Montclair Makos YMCA Water Polo Team – A competitive team for co-ed youth ages 10–14, focused on building fundamental water polo skills such as head-up freestyle swimming, treading water, passing, and scrimmaging. During the fall season, we meet Mondays (6:45–7:45 pm), Wednesdays (6:30–7:30 pm), and Sundays (9:00–10:00 am) from September 15 to December 17.

Our current season is at capacity. Our Spring season will begin in mid to late February and continue into June. If you’re interested in joining for the Spring season, please contact a member of our coaching staff. Also, please be on the lookout for periodic New Player Clinics, which serve as a one-time opportunity to try out the sport.

Coaching Staff:
Christopher Kelsch, Head Coach — Coach Chris is a California native who moved to New Jersey in 2003 to attend Princeton University, where he played water polo for four years, winning one Eastern Conference Title and competing in one Final Four. After his collegiate career, Chris played for the New York Athletic Club where his team won National Championships in 2008 and 2009. He now lives in Montclair with his wife and Team Manager, Khara, and two children, Theo and Leia.

Contact: [email protected]

Daniel Arbeleaz, Assistant Coach — Assistant Coach Daniel began his aquatic journey as a competitive youth swimmer in Colombia and California specializing in freestyle, before discovering water polo in eighth grade. He went on to play four years of collegiate water polo at Harvard. Today, he continues to nurture his passion for water sports through open-water ocean swim races and volunteering for the Y’s water polo and swim programs.

Khara Kelsch, Team Manager — Though Khara doesn’t compete in the pool like her husband and children, her passion for water polo runs deep. As the driving force behind the Montclair Makos, Khara leads team operations including scheduling, parent engagement, recruitment, competition logistics, industry relations, and support for media/public relations.

Contact: [email protected]