Our coaches encourage teamwork, athleticism, and prepare the kids for life.
Playing career:
2 years in high school (no real accomplishments), 4 years in college (GVSU) - starter and captain all 4 years
Coaching career:
Coached GVSU men from 2004 - 2014; won 6 conference titles, finished top 5 at nationals 5x, including one (2005) national title and one (2006) runner-up, 2005 CWPA national club coach of the year
Coach GVSU women from 2005 - current; won 2 conference titles
Coach Hudsonville boys 2015 - current; 5x district champions, 3x regional champions, 2x state champions, 2x state runners-up
Third Coast Coach since 2017 - Junior Olympics coach 4 years.
Dave swam competitively for Grandville High School, where the coach once told him he would not make much of a swimmer but someday might be a good coach. Grandville did not have water polo teams in those days, so Dave never played single game of polo.
Dave began assistant coaching both swimming and water polo at Rockford High School in 1992, taking over the head water polo coaching position in 1998. In the following 17 seasons as head coach, Dave’s teams went 710-72-2, winning all 17 conference championships, every district championship, 13 regional championships and 11 state championships, with 31 NISCA All-Americans and four athlete “Faces in the Crowd” features in Sports Illustrated.
During his time assistant swimming, Dave also helped Rockford win a state swim championship, and then after retiring from his lead polo coaching position, continued on as assistant for two more state championships.
Returning to the woods one hundred yards from Lake Michigan, Dave began assistant coaching at Hudsonville High School in both swimming and water polo, helping the Hudsonville men’s water polo teams to the back-to-back 2019 and 2021 state championships.
After a career in crisis/pastoral counseling, Dave is grateful to wake up every morning with a beautiful girl beside him, albeit one with a large nose and hairy ears. He and his great dane Gracie go to the lake every day to watch the waters.
14 years of playing experience9 years of coaching experience - Hudsonville Middle School Girls Swimming & HEAT Age Group6 years of coaching Hudsonville Middle School - Won Middle School Championships 3x. 2 years of assistant coaching Hudsonville High School Girls Water Polo - 2021 State Champions.3 years of coaching Third Coast
Graduated from Hudsonville High School in 2017 where she played 4 years of varsity polo. Honors and Recognition: 2015 OK All-Conference Honorable Mention, 2015 Advance All-Area Girls Water Polo Team, 2015 All-Region Second Team, 2015 All-State Tournament Honorable Mention, 2015 All-State Season Honorable Mention, 2016 OK All-Conference, 2016 Advance All-Area Girls Water Polo Team, 2016 All-Region First Team, 2016 All-State Tournament First Team, 2016 All-State Season First Team, 2017 OK All-Conference, 2017 Advance All-Area Girls Water Polo Team, 2017 All-Region 1st Team, 2017 All-State Tournament First Team, 2017 All-State Season First Team, 2017 State Champions
USA Water Polo: In the summers of 2012-2017 she played in 5 Junior Olympic Tournaments. Played under Betsy Armstrong in one tournament when she was 14. Played one season of ODP.
Graduated in 2020 from GVSU with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience where she played 2 seasons of club polo at GVSU. 2018 First Team All-Conference, 2019 Second Team All-Conference.
Continued her education pursuing a Masters of Education in School Counseling where she snuck in one last season of water polo for GVSU.
Ian Hewitt has a solid water polo history. Both he and his brother played on the Hudsonville high school team, and his dad coached water polo for 30 years. During college, Ian played water polo for the Grand Valley State University Men’s club team for five years while earning his bachelor’s degree in education. He also began coaching the Hudsonville Middle School water polo team at that time, and in 2015, he became the Hudsonville Girls JV Coach. In 2018, Ian went on to coach the Hudsonville Girls Varsity team, and he became one of our Third Coast Aquatics coaches and a valued member of our team. During the day, Ian coaches young minds as a Social Studies teacher (teaching also runs in the family) for Hudsonville Public Schools.
If you asked Ian which sport is best, he would say water polo without missing a beat. He believes that water polo is the greatest sport out there and hopes to see it continue to grow in the future.
Playing Career:
Maddy started playing polo when she was in 6th grade. She graduated from Hudsonville High School in 2018, after playing 4 years of varsity water polo earning several all-conference, all-region, & all-state honors, as well as academic all-state and academic all-American awards throughout her time there. She also played in several Junior Olympic tournaments over the summers.
Coaching Career:
Maddy has coached various levels within the HEAT swim team since 2015, and has helped out here and there with various polo clinics and camps throughout the years.
Playing Career:
All Region 1st Team Tournament, All Region 1st Team, All State 1st Team, All-American Honorable Mention, All Conference, Rockford 3 year varsity starter, Team MVP & Captain, Coach's Award, ODP Great Lakes Zone team for 4 years, Competed in JOs for 5 years, Nick Johnson Leadership Award, Played for Foothill and Big valley based out of California for 2 years.
Coaching Career:
Assistant Coach Rockford Middle School Girls First year coaching Third Coast Head 6 & Under Swim Coach at Blythefield Country Club
Playing Career:
2 time state champ, 1st team all conference, 1st team all region, 2nd team all state, west team all star.
Hudsonville Captain senior year, academic all American, 4 time JO participant
Jason began his career as a water polo player in the summer of 1992 after being convinced it was the best sport to associate with his basketball skills. At the time, Pete Hewett and Dave Weick had started programs at both Jenison and Grandville so he gave it a shot - that one time in the water, in what is now the Grandville Middle School pool, sparked a love for a game that has become a passion for over 30 years.
Playing career: 3 years in high school (All Conference / All Region / All State / Captain)
Coaching career:2000 - 2003 Jenison Varsity Assistant Coach (Boys)2000 - 2002 Jenison Varsity Assistant Coach (Girls)2004 - 2006 East Grand Rapids Head Coach (Boys)2007 - 2013 Jenison Varsity Assistant Coach (Boys)2022 - Current Jenison Head Coach (Boys)