Coaches

Rob Tilburg - Head Coach, Varsity (on left side of photo)
619-358-3302

Rob is a graduate of Poway High School and is currently working towards a teaching credential at San Diego State University. In 1996, Rob was the water polo Palomar League Player of the Year. During that time, he also made 1st Team CIF and All American. Rob played two seasons at Grossmont Junior College and was named All Conference Selection. Rob spent one season as Assistant Coach at Grossmont Junior College and one season as Assistant Coach for the boys' and girls' teams at TPHS. Fall 2001 was Rob's first season as Head Coach at TPHS. During his first year as head coach, the boys' water polo team record was 22-8 and they went to the semi-finals in CIF for the first time in school history. That same year, the girls' water polo team record was 20-11. The girls' team won the first ever women's CIF game in TPHS history. In addition to coaching the TPHS teams, Rob runs the age group level teams for Sunset Water Polo Club.

Matt Ellis - Assistant Coach (second from left)

Matt Joined the Falcons Coaching Staff in 2004 as the Women's Junior Varsity Coach. Matt has been actively involved in competitive swimming and water polo since the age of 8. Matt Graduated from Foothill High School in 1998, earning All American honors his junior and senior seasons. Matt also won several National Championships while playing with SOCAL Water Polo and was a member of the 1997 Youth National Team.

Matt was a four -year starter at UCSD, while earning Bachelor of Art Degrees in Economics and The Study of Religion with a cumulative GPA of 3.2. While playing for the Tritons, Matt earned All- American honors in 2002 and was an NCAA runner up in 2001. In 2003, he was the UCSD Team Captain. Today Matt is an active member of Sunset Water Polo both as a player and as a coach while pursuing a Masters Degree in Business at San Diego State University.

Mike Rall (third from left)

Coach Mike Rall joined the Falcon coaching staff in 2005, assisting with both the boys’ and girls’ programs. He is a science teacher at TPHS (biology and chemistry) and the water polo P.E. teacher on campus.

Coach Rall graduated from U.C. Irvine with a B.S. in Biology and received All American honors as a goaltender in water polo. He has played on the National Youth, Junior National and National “B” teams, in addition to currently playing for Newport’s Masters club team. Coach Rall was an assistant coach at Coronado High School 1998-2002 before transferring to TPHS, and has coached at several professional water polo camps and clinics.

Coach Rall also enjoys diving, body surfing, traveling, and spending time with his family.

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Mike Lust - Assistant Coach, Novice (on right side of photo)
(858) 229-4779

Mike is a talented water polo player who was also a teammate of Rob's in high school. Mike made all league selection in high school, and played at Grossmont College. Mike coaches the novice group at TPHS, and is currently working towards a Bachelors Degree from SDSU.