Annual Award Honorees

Welcome to the Annual Awards page of Aquatic Capital

Special Honoree

Takako Kimura
Special Honoree

Coach of the Year

Chris Oeding
Co-Coach of the Year
Head Water Polo Coach
Long Beach City College
Adam Wright
Co-Coach of the Year
Head Water Polo Coach
UCLA

Tom Shadden Citizen Award

Kevin Wattier
Tom Shadden Citizen Award
Retired Director
City of Long Beach Water Department
Art Levine
Tom Shadden Citizen Award
Community - Straight Talk TV

Outstanding Achievement

Joan Van Blom
Outstanding Achievement
Rowing - 2-time Olympian and Silver medalist. First American woman to medal in rowing at the Olympics.
Hank Wise
Outstanding Achievement
Has swum across the Catalina Channel a record-tying 6 times, including twice within 3 weeks (one in each direction) in late 2016.

Coach of the Year

Eric Berg
Coach of the Year
Coached Wilson HS Boys Swim Team to its 47th consecutive Moore League title. This is the longest winning streak of any school in any sport in the nation.
Gavin Arroyo
Coach of the Year
Coached the Long Beach State Men's Water Polo Team into the NCAA tournament, the first time in 27 years the team qualified for the tournament.
Adam Wright
Coach of the Year
Head Water Polo Coach, UCLA. His team won the NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship for the 3rd consecutive year.

Dick Miller Waterman

Jeff Gillott
Dick Miller Waterman
Marine Safety Division, Jr. Lifeguards

Community Service/Leadership

Dr. Rick Adams
Community Service/Leadership
Dr. Adams has nearly 30 years of medical experience in Brain Injury Rehabilitation, and has worked closely with Casa Colina Recreation and Outdoor Adventures, particularly with Casa Colina's Land to Sea annual weekend at Long Beach Marine Stadium.
Lori Jarmacz
Community Service/Leadership
Recreation Superintendent, City of Long Beach, Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine
Todd Leland
Community Service/Leadership
Aquatics Supervisor, City of Long Beach, Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine

Athlete of the Year

Max Irving
Athlete of the Year
All-American, Member of the UCLA 2017 NCAA Championship Water Polo team
Hank Wise
Athlete of the Year
Swam the Catalina Channel for a record-breaking 7th time, setting a new Men's record in 7 hours, 55 minutes and 46 seconds. The channel course is measured at 20.1 miles.
Jack Nunn
Athlete of the Year
Competed in, and placed in his age group in numerous rowing events and triathlons (including Ironman races and ultratriathlons
Haley Kirk
Athlete of the Year
Sailing

Organization of the Year

CSR Children's Foundation
Organization of the Year
Long Beach Water Department
Organization of the Year
Director Chris Garner