Water polo coaches depart after six years

Photo courtesy by Ashley Garcia

Girls water polo head coach Ashley Garcia (left) and boys head coach Bryan Canchola (right) pose for a picture together.

After six years of guiding the boys and girls water polo programs, head coach Ashley Garcia and head coach Bryan Canchola are stepping down at the end of the year. Garcia led the girls and assisted with the boys, while Canchola served as the head coach for the boys. 

Both the coaches broke the news of them leaving by having a team meeting with all the kids and sitting them down all together to tell them. Since both Garcia and Canchola started this journey together, they would also choose to close this chapter together.

“We’ve been coaching together for a very long time, and over the years we’ve built not just a program, but a family and a culture that we’re both extremely proud of,” Garcia said. “Everything we’ve done — from the way we train, to how we support our athletes, to the standards we hold — was something we developed side by side.”

The reason they are stepping away is just about the timing and moving into the next chapter of their lives. Both Garcia and Canchola leave not just with memories of wins and losses but with confidence in the team’s future. 

“Winning league and going undefeated this year was definitely one of the biggest highlights,” Garcia said. “Seeing all the hard work, dedication, and heart pay off for this group was something I’ll never forget.

Additionally, Garcia is also an instructional aide at the school and is planning to continue her position for another year. In Garcia’s and Canchola’s time with the program, both of the coaches have watched the team win, lose, grow and form close bonds with one another. Having been with the water polo teams for six years, both Garcia and Canchola felt it was the right time to take a step back and start fresh. 

“We’ve dedicated so many years to this program, and it’s been one of the most rewarding parts of our lives,” Canchola said. “After so much time, we both felt it was time to take a step back and focus on other areas of our lives that we’ve had to put on hold. Sometimes stepping away is the best way to let something keep evolving.”

According to Garcia, from the very first practice, the athletes arrived ready to work, encouraged one another through the tough sets and long meets and built trust in each other. Their work paid off this season with an undefeated league, clear evidence of the strong team spirit both coaches helped build. 

“This has been my favorite group of kids I’ve ever coached. They understood what it meant to play for each other, not just themselves,” Garcia said. “Every single one of them bought in — they showed up, worked hard and supported one another no matter the situation. That kind of unity doesn’t happen often, and it made this season feel truly unforgettable.”

Garcia acknowledges that leaving will be emotional for both her and the team. Over the years, they have built strong relationships and become very close. Stepping away is difficult for her because coaching water polo has been a very meaningful part of her life.

“I hope the team remembers us not just for how we coached, but for how much we genuinely cared about them,” Garcia said. “We treated every athlete like they were our own, we wanted to help shape good people — strong, resilient and confident in who they are.”

As the coaches have just announced their departure, the athletic department has not found a replacement for them. 

“I’m pretty sad. I just got here, and they were very welcoming in accepting me as the athletic director,” athletic director Valerie Varela said. “And not only that, but they have such a special connection with their kids that I feel it’s going to be really hard to replace them. Not [only] as coaches, but definitely also as mentors for the kids.”