Coaches
Champions made here
We have a team of dedicated coaches for each squad, qualified for numerous finals. Patriot coaches are commited to excellence. Meet them all.
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Meet Them All
DUJE GRUBISIC
PRESIDENT & CEO, HEAD COACH
14U/18U Girls
Duje Grubisic is a visionary leader in the world of water polo and aquatics. Born and raised in Croatia, Duje began his professional water polo career at the age of sixteen. His early experiences in one of Europe’s water polo powerhouses provided him with a solid foundation, which he later built upon during his collegiate career at Concordia University in the United States. Earning a full athletic scholarship, Duje was a three-time All-American and also earned Academic All-American honors during his time at Concordia University. His leadership qualities extended beyond the pool, culminating in a scholarship for his master’s degree and a role as a graduate assistant coach for Concordia’s men’s water polo team.
Duje’s coaching career is marked by remarkable success and accolades. As the founder, President, and CEO of Patriot Aquatics and head coach for both the 14U girls team and Beckman High School, he transformed the club from its humble beginnings into a nationally recognized powerhouse, now boasting over 300 athletes. His ability to develop both athletes and coaching staff has resulted in an organization known for both its competitiveness and its supportive, family-like atmosphere.
Throughout his career, Duje has personally achieved numerous prestigious titles, including:
  • ⁠2nd place in the 14U boys Platinum Division at the Junior Olympics
  • 3rd place in the 10U coed Platinum Division at the Junior Olympics
  • 10U boys and girls national champions
  • 12U girls national champions
  • 1⁠4U girls Cal Cup champions
  • 12U and 14U girls Futures champions
  • 18U boys Futures League Division 2 champions
In recognition of his dedication and skill, Duje has received several prestigious awards, including being named the Orange County Athletic Directors Association Coach of Character* in 2020 and OC Register Coach of the Year in 2023. His leadership guided both boys’ and girls’ teams to the semifinals of CIF Division 2, marking a historic achievement for the teams under his care.
Duje's educational background is as impressive as his coaching career. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business with a concentration in Accounting and Finance from Concordia University Irvine, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Coaching and Athletic Administration, and a Master of Coaching and Exercise Science all from Concordia University Irvine. This robust academic foundation complements his professional experience, allowing him to manage and lead Patriot Aquatics with exceptional business acumen and coaching expertise.
Duje’s athletes have gone on to play for prestigious teams such as Stanford, UCI, USC, Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, UCSD, UC Merced, Concordia, LMU, Pomona Pitzer, Redlands, and Claremont. Under his guidance, his players have also won national championships in various divisions.
With his passion for developing well-rounded athletes, Duje is committed to nurturing talent both in and out of the pool. His approach to coaching emphasizes not only athletic excellence but also personal growth, character, and academic success. His athletes have gone on to compete at the highest levels, earning scholarships and national team placements.
Duje’s influence extends beyond the sport, as he continues to mentor young athletes, inspire his coaching peers, and lead Patriot Aquatics with an unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity.
TIJMEN EGBERTS
HEAD COACH
10U Coed
Coach Tijmen Egberts was born and raised in The Netherlands. He started playing competitive water polo at the age of 8. He moved to America at the age of 17 to play for Santa Rosa Junior College and Concordia University, receiving team captain honors for both schools. He graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in sports management. He also has a Master's degree in coaching and athletic administration, a Master's degree in Exercise Sport Science and a Master's degree in Business Administration. As a coach, Tijmen has 15 years of experience. In 2017 he coached a 10U team that won the gold division at NJO's, in 2019 his team got 3rd place and in 2021 Tijmen coached both 10u girls and 10u mixed to become national champions. That was the first time in usa waterpolo history two teams from the same club won JOs at the 10u level. Since then, Coach Tijmen has won another Junior Olympic title in 2022 (10u Coed) as well as a second place finish in 2024.
JEFF HAMILTON
ASSISTANT COACH
10U Coed
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. Since then, Jeff has continued to play water polo all over the country, even with the Navy Seals in Coronado. Jeff’s principal work is in physics, when he is not coaching or surfing, he can be found developing shot probability and data science models to help guide the 10u team to success.
IVAN MERCEP
HEAD COACH
12U Boys
Ivan started his water polo career in Dubrovnik, Croatia playing as a set guard for one of the most decorated clubs in the world of water polo, Jug. There he was coached by multiple Olympians, one of them being Mile Smodlaka, who saw talent in Ivan as a center. Ivan had repeatedly won multiple national and international titles throughout all age groups and eventually decided to take his skills to USA where he was offered a full tuition scholarship to play water polo for a prestigious division 1 program at University of California Irvine. Following his graduation, Ivan was offered another full tuition scholarship for a graduate assistant coach at Westcliff University where he helped the program win its first national title.
MATT CALHOUN
HEAD COACH
12U Girls
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.
BOJAN HRLEC
COACH
14U Boys
Bojan Hrlec brings extensive experience and success as a coach and athlete. As an Assistant Coach for UC Irvine’s Men’s Water Polo team, he contributed to the team’s historic qualification for the NCAA Championships and their highest national ranking in over a decade. Bojan has also led youth teams, guiding 12U and 14U teams to high placements at Junior Olympics with Patriot WPC, including two runner- up finishes at the Platinum level.
Previously, as Program Director at Del Mar Water Polo Club, he doubled membership and coordinated international training trips, achieving the club's best results. His experience includes roles at Cathedral Catholic High School, where he helped recruit players to NCAA Division I teams, and experience as an athlete on the Croatian National Team. Bojan’s diverse coaching background and commitment to excellence inspire his players to achieve their full potential.
BLAKE BORDERS
ASSISTANT COACH
14U
Blake is a junior at the University of California, Irvine. With two years of coaching experience in Long Beach, he has developed a passion for mentoring athletes and helping them reach their full potential. Blake is excited to join Patriot and continue his coaching journey, bringing his dedication and leadership to the team.
MILES
ASSISTANT COACH
14U Boys
From Irvine, Coach Miles has been playing water polo since the age of 8 years old. Growing up he played for Northwood Water Polo Club. Coach Miles attended Orange Lutheran High School where he won a CIF championship in 2016 and league titles in 2016 and 2019. This included multiple All-CIF team/Trinity league team nods. During his time at Orange Lutheran, Coach Miles also served as team captain for the 2018/2019 seasons. Following a successful high school career, Coach Miles transitioned to playing and studying at UC San Diego. At UCSD, Coach Miles received an all-conference award in 2021and was team captain in 2023.
Outside of the pool, Coach Miles graduated in 2024 with an International Business degree, and a Finance minor. While playing and studying at UC San Diego, Coach Miles also coached for Del Mar Water Polo Club. At DMWPC, Coach Miles coached 12u, 14u, and 16u age groups from 2021 to 2024 winning 3 Junior Olympic titles (12u, 144, 14u) and 2 Futures Super Finals titles (12u, 16). He was head of the 14u program from Fall 2022 to Summer 2024 which won consecutive JO titles. Coach Miles also serves as the assistant coach at Orange Lutheran High School (since Fal 2024).
NADJA NOVAKOVIC
HEAD COACH
16U Girls

ASSISTANT COACH Concordia University Women’s Water Polo
Nadja Novakovic is an accomplished water polo player and coach, originally from Belgrade, Serbia. She began her water polo journey with Club Tas2000 and quickly rose through the ranks. From 2014 to 2019, she played for Red Star Women’s Water Polo Club, where she became a 6-time National Champion. Nadja also represented the Serbian National Team from 2014 to 2023, competing at the highest levels internationally.
Nadja continued her athletic and academic career in the United States, first at West Valley College (2019-2021) and then at Cal State Long Beach (2021- 2024), where she earned her degree in Psychology, specializing in Sport Psychology.
With a passion for coaching, Nadja has worked with youth water polo teams at Shore Aquatics Club (u10, u12, u14) and South Bay United (2023-2024). She is currently serving as the Assistant Coach for Concordia University’s Women’s Water Polo Team (2024- present), where she brings her wealth of experience and knowledge to inspire the next generation of athletes.
JOSE CORDERO
ASSISTANT COACH
14u Girls/16u Girls
18u Girls/18u Boys
Coach Jose Cordero is entering his fourth year with the club. Originally from Costa Rica, he began playing water polo at age 12 and attended Irvine High School, where he served as captain during his senior year. In 2024, he earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular cell biology and physiology from Long Beach State and is currently pursuing a career in the medical field.
Coach Jose has been part of the Irvine High School coaching staff for four years, serving as head coach for the last two. He has experience coaching both girls' and boys' teams at various age levels. He is passionate about helping athletes reach their full potential and recognizes the value of water polo both in and out of the pool. Coach Jose enjoys learning new teaching approaches from other coaches and strives to grow his knowledge every day.
ROBERTO BARRERA
ASSISTANT COACH
GOALIE COACH
Born and raised in Mexico, Roberto Barrera began his water polo journey at the age of eight. His passion for the sport led him to the Mexican Water Polo Senior National Team, where he continues to compete at an elite level. Roberto is the current captain of the University of Redlands Men's Water Polo Team and a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business.
Roberto’s coaching career began in 2019 as the Head Coach for the 14U team at Leones Water Polo Club in Guanajuato, Mexico. Since then, his coaching experience has expanded internationally, and currently, he works as a Goalie Coach for Patriot, where he trains goalkeepers across all boys' and girls' age groups. During his time at Patriot, Roberto has developed Junior Olympics All Americans Goalies, demonstrating his ability to cultivate high-level talent.
Roberto's personal achievements in the sport are equally impressive. He is a Silver Medalist at the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation Games (2022), 2022 NAIA National Champion, 2022 NAIA Finals Top Defensive Player, and Bronze Medalist at the Central American and Caribbean Games (2023). He also earned 5th place at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, was named to the 2023 SCIAC 1st Team All-Conference, and was recognized as the 2023 SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Year. Furthermore, Roberto was selected for the 2023 USA Water Polo Collegiate Championship All-Tournament Team and is a 2023 All-American.
ETHAN SHIPMAN
HEAD COACH
16U Boys
  • 2018/2019 CIF SS Open
  • Division Champion 2018/2019 CIF SS first team
  • 2019 Futures Superfinals D1 MVP
  • UCLA 2020-2021
  • UCI 2022-2024
  • 2020 NCAA D1 Champion (UCLA)
  • 2022 GCC New Comer of the Year
  • 2022 GCC second team
TONY CHANOVE
ASSISTANT COACH
16U Boys
IVAN BUICH
HEAD COACH
18U BOYS
Ivan Buich head coach of 18u Patriot boys team. Coach Ivan enters his third season as an assistant coach for USC men’s water polo. He is a 2-time MPSF Champion, NCAA championship finalist and semi finalist.
A native of Mlini, Croatia, Buich has over 15 years of coaching experience and has been playing water polo since he was 7 years old. Coach Ivan has coached at all levels and age groups of water polo in the US. After spending seven seasons at San Juan Hills High School as head coach of the boys’ and girls’ teams, reaching two CIF finals in that span. He also served as an assistant coach on the Santa Margarita Catholic boys’ and girls’ coaching staff, helping the Eagles win the girls CIF title in 2013.  Helping student athletes achieve their goal of studying and continuing playing careers at top colleges. He has had the opportunity to coach many successful college and club players through out his career that have reached professional and national team status. With Orange County Water Polo Club, Buich was a head coach at all levels, spending seven years with the 18-under boys. He has had top 10 finishes in JOs and top 5 finish in 2018. He has had teams place in the top of Futures League for the
18u category. He also served as a head coach for Los Angeles Athletic Club for three years and coached at Mt. SAC as women’s assistant in the 2021-22 season. Buich attended Redwood High School in Marin County, Calif., before going on to play at Golden West College and Long Beach State. He received his bachelor’s degree in history from Arizona State. After college, he competed in Croatia for VK Gusar. Buich and his wife, Jen, have a 6- year-old son, Roko.
PRESLAV DJIPPOV
ASSISTANT COACH
18U Boys
Preslav Djippov is in his second season as a Head Men’s and Women’s Coach at Whittier College. He coached and built up the waterpolo program at Westcliff University in Irvine. In 2022 in his second season Djippov won the NAIA Championship title with Westcliff. With Patriot Aquatics as a coach for 18U boys he won the National Junior Olympics Classic division in 2023. He coached the club men’s water polo team at USC, before taking over the women’s water polo program at Columbia University, where his team won the New York State Division Championship in 2017.
At the same time, Djippov was coaching the junior and senior water polo teams at Greenwich Aquatics Club in Greenwich, CT. Coached the ODP Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs 2017. Coached and prepared many national travel team players. Won the Gold division title at the National Junior Olympics 2019 with the 18U boys team in Orange County.
After relocating to the west coast, Djippov accepted coaching positions with the Del Mar Water Polo club in San Diego, as well as Canyon Crest Academy high school, coaching the Girls Varsity team CIF DIV1.
Before coming to the states in 2016, Djippov was the assistant coach of Water Polo Club Cherno More-1948 in Varna, Bulgaria.
A graduate from the University of Economics in Varna, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics and Econometrics along with a Masters Degree in Finance, Djippov was a member of the Bulgarian Senior and Junior National water polo teams and won the Bulgarian National Championship in 2009 and 2010. Winner of the Bulgarian National Cup in 2011 and 2012.
SARAH WOESNER
HEAD COACH
10U group B
ASSISTANT COACH
10U Group A
I grew up playing water polo for Socal wpc. I have 3 bronze O medals from over the years. Multiple gold medals from national tournaments (TYR, CALCup, USCCs etc). l've been to CIF D1 finals twice when in high school. I started coaching at 15 for 14u goalies at Socal. I had to quit mid season of my senior year due to medical complications but l've continued coaching over the years through my love for the sport. I'm a current Speech Language Pathology major at CSULB and hope to make water polo more inclusive. Some of my focuses are fundamentals and goalie training.
JANJA KAPLAREVIC
HEAD COACH
14U GIRLS
Janja Kaplarevic is an accomplished water polo player and coach, originally from Belgrade, Serbia. She began her water polo journey (2014) Club Tas2000 and (2011-2016) Crvena zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia (2016- 2019) Steaua, Bucurest, Romania (2019-2020) Vojvodina , Novi Sad, Serbia (2020-2021) Steaua, Bucurest, Romania (2021 - Westcliff University (2022- 2024).
Honours: Crvena Zvezda - Serbian Championship and Serbian Cup 2016 -2017 League 1st place Crvena Zvezda - Serbian Championship and Serbian Cup 2017 -2018 League 1st place Crvena Zvezda - Serbian Championship and Serbian Cup 2018 -2019 League 1st place Steaua - Romanian Championship and Romanian Cup 2019-2020 League 1st place Vojvodina - Serbian Championship and Serbian Cup 2020 - 2021 League 1st place Steaua - Romanian Championship and Romanian Cup 2021 -2022 League 1st place Janja also represented the *Serbian National Team from 2014 to 2023, competing at the highest levels internationally.
Janja continued her athletic and academic career in the United States, at Westcliff University.
AARON ARIAS
HEAD COACH
18U GIRLS
Aaron Arias started his water polo journey in Las Vegas, Nevada at 8 years old where he played for Team Vegas Water Polo.
Aaron moved to California in 8th grade and attended Agoura High School where he was 3x First Team CIF and Fall Athlete of the year as a senior in 2018. During high school Aaron played for LAWPC under coach Dusty Litvak. He was involved with the USA Youth and Junior National Teams and was part of a team that won gold at the 2017 Youth Pan American Games, qualifying for Youth World Championships. After high school, Aaron attended Cal State Long Beach where he played 4 years as a center defender earning his Bachelor’s degree in communications.
Currently pursuing a passion in coaching, Aaron is the assistant coach for men’s water polo, helping lead them to their first state championships in 20+ years, and helps out with the women’s programs at Orange Coast College (2023-Current). Overall, with 16+ years of overall playing experience and coaching experience starting in 2018-2019 with Shore Water Polo Club and 2020-2024 with South Bay United, he is dedicated to making an impact and providing the guidance young athletes require to reach their fullest potential.
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