Our Head Coach, David, started working with MPMR at the tail end of 2015. Having finished an illustrious career at a NCAA Division I swimming program at Columbia University, David brings to the team a fresh set of training ideas and an up-to-date understanding of the physical and mental aspects needed to excel as a student-athlete. With David's experience in both reaching the most prestigious levels of swimming and education his goal is not only to help his swimmers excel in the water, but more importantly become excellent young men and women of character. 

Within this short time frame of 9 years with MPMR, David has been able to grow the team in many ways: Led the team to its highest placement within the Top 3 at Summer Age Group Champs, Top 3 at Winter Age Group Champs, achieving Top 8 placement amongst the small teams division at Sectionals, and coaching swimmers to reach Futures, Jr. National, and National levels of competition. David has also helped athletes within the program achieve Top 10 National Age Group rankings, Top 10 SCS rankings, and has helped athletes achieve their ultimate goal of acquiring full-ride scholarships to Division I collegiate swimming programs.

David's own swimming career actually began with the Manta Rays when he was 5 years old. From there, he climbed through every stage of competitive swimming starting with his first Junior Olympics with MPMR at age 9. From there he made it to Sectionals, Junior Nationals, Division I NCAA All-American recognition, winning 3 Ivy League Conference Titles, and ultimately competing at the U.S. 2016 Olympic Trials where he placed top 30 in multiple events. With these experiences David hopes to contribute not only his swimming knowledge, but also to be a role model to his swimmers and inspire them to dream big.

Coach Hesham has a lustrous 25 years plus of coaching experience.  He first began his swimming career in 1991 as a FINA Certified Coach and as a USA Swimming Certified Coach by American Swimming Coaches Association since 2000.  Coach Hesham pursues a passionate swimming career nationally and internationally by serving in various roles in coaching, management and mentoring in field of swimming.  Coach Hesham has worked with athletes of all levels and ages from beginners to elite Olympians with the desire to develop a great swim program.

Coach Hesham earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Alexandria University.  Coach Hesham has experience in planning and implementing an appropriate training program that maximizes each swimmer development while inspiring, motivating, and challenging swimmers to be at their best abilities and characters.

Coach Hesham has previously coached at various swim clubs, including the Gators Swim Club, Gezira Swimming Club, La Reina High School, Conejo Simi Aquatics, Fullerton Aquatics Sports Team, Arcadia Swim Club and Alexandria Swimming Club.  Through his years, Coach Hesham has produced impressive swimmers that have accomplished the following:

• Extensive track record of success with top swimmers in USA Olympic Trials/Senior Nationals/Junior Nationals/Futures/TYR Pro Swim/Sectionals/CIF-NCAA Titles
• Promoted top swimmers in Southern California swimming reaching top 16th in the nation aswell as 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016,2020 Olympics
• 2007 USA Swimming Silver Level Club Excellence Award
• Runner up 2007 CIF High School Division 3 in Southern California
• Promoted top swimmers to swim in Division I Elite Colleges in the nation
• Promoted top swimmers for the USA/Egyptian national swimming team achieving top ranking in the Olympics /World Championships /Junior World Championships

Coach Craig Kawamoto started as a coach here at MPMR in 2017 and is also currently an assistant swim coach at Mark Keppel High School. He also has worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor for over 5 years at Barnes Park. Coach Craig hopes to bring his knowledge of swim lessons and high school swimming here to the team and be a mentor for them through the swimmer’s various stages of their swim career.

When Coach Craig was younger he swam for MPMR and also swam and played water polo for Mark Keppel High School. With hard work and dedication, he was on the CIF winning swim teams of 2007 and 2008 at Mark Keppel. His favorite events as a swimmer was the 200m Freestyle and the 100m Butterfly. He also participated in ice hockey, golf, soccer, and tae kwon do when he was younger, but in the end, he enjoys swimming the most. After high school he went to California State University Fullerton and graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology. Coach Craig would like to pass on his appreciation and love of swimming to the athletes and hopes to motivate them to excel in and outside of the pool.

Coach Ashley began her swimming career by refusing to put her head in the water until she was nine. Once she did, though, she fell in love with the sport, swimming competitively for various teams until she landed at Scottsdale Aquatic Club in high school. With the team, she won many team and individual titles, most notably as a member of the 2019 Junior Nationals 1st place Women's Team.

Recruited by many schools, Coach Ashley committed to swim at Brigham Young University, an NCAA Division I program, to pursue a degree in Neuroscience. After two and a half incredible years, she was forced to medically retire and immediately shifted her focus to coaching. Beginning as the head coach and lead swim instructor of the Seville Country Club Sharks, Coach Ashley then moved on to become an assistant coach of Swim Neptune’s top Senior group. 

With an understanding of the sport from almost all viewpoints (as a swimmer, instructor, and coach), Coach Ashley is excited to bring a dynamic, science-based, and motivating atmosphere to the team and those she coaches. Coach Ashley is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California, specializing in neural plasticity and neurorehabilitation. She is obsessed with nature, shoes, her family, and the sport of swimming.

Coach Ryan was in the water ever since he was born, and began his competitive swimming career with the Monterey Park Manta Rays in 2014. At Mark Keppel High School, he served as a captain for two years, where he earned vital points and medals across multiple divisions of CIF Championships, and helped bring his team to the finals of the state championship.

After graduating, he chose to continue his swimming career at the University of California, San Diego, where he competed at the collegiate club level. During his three years with UC San Diego, Coach Ryan became one of the team’s top point scorers, representing the program on the national team for all three consecutive years and helping the men’s team finish 2nd at the 2025 Western Regionals. Coach Ryan graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Business Psychology. He brings alongside him a perspective focusing on the mental and motivational aspects of swimming. He strives to help swimmers build confidence, discipline, and other skills that benefit them both in the pool and beyond.

Alongside his studies, he built valuable coaching experience as part of the coaching staff for the Mark Keppel High School Swim Team Summer Program, and as a lifeguard and swim instructor for the City of Monterey Park. Now returning to MPMR, Coach Ryan is excited to give back to the team where his competitive swimming journey began. He hopes to inspire swimmers to develop a lifelong love for the sport at the intersection of performance and well-being.