Meridian Water Polo Club

Meet the
Coaches

Experience, investment, and a shared standard.

Meridian's coaching staff brings a range of competitive and coaching backgrounds, unified by a single commitment: developing athletes with precision, honesty, and genuine care for their long-term growth.

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Every Meridian coach operates from a shared framework built on clear feedback, high expectations, and an investment in athletes that extends beyond any single season. Our staff leads by example — disciplined in preparation, collaborative in approach, and consistent in the standards they model every day.

At Meridian, coaching is not transactional. It is relational, intentional, and grounded in the belief that great athletes are built through trust, accountability, and purposeful training environments.

The Staff

Our Coaching Staff

John Roemer

Head Coach / Club Director

With decades of experience developing athletes across club, high school, and collegiate water polo, John coaches with a standard rooted in discipline, accountability, and purposeful preparation. His leadership emphasizes building competitors the right way — through structured training, resilient mindset, and pride in how athletes represent themselves and their teams.

  • Program Leadership
  • Competitive Development
  • Team Systems

Phinean Gardner

Head Coach / President

A former NCAA Division I athlete at the University of California, Berkeley, who coaches with a focus on mentorship, accountability, and the pursuit of each athlete’s highest level of performance. His approach emphasizes disciplined training, competitive mindset, and the development of confident young leaders both in and out of the pool.

  • Athlete Development
  • Program Leadership
  • Mentorship

Shelby Sailing

Associate Coach / Goalkeepers

A former collegiate goalkeeper at UC Santa Barbara and active instructor in the USA Olympic Development Program, Shelby brings elite positional expertise and a rigorous training standard to Meridian's goalkeepers.

  • Goalkeeper Development
  • Olympic Development

What drives the work

The people are the standard.
Understand the philosophy behind how they coach.

Every member of the Meridian staff operates from a shared framework — built on technical precision, competitive mindset, and genuine investment in each athlete's growth.

Explore Our Philosophy →