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OUR COACHES

Coach Possell

Stephanie Johnson Possell has been coaching and teaching for 30 years.  For the past 10, she has been coaching water polo for Orlando Thunder Water Polo club and Olympia High School.  In that time, she has built a program that is regularly at the top of the podium.  Winning gold medals at high school and age-group levels, several Coach of the Year awards, and helping develop athletes to be recognized as All Americans, she is most proud of how many athletes continue to play in college at the varsity and club levels and what amazing young adults her players become.  She teaches her players how to practice sportsmanship, prioritize schoolwork and the power of practice and persistence.  Her next goal is to build a program that includes multiple age groups, inspiring more children to find success, while enjoying aquatic sports.  One of her mottos is: Be Smart.  Be Strong.  Be Fast.  Be Proud!

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Coach Linn

Stephanie Johnson Possell has been coaching and teaching for 30 years.  For the past 10, she has been coaching water polo for Orlando Thunder Water Polo club and Olympia High School.  In that time, she has built a program that is regularly at the top of the podium.  Winning gold medals at high school and age-group levels, several Coach of the Year awards, and helping develop athletes to be recognized as All Americans, she is most proud of how many athletes continue to play in college at the varsity and club levels and what amazing young adults her players become.  She teaches her players how to practice sportsmanship, prioritize schoolwork and the power of practice and persistence.  Her next goal is to build a program that includes multiple age groups, inspiring more children to find success, while enjoying aquatic sports.  One of her mottos is: Be Smart.  Be Strong.  Be Fast.  Be Proud!

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Coach B

Rachel Bednarek started playing water polo at Olympia High School and was an Orlando Thunder original. She went on to play varsity water polo in college for Gannon University in PA, graduating as a four-year athlete with a degree in Exercise Science. Coach Bednarek started coaching for Orlando Thunder in 2016 and was an assistant coach for Olympia High School while earning several championships, one of those being a State Championship. Rachel has been an ODP Holiday Camp Coach and has traveled to California with our Junior Olympic Teams. Rachel is now the head coach for Olympia and continues to be a primary coach for Orlando Thunder high school athletes.

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Coach Dailer

Jen Dailer was named MVP and All-American during her senior year in HS and played in JO's and Jr. Nationals for 3 years. She continued on to the University of Maryland to play collegiate water polo, playing in the Women’s Collegiate National Water Polo Championships each year. After UM, she continued to play masters, founded the FAU water polo club, and coached Tulane water polo for one season. Jen has coached the junior camp held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO and taught kids how to play in a tiny town of Alaska. Jen has been Head Coach of West Orange High School since 2011 and has been coaching with Orlando Thunder since November 2021.

Coach Braden

Braden Fisk started his water polo career at the age of fourteen as a freshman at Davis High School. There he participated in both swimming and water polo all four years with two years at the varsity level & competed in four Junior Olympic tournaments. After high school he went on to play for the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo club team for four years, ending his playing career as President in 2014. Braden had the honor of coaching the CWPA’s ‘Team of the Decade’ Women’s Club Water Polo 2012-2015, helping the team earn their spot at nationals twice. He was asked to coach the Cal Poly Men’s Club Water Polo team during his last year in 2015, bringing the team to 2nd in the Pacific Coast division. Once Braden graduated, he moved to Southern California & began coaching 12U / 14U for South Coast Aquatics in Thousand Oaks. He believes sports can be one of the greatest teachers of life lessons and character and aims to help players realize their full potential as people and athletes.

Coach Sydney

Sydney Fisk started playing water polo at the age of 8 with Legacy Water Polo in Monterey, CA. She was a pioneer in helping establish the area’s women’s club water polo team and played co-ed for 2 years under Olympian and hall-of-fame inductee Gary Figueroa. Born and raised in California, Sydney continued to compete in both swimming and water polo through high school including 4 years of varsity, receiving Academic All American in her senior year. During her summers she worked as a CA State Parks Lifeguard while playing club water polo and competing in Junior Olympics. She then went on to play for the Cal Poly Women’s Club Water Polo team where she competed on the National team for two consecutive years as a main starter. As a coach, Sydney believes that fundamentals are the base of a strong player and looks forward to helping players grow as both athletes and individuals. 

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