USA Water Polo Hires Ethan Damato as Women’s ODP Academy Coach

Ethan Damato, left, with SET Water Polo Photo Courtesy: USA Water Polo

USA Water Polo Hires Ethan Damato as Women’s ODP Academy Coach

USA Water Polo on Wednesday announced the hiring of Ethan Damato as a full-time women’s head Olympic Development Program Academy coach.

Damato has a long history coaching at high levels, a nine-time CIF champion at Laguna Beach High School (six girls, three boys). His pupils include Olympic gold medalists Annika Dries, Makenzie Fischer and Aria Fischer for the three-time reigning Olympic champions. Damato also coached at Saddleback El Toro (SET) Water Polo Club in Orange County.

“I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity to work in this role with the USA Water Polo and our Women’s National Team program,” Damato said in a press release. “Our women’s senior team has been the standard in the sport at the international & Olympic level for as long as I can remember. I feel humbled and grateful to be a part of the pipeline and look forward to working with our amazing young athletes and coaches on a full-time basis.”

Damato has long been involved with USA women’s water polo, including guiding the youth national team at several Pan Am Games. He was the senior team’s head coach at the FINA Intercontinental Cup in Peru this year, in which a developmental squad took home bronze.

Damato’s new role with USA Water Polo will seek to integrate the “technical, tactical and team administration vision” of the senor team with youth levels through the ODP ranks.

“Ethan has been a part of Team USA for many years whether with a pipeline team, senior team or the Olympic Development Program,” said USA Water Polo Chief Sports Performance Officer John Abdou. “The opportunity to work with him full-time and further his impact on our program and teams is one that I am genuinely excited about. His presence and leadership will meet the needs of strengthening the developmental pyramid in America from top to bottom. The base of the pyramid needs to continue to get wider and the top of the pyramid needs more touch points. All of this work is being done with a focus on our path to Paris 2024 and the journey home to LA 2028 ahead of us.”

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Lauren Schneider

1 year ago

Best coach out there !