Jon Burke has been coaching water polo throughout Northern California for the past 25 years and in that time has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the sport.

 

The 2017 California High School Girls Water Polo Coach of the Year, Burke’s high school teams have won 12 CIF section championships, 1 CIF NorCal championship and 14 league championships.

 

His head coaching experience includes 14 CIF section championship game appearances, 3 CIF NorCal championship game appearances and he’s part of an elite group of high school coaches to have captured CIF section championships at two different high schools (Sacred Heart Prep & Stevenson School).

 

Burke is currently the director of girls water polo at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, and the Director of Operations & Performance for MBU Water Polo Foundation. As head coach at Stevenson School, Burke led the program to back-to-back CIF section titles in 2022 & 2023, CIF NorCal runner-up finishes in 2022 & 2024, and a CIF NorCal championship in 2023.

 

As head coach at Sacred Heart Prep from 2006-2018, Burke built the Gators into a national powerhouse, reaching the CIF section finals 12 consecutive years, and winning 10 consecutive section championships during that time, a CIF record in girls water polo. During his tenure at Sacred Heart, Burke’s teams compiled a 292-57 (.836) overall record and went an impressive 54-8 (.871) in post-season play. The Gators were also recognized as the CCS Fall Scholastic Championship team in 2016 & 2017.

 

Burke has developed 17 high school All-Americans, 8 section MVPs, dozens of all-section and all-league recipients, and helped more than 50 girls achieve their goal of playing NCAA college water polo. In addition to being recognized as the 2017 California High School Girls Water Polo Coach of the Year, Burke was the 2016 Northern California Girls Water Polo Coach of the Year, and the 2015 CCS Girls Water Polo Honor Coach.

 

Burke is a familiar face throughout USA Water Polo and the USA Olympic Development Program as well. From 2016-2021, Burke was a member of the USA National Goalkeeper staff and from 2014-2015 he served as the head coach of the Pacific Zone girls cadet team, capturing gold at the 2015 ODP National Championships. He has coached dozens of USA national team players, two Olympic champions (KK Clark and Melissa Seidemann), and national team players from Great Britain and the Philippines. In addition, from 2004-2006, Burke served as the head coach of the Central Zone boys cadet and development teams and was recognized by USA Water Polo as the Central Zone Development Coach of the Year in 2006. Burke has coached in Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Croatia, and Spain, and led the USA Men’s Maccabi team to the gold medal at the 2006 Pan American Maccabi Games. 

 

Burke served as an assistant coach for the UC Davis Men’s & Women’s water polo programs from 2002-2006, where he was a student-athlete and men’s team captain, scoring 17 goals in his senior season. As women’s assistant coach, Burke helped the team capture the Western Water Polo Association championship in 2006, earning an automatic bid to NCAAs where the team finished 5th nationally. 

 

Burke resides in Monterey, California, with his wife Debra and their three children (Kai 9, Michael 8, and Noa 3).