Coach Mary Giles is looking forward to her 16th year directing the Gold Coast Water Polo Club.

This will also be her 17th year as the women’s water polo coach at Ventura College. Last year, she led the Pirates to their fourth consecutive Western State Conference Championship, the seventh in her 12 years as coach (2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011). Her teams have also captured two of the past three CCCAA State Scholar Team Awards (2007, 2009). At Ventura College, she is also an instructor of Health, Holistic Health, and Kinesiology

Coach Giles (McDonough) was born and raised in Ventura. She attended Buena High School where she was a member of the swim team and played water polo on the boy’s team. While attending Ventura College, she was a two-year All-WSC and All-American swimmer, and played on the first women’s water polo club team at Ventura College. She was the swimming MVP her second year before transferring to San Jose State.

While at San Jose, Giles swam for Roseann Benson and played water polo under the coaching of Lou Tully. She captained the Spartans’ water polo team for three years, was a three year Western Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete, a three year SJSU Outstanding Athlete and a 1998 Mountain Pacific Scholar Athlete. She earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude in 1999 from San Jose State, majoring in nutritional science with minors in chemistry and health, and was a Dean’s Scholar. Giles completed her teaching credential at Cal Lutheran University. She earned her master’s degree in education with an emphasis in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 2003.

He has been a Head Zone Coach for swimming and water polo, founded the CIF-Southerna Section High School Girls Water Polo Banquet, and, along with Mary, he helped lead a contingent of local coaches and programs in successfully bringing the USAWP National JO’s to Ventura County. Ultimately, his teams have won numerous Championships in both swimming and water polo from local to national levels of club, high school, and college.

Now, as a Health and Physical Education Teacher at Newbury Park High School, he looks forward to bringing his experience to our Gold Coast program and giving our athletes the best opportunity to prepare for a successful high school career and beyond.

Tom, a two-time UC Irvine All-American, played for the legendary coach Newland from 1993-1997, where he set and still holds the UC Irvine water polo record for most consecutive starts, starting each possible game of his collegiate career from his redshirt freshman year in 1994, through the completion of his senior season in 1997. Tom was instrumental in leading UC Irvine to NCAA top 5 finishes each of his years as a starter. During his college years, Tom also had the privilege of competing with both the men’s junior national team and national team programs. Tom began his water polo career at La Habra High School, where he was a two-time All-CIF selection, and freeway league player of the year his senior year.

Currently, Tom is a managing partner at Fluidity Partners, a management consulting agency specializing in business strategy, marketing excellence, and technology solutions.