Montclair Makos YMCA Water Polo Team – A competitive team for co-ed youth ages 9–14, focused on building fundamental water polo skills such as head-up freestyle swimming, treading water, passing, and scrimmaging. During the Fall and Spring Seasons, we meet Mondays (6:45–7:45 pm), Wednesdays (6:30–7:30 pm), and Sundays (9:00–10:00 am). The team plays local games in the NY metro area, and there are opportunities for players to enter travel tournaments across the Northeast.
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.
Daniel Arbelaez, 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.
Daniel Cardona, Assistant Coach – Daniel is a Colombian water polo player, coach, and educator who brings an international perspective to the sport through his experience competing at both the club and university levels. As the youngest player on his university team in Colombia, he developed the discipline, resilience, and teamwork that continue to shape his coaching philosophy today. Daniel graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in Adapted Physical Education and a focus on Sports Coaching. He is passionate about helping young athletes build confidence, develop their skills, and enjoy the game in a positive and supportive environment.
Sarah Carter, Assistant Coach — Sarah was born and raised in California and moved to New Jersey in 2019. As a daughter of swim coaches, she has been swimming her whole life, and was on her high school’s first ever girls’ water polo team (after playing two years with the boys). She played water polo at UC San Diego and while abroad in South Africa at University of KwaZulu Natal – Pietermaritzburg.
Jeff Swerdlow, Assistant Coach – Jeff started playing water polo while he was a member of the Montclair YMCA swim team, when YMCA coaches began introducing water polo to swimmers. He went on to compete on teams that finished fourth and third at the age group nationals. He played four years of varsity water polo at the University of Richmond. After graduating, he played with the New York Athletic Club for eight years. Jeff continues to swim at the YMCA and in the ocean. He sometimes competes in ocean mile swims.
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.
