Aaron Wexler

WestCoast VBC Founder & Beach Director

• BCAP 1 Certified 2018 (USA Volleyball Beach Coaching Accreditation Program)
• Crossroads School Varsity Girls Head Coach 2013-2017
• Crossroads 2016 CIF Champions, D3 State Regional Champions, D3 State Finalists
• CIF 2016 D6 Coach of the Year
• UCLA ’11 Volunteer Assistant for UCLA Women’s team under Mike Sealy WON D1 CHAMPIONSHIP
• B. A. in Geography/Environmental Studies ’06
• UCLA Libero for Mens team under Al Scates ’01-’05
• SAMOHI ‘01, Setter/OH
• Competitor on beach circuits: 10+ years of competing on the beach – 4 CBVA Open Titles, 2 AVP Main Draw appearances, 1 NVL Main Draw appearance
• Maccabiah Games 2005 Silver Medalist, (Israel)
• Gilberto Classic Champion x3, ’15, ’17, ’18 (Venice CA)
• 13 years of indoor girls club coaching: WestCoast VBC ’14-’17, Sunshine VBC ’10-’14, Sinjin Smith Volleyball Academy ’08-’09, Palisades VBC ’06-’08
• National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. CPR/First Aid certified
• Current private indoor & beach coach for clients for 8-30 years old

Coaching Philosophy:
“Commit to the process of becoming 1% better everyday, as a player and as a person. As you show up as the best version of yourself, others around you will be empowered to do the same. Be grateful for your opportunities, be fearless in your efforts, and always play with love for the game.”

Anne Marie Taylor

WC Beach Coach 

• JV Head Beach Volleyball Coach for Notre Dame Academy 2018-Present
• Freshmen Assistant Coach and volunteer Varsity Coach for NDA indoor team 2018
• Assistant Director for Beach Volleyball National Events (BVNE) Tournament Series 2017-Present
• Director and Coach for Santa Monica Pier Location under Sinjin Smith (Adult Classes) 2017
• Director and Head Coach Sinjin Smith’s Beach Volleyball
• Thousand Oaks Location (Adult and Youth Classes) 2016-2017
• Coached for Three Years for Crescent Beach Volleyball Club and Sinjin Smith Beach Volleyball Camps 2013-2016
• Volunteer Indoor Volleyball Coach at FIU- 2016
• Indoor Camp Counselor LMU Indoor Camps-2013-2015
• Played Varsity Volleyball for 2 Years at Notre Dame High School
• Played Club Volleyball at SCVC and Club Troy for three years under USC coaching Staff
• 1 Year Indoor Volleyball at Louisiana Tech University
• 3 Years Indoor and Beach Volleyball Loyola Marymount University
• 1 Year of Grad School Beach Volleyball at FIU
• Currently competing in AVP and P1440 Qualifiers
• Has AAA rating with CBVA

Coaching Philosophy:
“Two quotes that I live by are “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the very best you are capable of becoming” – John Wooden and “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen” – Michael Jordan. These two quotes took me through many hard times as an athlete and gave me confidence to go after my dreams!  My goal as a coach is to inspire all athletes to give their best into every practice and game even when they dont feel like it. My other goal as a coach is to create a culture of learning with a growth mindset approach to the game. If players can do that consistently, I have no doubt that they will be a success!”

Allison Griffiths

WC Beach Coach

• Competitor in AVP, CBVA, EVP, and MPVA beach volleyball tournaments since ’14
• M.S. in Structural Earthquake Engineering from UCLA ’19
• B.A. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame ’16
• University of Notre Dame Club Volleyball ’15 – ’16 (OP)
• University of Notre Dame summer ’14 volleyball camp assistant coach
• University of Toledo Varsity Volleyball Team ’12 – ’13 (OP)
• Aquinas College Varsity Volleyball Team ’11 – ’12 (OH/OP)
• Saint’s Volleyball Club Assistant Coach ’11 – ’12
• Dewitt High School Graduate ’11

Coaching Philosophy:
“As coaches we are preparing you for life both in the sport and in everyday life.  The key philosophies of honesty, competition, tenacity, and self confidence taught on the court serve to help us become better and more successful individuals in whatever we hope to accomplish.  The only limits we have are the ones we impose on ourselves.“

Steph Waters

Little Spikers Beach Coach 

• Began playing indoor volleyball at age 12

• 4 – year starter on high school team- P.K Yonge Developmental Research School (Gainesville, FL)
• 2000 Florida 2A State Champions 
• 2002 Florida 2A State Champions 
• Outside hitter for the Gainesville Juniors Volleyball National club team from 2001-2006.
• Defensive specialist at James Madison University from 2006-2008
• Began playing beach volleyball in 2014, participating in CBVA tournaments – earned AA rating first season of playing competitive beach.
• Reality television producer for shows such as Hell’s Kitchen, Dancing with the Stars, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – Making the Team along with many other shows.

Coaching Philosophy:
“I believe not everything comes to us naturally or easily. However, most things can be achieved through determination, focus and a genuine love for the game. Rather than thinking, “I could never do that” Start asking, “What would it take to do that?” Anything is possible with the right mindset as well as a plan of action.”

Travis Schoonover

WC Beach Director 

• BCAP 1 Certified 2018 (USA Volleyball Beach Coaching Accreditation Program)
• Crossroads School Girls Varsity Volunteer Assistant (2014-2018)
• Crossroads 2016 CIF Champions, D3 State Regional Champions, D3 State Finalists
• Thousand Oaks ’01, Setter
• Pierce College, SMC college, B.A. – Business (In progress)
• Competitor on AVP, NVL, & CBVA tours: NVL Competitor & SmackSportswear Sponsored Athlete, NVL top 10 player ’14 & BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER ’15
• CBVA 10x Open Champion, Gilberto Classic Champ ’17, Moonlight Beach Champ ’17
• 13 years of club coaching: WestCoast ’14-present, Sunshine VBC Head Coach ’11-’14, Gene’s Team Head Coach ’08-’11, Reef VBC Head Coach ’06-’08, Spectrum VBC Head Coach ’05-’07, Mustangs VBC Head Coach ’03-’05, Zuma Bay Head Coach ’01-’03

Coaching Philosophy:
“I believe in proper preparation. This starts with mindset training for our athletes. I run progression-based practices sessions that focus on proper technique, fundamentals, and game preparedness.”

Ilan Goldstein

WC Beach Coach 

• 3 Year Starter NYU Volleyball (Setter), Team Captain (2009)
• EIVA Semifinalist (2008) Best finish in program history. 
• Set records for most assists in a game, season and career. 
• 3 Year Starter for Brentwood School (Outside Hitter)
• 2 Time CIF SS D4 Finalist (2003 & 2004)
• 3 Time All-CIF Selection (2003, 2004, & 2005)
• 3 Time All Olympic League Selection (2003, 2004, & 2005)
• – 2003 Junior Olympics 16U Gold Medal
• – 2005 Maccabiah Games Bronze Medal (2005) Beach Volleyball
• – Junior Olympic 16U All tournament team selection (2003, SCVC)
• – MA Sociology (2014) UCLA
• – Private Music Teacher since 2011

Coaching Philosophy:
“I strive to help players become complete athletes; as prepared for success mentally as they are physically. By growing fundamentals into effortless familiarity with the game, we not only achieve more success on the sand, we also have more fun.”

Cherokee Washington

WC Beach Coach

Crossroads School Girls Varsity Assistant Coach (2018-present): Coaching indoor (fall), coed beach (winter), and girls beach (spring) volleyball

• WestCoast Beach Volleyball Club volunteer/staff coach (2015-present)

• Whitman College L/DS (2015-2017): Starting libero (2017), Defensive player of the year (2017), best team season in program history (2017), SAAC representative (2015)

• Wingate University L/DS (2013): 8-time SAC conference champions, Elite Eight finalists, Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament champions

• Crossroads School ‘13: 3 year Varsity OH/RS/S starter (2011-2013), 1st Team-All Conference, 2nd Team-All Conference,  Varsity team captain (2012-13), JV team captain/S starter (2010)

• Played club for TCA (2013), Mizuno Long Beach (2011-2012), and Sports Shack under Marcio Sicoli

• Honors B.A. in Rhetorical Studies, B.S. in Psychology (2017), Whitman College

• Whitman College Pono Academy Coach (2015-2016): Coached Walla Walla, WA and Molokai, HI girls and boys volleyball players

• Trained indoor/beach with: Logan Tom (National team player, 4-time Olympian), Courtney Thompson (National team player, 2-time Olympian), Natalie Hagglund (USC Libero, US and Switzerland National team), Chrissie Zartman (UCLA OH/L), Cam Green (Mira Costa Girls Varsity Head, AVP, USC Coach ), Adam Schultz (AVP), and West Coast’s Aaron Wexler and Travis Schoonover

• Currently pursuing a career in Sport/Performance Psychology with an emphasis on Cultural Sport Psychology

• Currently pursuing career in beach volleyball

Coaching Philosophy:
“I believe in the mantra of ‘relentless pursuit.’ As athletes, we face many obstacles: being told ‘no,’ physical injuries, mental setbacks, the grind of repetition, and the push to level up. Through relentless pursuit, an athlete can compete selflessly while never giving up mentally, physically, or emotionally no matter what the universe brings their way. My job as a mentor is to help athletes find their own version of relentless pursuit, while communicating positively and effectively, exercising gratitude, and helping players trust the process by showing them what they’re capable of with undeniable grit and mental toughness.”