. Tijmen continued his education at Concordia University where he played water polo for one year and was Senior Captain of the swim team his final year. He graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in sports management and currently attends Concordia where he is working on a Masters of Science degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration with a focus on aquatics. As a coach, Tijmen has 8 years of experience and in 2017 he coached a 10U team that won the gold division at NJO’s.
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.
Matt has been coaching water polo since the age of 19 beginning with the JV girls water polo team at Golden West High School. While in college he also coached the women’s club water polo B team and was president of the men’s club team for 2 years. Post-college Matt moved to Southern California and began assistant coaching for the Socal boy’s and girl’s 18U and 16U water polo teams.
COACHPATRIK ZSIROS
Coach Patrik is a student-athlete at Concordia University, majoring in Business Administration, the major emphasis in Finance and Healthcare Management. He is a dual-sport athlete both swimming and playing water polo for Concordia. He is a DII all American, had the team-high scores and assists during the 2019 season. Patrik is also from Hungary where he learned to love the water. In 2017 his team placed second at the Hungarian U18 National Championship. He was then recruited to Concordia University where he made the WWPA conference all-freshman team. Patrik has been coaching in Southern California since 2017 and has coached 12u, 16u, and 18u Boys. He is currently swimming and playing water polo for Concordia while attending school and is the Patriot 18u Boys coach.
