The start of any sports season always brings excitement to Mater Dei athletics, but this year, the boys water polo team enters the season under new leadership. The Monarchs welcome the newly appointed Head Coach, Eric Zimmerman. Zimmerman is a remarkable player and award-winning college coach, now bringing his experience to the MD pool deck.

Zimmerman came to Mater Dei with an impressive coaching record. Before coaching here, he was the Head Coach for both the men’s and women’s water polo teams at Westcliff University. While teaching athletes, his coaching won him the CALPAC Coach of the Year honors award in 2023 and 2024. Zimmerman was also selected as the 2024 NAIA Collegiate National Coach of the Year.

As well as coaching, Zimmerman was also an athlete. During his college career, he was an All-American in swimming and water polo and holds multiple California Community College records. Zimmerman also played professionally abroad in Hungary and trained under Olympic gold medalist Miklós Martin. As an athlete himself, Zimmerman expresses his appreciation for Mater Dei’s aquatic programs.

“Mater Dei has a tradition of great water polo and, living in Newport Beach, California, I turned down more than a few opportunities just for the right opportunity,” Zimmerman said. “A storied, Christ-centered program was something that I was looking for; Mater Dei had the ingredients for the recipe I was looking to make.”

Coach Zimmerman turns his focus on the current season, where expectations are high. Mater Dei is known for their strong water polo team and Zimmerman is focused on training athletes who can handle the pressure and grow as players.

“Learning about what it takes to relate to boys of different ages and young men of different ages, that’s a whole other animal in itself,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman says his goal is not only to build on top of Mater Dei’s tradition of success, but to also motivate athletes to grow as leaders.

, a senior Varsity Water Polo player, says that his energy has already worked to make an impact on the team during the new coach’s short time leading the team.

“I feel like with this new coach there’s a bigger risk, like a demand [for] discipline,” Valente said. 

His presence has created an environment that is both challenging and positive. Players say that the discipline motivates them to compete at their very best, especially with his fast-paced approach to practices.

“When he came in, he told us, this is how it’s going to be,” Valente said. “He set the precedent very early on.” 

Zimmerman expresses his confidence in his players with their preparation. He sees the Trinity League as a challenge as well as an opportunity to push the Water Polo team to work their hardest. 

“The Trinity League allows us to have some of the best league games in the nation and the way this team has been working hard, I don’t look for good things to happen,” Zimmerman said. “I expect them to happen.”

With a challenging schedule ahead,  Zimmerman and the water polo team are hoping to set the stage for excellence early on. With Zimmerman’s experience and the team’s commitment to winning championships, Mater Dei enters this water polo season continuing the Monarch tradition of success.