Viking Aquatics Water Polo Coaches
Mike Carrillo
Head Coach 10U Boys & Girls, Age Group Director
About me: I was born and raised in Long Beach. I've been a lifeguard for the city of Long Beach for over 10 years. I'm a former Junior Guard instructor and Lifeguard Cadet instructor for Long Beach. I also taught middle school Science and Social Studies at St. Maria Goretti for 3 years. Currently, I coach at Millikan High School as the Girls water polo and swim coach. I've been with Viking Aquatics for 2 years coaching water polo and directing the Age Group program.
Water Polo career: I played on multiple clubs growing up in Long Beach. I attended Servite High School, playing water polo and swimming. I went to Long Beach City College to play water polo and swim for 2 years. I graduated from Long Beach State University in 2016, where I also played for the club water polo team.
Fun fact: When I was 9, my first club water polo team was for Viking Aquatics back when they practiced at Millikan High School. Now I coach for both Viking water polo and Millikan High School!
Molly Cahill
10u Coach
Molly is an excellent new addition to the Viking Water Polo coaching staff. She was appointed Assistant Coach of the Women’s Senior National Team in April 2022 and has been involved with the USA Water Polo Mountain Zone, where she coached in the Olympic Development Program and served on the Women’s Junior National Team staff. Prior to this, Molly was part of the UCLA Women’s Water Polo coaching staff from 2008 to 2017, contributing to the Bruins' impressive record of 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including an NCAA Championship.
A bit of background on Molly: she was a standout player at UCLA, where she was part of three NCAA Championship teams. Following her playing career, she transitioned into coaching, mentoring six Olympians throughout her career. Molly also has extensive experience in club water polo, having coached age-group teams with the Los Angeles Water Polo Club, Bruin Stars & Stripes, and the Colorado Pirates Water Polo Club.
Patrick Burke
Head Coach 12U/14U Boys, Assistant Coach 16U/18U Boys
About me: I was born and raised in Huntington Beach. I am currently studying Cybersecurity at the University of Southern California. I attended St. John Bosco High School, Class of 2019. I joined Viking Aquatics in 2023, where I have been for a year.
Water Polo Career: I grew up playing club at Shore Aquatics out of Long Beach, before attending St. John Bosco where I lettered 3 times in both swimming and water polo. I was also awarded to 1st Team All-Trinity League 2x and Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team 3x. I pursued my water polo career at the University of Southern California where I played from 2019-2022. After an injury to my shoulder, I retired from college water polo as a 2x Runner Up in the NCAA National Championship. I love to grow the sport, continue to love water polo, and play masters.
Fun Fact: I played under the 3x Olympian and Silver medalist, Jeff Powers, while at St. John Bosco, as well as Coach Ishmael Pluton at Shore Aquatics.
Artur Diaz
12u Boys Head Coach & 14u Boys Assistant Coach
We are pleased to announce the latest addition to our Viking coaching staff, Artur Diaz. Currently, Artur is a player at California State University, Long Beach. Prior to his time at Long Beach State, he played his senior year at Alta Loma High School, where he led the team to a first-place finish in the Palomares League. Artur was recognized as the Palomares League Player of the Year and helped his team reach the CIF Division 1 quarterfinals, earning First Team All-CIF honors and being named Varsity Player of the Year. He totaled an impressive 74 goals during his senior year at Alta Loma.
In addition to his high school achievements, Artur has an extensive background in competitive water polo, having played for Clube Paineiras do Morumby in Brazil for five years, where he was a four-time Brazilian National Champion and was named MVP and top scorer twice. He also secured four state championships and played for CNAB in Spain, achieving second place in Catalunya. As a member of the Brazilian National Team, Artur contributed to two South American Championships, earning MVP honors, and secured a gold medal at the U19 Pan American Championship in 2023, followed by a bronze in 2024.
A fun fact about Artur is that he enjoys riding his bike throughout the city of Long Beach.
Gavin Arroyo
Head Coach 14u Girls
Gavin Arroyo is a celebrated figure in water polo, currently in his 18th season as the Head Men's Water Polo Coach at Long Beach State. He has made significant contributions to the sport at both collegiate and international levels, earning induction into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2020. This past summer, he helped the USA Men's National Team secure a Bronze Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking their first Olympic medal in 16 years. Arroyo has consistently led Long Beach State to success, with multiple NCAA postseason appearances and a winning record in nearly all seasons since 2011.
Arroyo's coaching career has been distinguished by numerous accolades, including being named Golden Coast Conference Coach of the Year multiple times. Under his leadership, Long Beach State achieved a notable 22-6 season in 2021 and has made significant tournament appearances, including a historic NCAA Tournament debut in 2018. A former player with a strong background, Arroyo was a first-team All-American at UC Berkeley and competed on the U.S. National Team, participating in two Olympic Games and contributing to several championship wins. His influence extends beyond coaching, as he has also been instrumental in developing youth water polo programs and has extensive international coaching experience.
Antonis Nahabed (Aka - Coach Adony)
Head Coach 16u Girls
A dedicated water polo coach with extensive experience, Adony currently serves as an assistant coach at Long Beach Wilson High School and has recently merged from the Long Beach Aquatics Federation to Viking Water Polo. He has been coaching at Mira Costa High School since June 2017, where he has held various roles, including Varsity Assistant Coach for boys and girls teams, JV Head Coach for boys and girls, and Varsity Co-Head Coach for the girls' team for the 2023-2024 season. Additionally, he contributes to the Olympic Development Program as a Coastal Zone Coach for USA Water Polo, leading the 2025 ODP Championships Blue Team. Previously, he coached at the Trojan Water Polo Club, working with all age groups. Adony also has experience as a swim instructor and lifeguard at Begg Pool, showcasing a well-rounded commitment to aquatic sports
Hannah DeRose
Assistant Coach 18U/12U Girls
About me: I was born and raised in Corona, CA, and played a wide variety of sports growing up, one being swimming. I loved being in the water but did not love just swimming. I had a middle school teacher who played water polo and suggested I play. I briefly began playing in 8th grade and later joined the high school team. I was on both the water polo and swim team throughout my high school career. After high school, I continued to play water polo at the University of California, Berkeley. I played center on the team from 2016-2020, in which I was co-captain my senior season. During my time at UC Berkeley, I studied Social Welfare and Education. I am currently finishing my teaching credential at CSULB with hopes of becoming an upper elementary school teacher. I am the Millikan High School JV girls water polo coach and the 18U/12U Viking girls assistant coach.
Fun Facts: When not on the pool deck, I enjoy reading, spending time with my dogs (Craig and Bruce), being with family/friends, and weightlifting. I have competed in two crossfit competitions as well as two Olympic weightlifting meets. I am a coffee connoisseur and really enjoy trying local coffee shops. I would love to get back in the pool and play in a masters tournament in the near future!
Beth Bailey
Assistant Coach 18u Girls
Beth has over 25 years of experience coaching water polo at various levels, including age group, high school, and NCAA programs, both in California and beyond. She is currently coaching at Long Beach Wilson High School and Long Beach Viking while also serving as a Coastal Zone ODP Youth Team Coach. Beth's past coaching roles include leadership positions with Vanguard Aquatics, Huntington Beach High School, and Occidental College, where she helped achieve the team's first winning season in over a decade. As a coach, she is passionate about creating future leaders, guiding athletes to excel in the pool while fostering skills that help them succeed in life.
Beth earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from UCLA, and has a background in management consulting, project management, and operations. In addition to her coaching, she works with the CG Sports Company, specializing in Olympic sports and NIL. Beth is dedicated to mentoring young athletes, helping them develop confidence, time management skills, and a championship mindset. Her personalized approach supports athletes in achieving their goals, from improving performance to navigating the college recruitment process. She and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters, both successful water polo players at the collegiate level.
Sharon Vargas
Assistant Coach 16U/18U Girls
About me: I was born and raised in Long Beach my whole life. I got my lifeguard certification and soon worked as a swim instructor for two summers, one at the 49er camp held over at CSULB and the other over at LBCC. I also coached for both Vanguard and Viking splashball programs while working at HBHS as an assistant water polo coach for one season. Currently, I am just with Viking Aquatics for the high school girls water polo.
Water polo career: Growing up I was never involved in aquatics or any sports, but I always had an interest in it. After middle school, I attended Long Beach Poly High School where I learned how to swim the summer going into freshman year. I then joined the water polo and swim team there all four years and graduated in 2022. Soon after I played at LBCC under Christopher Oeding for two years and am currently finishing up my last semester to attend Long Beach State and hopefully play club polo there.
Fun fact: I love lipgloss and iced coffee
Kaya Barrett
12U Head Coach, 14U/16U/18U Assistant Coach
About me: I was born and raised in Orange, California. I was first introduced to competitive swimming when I was about 8 years old. After a few years, I grew tired of swimming back and forth. I decided to try and play water polo. I have always been very competitive and instantly fell in love with the sport. I played all throughout high school at Canyon High School, and at SOCAL water polo club. After high school, I joined the Long Beach City College swim and water polo team from 2021-2023. I am currently studying at Cal State Long Beach to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian. I am passionate about food and learning about how it fuels athletes' bodies.
This year I joined the Millikan High school girls water polo coaches, as their new Frosh coach. I am looking forward to lots of wins this season. I am the 12u/14u girls coach as well as the 18u/16u coach at Viking.
Fun Facts: When I am not on the pool deck, I enjoy going to the beach, staying active and relaxing at home. I also love cooking and baking and trying out new recipes. I am a coffee addict and look forward to my iced coffee every day. I also adopted a kitten earlier this year and her name is Ziggy!
