Teams & Coaches

At 908 Water Polo, we work hard to keep training groups small to maximize participation whenever possible. Playing time and participation are always based on attendance, dedication, and effort.

The 908 Pathway

Structured training for every stage of development, from an athlete’s very first splash to high school and beyond.

9 & Under – Free

Average age 6–9. Cabrillo High School Pool. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:30–6:30 pm.
Led by Hailey Beaird & Ricardo Azevedo

The entry point into our competitive club program. Format is roughly 50% recreation, with training focused on foundational swimming and water strength and conditioning. Ready athletes are invited to move up to the 10u club level.

This group’s main focus is developing a love for the game — through fun, engaging play, and building basic swimming skills, ball handling, and conditioning. Training includes both in-water and out-of-water work.

10 & Under

Cabrillo High School. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:15–7:00 pm.
Led by Ricardo Azevedo, Olivia Dam, Eliana Goren

We offer both boys’ and girls’ teams, each with dedicated coaches. At this age, athletes begin learning the techniques that build a foundation for a long-term career — both vertical and horizontal leg drills are introduced, along with swimming with the ball, passing, and shooting. The fun factor continues to grow, with games and tournaments introduced.

12 & Under

Cabrillo High School. Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 5:15–7:00 pm.
Led by Cassie Azevedo, Ryan Bailey & Gaby Pautenade for Girls
Led by Jimmy Heard, Ryan Bailey & Rich Corso for Boys

We offer both boys’ and girls’ teams with individual coaches. In our methodology, this is a key age group — players are now ready to be called athletes, and development expands to encompass all phases of the sport: physical, technical, mental, and tactical. Training includes swimming, leg work, and ball handling in game situations, with an emphasis on decision-making. Competition and growth are monitored through the 6-8 Challenge.

14 & Under

Cabrillo High School. Mondays, 5:15–7:00 pm. Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 6:30–8:30 pm.
Led by Jimmy Heard & Cassie Azevedo for Girls
Led by Tony Azevedo, Joe Billish & Gaby Pautenade for Boys

We offer both boys’ and girls’ teams with individual coaches. At this level, athletes concentrate on what they’ve learned in the previous two stages and take it to the next level. Performance is monitored through our 6-8 program, ensuring all 21 skills are being developed. Training includes swim sets, a strong on-deck program focused on mobility and injury prevention, and game-like structure at every practice — all in preparation for the upcoming high school season, including participation in major tournaments.

Meet Our Coaches and Staff

Train with Olympic champions, national team coaches, and certified performance specialists.

Ricardo Azevedo

Head Coach

Head Coach for USA Men’s Water Polo Team, USA Junior Team and CSULB. Former Head Coach of Chinese Men’s & Women’s National Teams for 2016 Rio Olympics.

Tony Azevedo

Main Coach & Mentor

5x Olympian & Silver Medalist. 4x NCAA MVP & former Team USA Captain. Stanford Grad, Harvard Masters.

Cassie Azevedo

Coach

Long Beach State All American & all-time leading scorer. Played professionally in Hungary & Italy. Former female youth coach at Rari Nantes Camogli.

Ryan Bailey

Coach

4x Olympian & Silver Medalist, 5x Pan American Games Gold Medalist, Considered to be one of the best centers in the world.

Rich Corso

Coach

Richard “Rich” Corso is an Olympic‑level water polo coach whose career spans over four decades. Former head coach of the 1996 U.S. men’s Olympic team. Led elite youth and collegiate programs including Harvard‑Westlake (1986–2005) and the UC Berkeley women’s team. 2015 USA Water Polo Hall of Fame inductee.

Jimmy Heard

Coach

Founder of East Side WP, top girls club in the zone from 2019- 2023, 17 years coaching experience worldwide, including National Team and ODP.

Marc Frigola

Coach

Athlete at CSULB (B.S. Mechanical Engineering), Member of Spanish Youth National Team (5x Champions) & Club Natació Barcelona

Olivia Dam

Center from Sacramento, 4 Year Letter Winner and CIF NorCal Champion, CSULB student athlete studying Health Science

Hailey Beaird

A Lakewood, California native and graduate of Lakewood High School, where she began her competitive water polo and swimming career. Aquatics Experience: Developed a strong background in aquatics while serving as Head Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, and Swim Coach at the local YMCA. Coaching Leadership: Began coaching at Cabrillo High School in 2020 as an assistant coach and was promoted to Head Coach the following year. She continues to lead the program today.

Gaby Pautenade

Coach

Current Long Beach State Center. Member of Canadian National Team.

Elyana Goren

Coach

Former 6-8 Academy athlete and current Long Beach State Utility Player.

Joe Billish

Coach

Coaching career spanning Cerritos College, Santa Ana College, and several other programs, including multiple championship teams. A Slippery Rock University grad and former college player, he has also been a Long Beach firefighter since 1998.

Toko Bazrade

(Goalie Coach)

Golden West Goalie and 6-8 Academy goalie coach.