Our Coaching Staff
Carroll Vaughan
Head Coach
Coach Carroll is the head coach for the Riptides Water Polo Club as well as the boys' and girls' varsity water polo head coach at Gulliver Prep High School. Coach Carroll has been honored with the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Regional Coach of the Year award for her outstanding leadership and hard work in the Olympic Development Program. She's won 5 state championship titles at Gulliver Prep (girls in 2013 and boys in 2012, 2014, 2019, and 2021). She also led FIU to a national runner-up finish. Carroll has won the Doc Hunkler (National Coach of the Year) award in 2010 and has won regional awards such as Monte Notzkowski, Sandy Nitta, Bill Barnett, and Brenda Villa multiple times. Riptides has also won Club of the Year for the Southeast Zone.
Hunter Pelletier
Assistant Head Coach
Hunter is a life long Riptide where he has been swimming and playing water polo since he was a child. He earned a BA in Kinesiology, Exercise Science & Human Performance from Whittier College where he also played on their water polo team. He currently serves as the aquatics manager at Gulliver Schools.
Chase Vaughan
Assistant Coach
Chase Vaughan is one of our assistant coaches for the Riptides water polo club who coaches out of our Gulliver and Cutler Ridge locations and has been coaching with us for 17 years. Chase has coached at many levels, helping both FIU and UM CWPA club teams, has been a middle school and high school head coach, and is currently an assistant coach at Gulliver Prep. He graduated from Miami Palmetto Sr high where he played water polo and swam for all 4 years. As a junior and senior he was a Miami Herald 2nd Team All-Dade selection and won the Greater Miami Athletic Conference Championship as a senior. Chase attended Florida International University and played club water polo under the CWPA. As a player, he was selected to the 2009 and 2010 First Team All Conference and the 2010 First Team All-American.
Kevin Oliveira
Assistant Coach
Kevin is an accomplished water polo player, with a career spanning over 20 years in the sport. As a player, Kevin's dedication and skill are evident, earning him a training spot on the USA Jr. National Team, All-American accolades in 2010 and 2011 as he clinched the 3C2A Championship while attending Golden West College, and NCAA All-American honors in 2013 as a transfer student to the University of Pacific helping his team to an NCAA Runner-up finish. He continued to shine on the international stage, playing for the Brazilian National Team and competing in esteemed leagues around the world in Brazil, Germany, and Australia.
Now as a Riptides coach, Kevin is eager to share his expertise and passion for the sort with the next generation of water polo athletes. He's committed to fostering a culture of excellence and sportsmanship in all of his endeavors and is looking forward to making a positive impact on the future of water polo.
Alex Martinez
Assistant Coach
Chris Arias
Assistant Coach
Chris Arias has been part of the Riptides family since 2002. In 2006 he was named Dade County high school boys "coach of the year". He is a very accomplished water polo player with many recognitions. He was 1st team All Dade, 5th team All American, and MVP during his senior year in high school. He made the South East Zone team 2 years in a row. He started the FIU water polo team in his sophomore year in college. In 2004 he made first team SE conference, in 2005 he was MVP and made 3rd team All American and made the All tournament team at the Nationals. In 2006 he was named South East conference MVP and led his team to a 5th place finish at the nationals.
Ralph Quintero
Assistant Coach
Ralph Quintero has been with the Riptides since 2012 and is both a coach and water polo parent. He is also an assistant water polo coach at Gulliver Prep High School. He was recently recognized by USA Water Polo with the Brent Bohlender Distinguished Coach award. Ralph played water polo throughout high school as starting goalkeeper for Christopher Columbus High School as well as throughout his college years. He has a life-long passion for the sport of water polo and really enjoys teaching the fundamentals of the sport to newcomers.
Jillian Delisle
Assistant Coach
Juan Guapacha
Assistant Coach
Alicia Pelletier
Assistant Coach
AJ Alfonso
Assistant Coach
Maxwell Wood (Woody)
Assistant Coach