Boys Varsity Head Coach
Nick Jordan:
Nick Jordan has been the Acalanes Boys Varsity Head Coach since 2022. Nick first started water polo in Sacramento, CA, eventually playing in high school, college, and professionally. At El Camino High School Nick earned 1st team all-league honors and was league MVP. After high school, Nick went on to play collegiate water polo at UC Santa Barbara and captained the team during his final year. During this time Nick trained with both the Junior National and Senior National Teams. Post College, Nick played Professionally in Germany for SC Neustadt and then returned to Sacramento and coached for his childhood club, American River Water Polo. Nick continues to coach club polo with CC United where he currently coaches the 12u age group. Outside of water polo, Nick teaches PE at Stanley Middle School, and spends time adventuring with his wife, Erin, and dog, Mack.
BOYS ASSISTANT Coach
Jake Norton:
Jake Norton is a proud Acalanes Alumni, class of 2006. He played Water Polo at Acalanes under the legendary Ron Richardson for Junior Varsity and long-time Coach Brian Monte for Varsity, placing 2nd at NCS his senior year. He swam for and taught swim lessons for Springbrook as well as for Acalanes specializing in the 50 free. Jake went on to play at UC Davis Graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics. During College Jake worked at the UC Davis Rec Pool as both a lifeguard and swim instructor. After Graduating, Jake started his career as a Commercial Real Estate Broker focusing in the sale and leasing of office space across Alameda and Contra Costa County; he is currently a Vice President at Transwestern Commercial Services in Oakland/ Walnut Creek. He works with Contra Costa United (CCU) coaching the 16 and under program. Jake lives in Lafayette with his wife Julie, his son, Coach Teddy, and his daughter, Ginny (both of which will swim for Sun Valley in their future). Jake is invested in the Lafayette community and looking forward to contributing to the growth and continued strength of Lafayette Water Polo.
“A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, and has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you’ve always known you can be.”
Steve Heaston, Acalanes Head Coach
1971 - 1982
6 North Coast CIF Championships
Coached 38 high school All-Americans
Career Record 183-57
Ron Richison, Acalanes Head Coach
1984- 1995
League Champions (1986, 1987, 1988) CIF-North Coast Section Champions (1986, 1987, 1988) California State Champions – 1987
Ron Richison has been an incredible contributor to the development of the sport of water polo in the East Bay of California and in Northern California. In 1967 Ron, with Bill Brown (Miramonte & US WP Hall of Famer), Pete Cutino and Ervin Zador (Hungarian Olympian), helped establish water polo as a league sport in what was then the FAL league (now DFAL). In 1966 teams from Acalanes High School, Miramonte HS, Las Lomas High School competed as club teams. The interest in water polo coincided with the arrival of Pete Cutino (US Water Polo Hall of Famer) as the coach of the Aquabears Swim Club. Pete and Ron introduced water polo as a way to keep kids in the pool during the fall, which had, in the past, been the off season for competitive swimming. Needless to say, it was a big hit. Eventually they got the FAL to approve the sport. Ron and Pete then founded one of Northern California's premier and most successful club programs in the country, Concord Water Polo Club, in 1967. With Concord Water Polo club (now Lamorinda Water Polo) Ron produced numerous High School All Americans, (22) College All Americans, (24) players who became NCAA Champions, and (9) United States Olympians. He also coached (5) members of the United States Water Polo Hall of Fame. Ron was a pioneer for water polo in one of the biggest water polo zones in the country.