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Bill Barnet
Head Girls Water Polo Coach
Coach Barnett has led his Newport Harbor teams to an impressive 10 Boys AAAA CIF-SS team championships and has been runner-up an additional eight times. And in 1999, he led Newport's girls team to win Newport's first CIF Girls Water Polo Championship. His players have been awarded scholarships, and have represented the USA on Olympic Team.
His talents and abilities were rewarded in 1985 when he was appointed USA Nation Team, and Olympic Water Polo coach. He led the USA team to the Silver Medal at the 1985 FINA Cup Championships. His team won a Silver Medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, won the first ever USA International Gold medal at the 1991 FINA Cup and advanced the USA into the final round at Barcelona. His success continues to this day. As recent as the 1996 Olympic Games he did not disappoint us.
Jason Lynch
Jason Lynch, Head Coach
Coach Lynch began his coaching career at Marina High School as the freshman/sophomore water polo and swimming coach. He then served six years as the boy’s varsity water polo and swimming coach at Costa Mesa High School where his teams won five consecutive Pacific Coast League titles and made three CIF Division III finals appearances, winning the championship in 1992. Coach Lynch then spent seven years at Capistrano Valley High School mentoring the boys and girls varsity aquatics teams. He led the male Cougars to a South Coast League title in 1997 and a CIF Semi Finalist berth and did the same with the girls in 2001.
Since arriving at Newport Harbor High School in 2001, Coach Lynch has taken the Sailors Water Polo team to win the League Championship in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He has also taken the team to the CIF Quarterfinals in Division I four times, and the CIF Division I Finals in 2005, and to the Semi Finals of both the CIF Division I and CIF Master’s playoffs in 2006. This year his team finished fifth at the CIF Master’s playoffs and won the 2007 CIF Division I championship. He has served as the U.S.A. Water Polo Men’s National Youth, Junior and Cadet Coach from 1999 to the present.
Coach Lynch was named the CIF Coach of the Year for 2007.
His honors include:
• CIF Division III Coach of the year 1992
• CIF Division III Champions-Boy's 1992
• CIF Division III Runner-up - boy's 1990, 1993
• Pacific Coast League Water Polo Champions - Boy's 1989,1990,1991,1992, 1993
• South Coast League Champions Boy's Water Polo 1997
• CIF Division I Semi Finalists Boy's Water polo 1997
• South Coast League Champions Girl's water polo 2001
• CIF Division I Semi Finalist Girl's water polo 2001
• South Coast League Champions Boy's Swimming 2001
• Sea View League Champions Boys Water Polo 2002
• CIF Division I Quarter Finalist Boys Water Polo 2002
Jason and his wife, Kim, live in Mission Viejo with their two daughters, Kristen and Jessica.
Brian Melstrom
Girls Head Swim Coach
Girls JV Water Polo Coach & Varsity Assistant
Boys F/S Water Polo Coach
Coach Melstrom graduated from Edison High School in 1991 and was a three-year Varsity letterman in Water Polo and Swimming. Upon graduation, he moved to Colorado and attended the University of Colorado at Boulder continuing his water polo experience as president of the CU Water Polo Club and as a four-year player. He graduated from CU in 1997 with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Biology. Coach Melstrom worked in the Sports Medicine field at NHHS for five long years while working on a teaching credential from National University. He is currently in his fourth year of teaching at NHHS in Health Science and Mathematics. As Coach for the Frosh/Soph teams, Coach Melstrom is back on the pool deck and finds it both exciting and rewarding. In his own words, “Aquatics will always be a part of my life and I hope to inspire the young players I coach into becoming responsible, talented athletes.”
Les Cutler
Girls F/S Water Polo Coach, Girls Assistant Swim Coach
Coach Cutler has been involved in either teaching or coaching in the Newport-Mesa area for forty years. After graduating from Grosse Pointe High School in Michigan, he attended the University of Iowa where he was an All American in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke. In his senior year his time of 2:01.8 entitled him to a 2nd place National ranking. In 1968, he had the honor of representing the U.S. as an Olympian in the Kayak-Canoe event in Mexico City, Mexico. During his tenure at NHHS Coach Cutler has mentored many of our varsity players through their freshman and sophomore years, leading teams to undefeated seasons five times, most recently in 2010. He feels quite blessed to have the opportunity to work with and be mentored by head coach Bill Barnett.
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