Coaches
Tom Atwell - Head Coach
Tom Atwell has been coaching in the San Diego area for twenty years. The first nine years were spent at Scripps Ranch High School where he taught history at the school and built the aquatics program from scratch, including the Scripps – San Diego Water Polo Club. In his time there he was able to help Scripps win three boys swimming CIF Championships and one boys water polo CIF Championship. The club team took third in the 16 and under boys division at the first annual Maui Invitational and won a bronze at the Junior Olympics in Orlando, Florida in the boys 16 and under division. Over the past decade at La Jolla he has coached his swim teams to seven consecutive City Conference Championships and four CIF Championships, and his boys water polo team has only finished out of the top four in Division II once in the last eleven years. He was named the California High School Swim Coach of the Year in 2000 and was the USA Water Polo - Pacific Southwest Zone Development Water Polo Coach of the Year. Coach Atwell had the honor of being part of the coaching staff with the United States Junior National Team and in 2003 spent a month in Italy with the team which finished ninth at the Junior World Championships in Naples, Italy. He is an AP European History teacher at La Jolla High School and also coaches the high school's Boys and Girls Swim Team and the Surf Team. Coach Atwell enjoys fitness and has recently raced in two Ironman Triathlons. He has run four 100 mile running races in the last two years, one for the Wounded Warriors Project and two were done on a quarter mile track to raise money for the San Diego Chapter of the American Cancer Society. He has raced the San Diego Tri Challenge for several years to raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. He is married (18 years now) and has two children. He may be reached by phone at (858) 361-1696 or by email here: Email Tom Atwell
Ben Zolnierek - JV Coach
Ben Zolnierek "Benzo" has been coaching at La Jolla for the past six years at the Junior Varsity level. Although he works with all levels, he is mainly focused on the 16U Boys teams. Benzo is an accomplished player and coach, starting four years of varsity polo at Rockford High School in Michigan where his team won the State Championship, as well as two years at Grossmont College. He may be reached by email here: Email Benzo
Sam Busby - Novice Boys Coach
Sam Busby coaches the La Jolla High School Novice Boys Team as well as the 16U Club Team. He played for Wind N Sea Water Polo Club and Head Coach Tom Atwell for two years. He was awarded MVP - Mens Water Polo and Swimming in 2005 and 2006. He graduated from La Jolla High School in 2006 and went on to play for Pepperdine University from 2006 through 2010. Sam scored 32 goals in four seasons as a Wave, and led the team in assists. In 2010, he coached the La Jolla High School Boys Novice team to an undefeated regular season. To contact Sam via email: Email Sam Busby
Valeri Ivanov - 14U Boys Club Coach
Valeri Ivanov joined the La Jolla Water Polo coaching team in January 2011, mainly working with the 12U and 14U boys. As an athlete, he has had more than 14 years experience in water polo and swimming. He is a four-time Bulgarian Youth National Champion and two-time silver medalist with the Locomotiv Sofia Water Polo Club (1984-1989) and former member of the Bulgarian Junior National Water Polo Team. Valeri was born in Bulgaria and has lived with his family in San Diego since 2003. Contact Valeri: Email Valeri
Tom Martinez - Boys and Girls Age Group Club Coach
Tom Martinez is a local product, excelling in high school water polo in San Diego and then at UCLA. During his high school years he was named "CIF Player of the Year" in 1980, Two-Time "League MVP", Two-Time CIF "First Team All-CIF", Two-Time "High School All American", and a Member of USA Junior National Team. Going on to play at UCLA, he was a Collegiate All American and member of the USA National Team. He is very active in La Jolla Water Polo, giving of his time and effort coaching throughout our age group levels, and may be reached by email here: Email Tom Martinez