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JSerra has hired former Laguna Beach water polo coach Ethan Damato, a nine-time CIF-SS champion, as its girls water polo coach, JSerra principal Eric Stroupe said Tuesday.
“Yes, we have hired Ethan,” Stroupe stated in an email.
Damato didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.
The school announced the hiring in an email to “Girls water polo parents” on Tuesday morning.
Damato resigned as Laguna Beach’s girls coach following the 2021-22 season and transitioned to a newly-created position as the head coach of USA Water Polo’s girls Olympic Development Program Academy.
At Laguna Beach, Damato helped build a powerhouse girls program that captured six CIF-SS championships, including five in Division 1.
Laguna Beach’s girls also won two CIF Southern California Regional titles and 18 in-season tournaments under Damato.
His resume with the Laguna Beach girls includes a 361-56 record,13 league titles in his 14 seasons and mentoring future Olympic gold medalists Annika Dries and sisters Aria and Makenzie Fischer.
Damato guided Laguna Beach’s boys to three section titles.
At JSerra, he takes the reins of a program that reached the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals this past season and finished as the Division 1 runner-up in 2024.
JSerra captured the CIF-SS Division 3 crown in 2023 and was the Division 5 runner-up in 2022.
The Lions compete in the Trinity League with CIF-SS Open Division contenders Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei.
On paper, JSerra could return first-team all-league selections Sloane Paulson, Maddie Weston and Kamryn McCord (Arizona State commit). All three are juniors.
The Lions also could return second-team all-league selections Sayre Duran and Kylin Barnes.
Please send water polo news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com
