Bio

Gary Cheever has more than 16 years of experience coaching water polo at the high school, club, and collegiate levels. He is recognized for developing student-athletes through a balanced focus on skill, teamwork, and program growth.

Cheever is the current Head Coach of girls’ water polo at Troy High School, where he has guided the program to back-to-back CIF Southern Section Finals in 2024 and 2025. Since 2019, he has also served as an assistant coach for the Fullerton College women’s water polo program, contributing to a state championship and two conference championships during his tenure. In addition, he leads the boys’ program at Midvalley Water Polo Club, where he has overseen significant roster expansion and youth development.

His previous high school head coaching roles include Claremont High School, where the girls reached the CIF Southern Section Semifinals in 2017 and 2018 along with five league titles; Don Lugo High School, where the boys were CIF finalists in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2017; as well as leadership positions at Diamond Bar High School and Chino Hills High School. Across his high school career, his teams have captured a combined nine league championships in the Mt. Baldy and Palomares Leagues.

At the club level, Cheever coached with CHAWP Water Polo Club from 2015 to 2019 and participated in the program’s international training camp in Hungary, assisting with Junior Olympic athlete evaluations. From 2019 to 2023, he also directed Raptor Sports School, coordinating training opportunities that emphasized both skill development and team culture.

His coaching honors include CIF-SS Coach of the Year (2014) and Inland Empire Water Polo Coach of the Year (2018).