Age-Group Head Coach

Started playing freshman year of high school in 2011 in Coronado, California under San Diego legend, Randall Burgess, before moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2013 where he played at South Florida Water Polo Club for club director, Michael Goldenberg, and alongside fellow coach, Eric Goldenberg, during this time Gal was a part of the team’s 2013 18u Junior Olympics team that placed an impressive top 10 finish in the country. Gal attended local water polo powerhouse, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, and earned Miami Herald Broward County’s First Team All-County honors in 2014 and 2015 as well as the Sun Sentinel Broward County First Team All-County honors in 2015, and helped bring Saint Thomas Aquinas to the state championship game both years.

After graduating in 2015, Gal remained local, studying at Broward College and Sheridan Technical College in various vocational fields. He joined the club’s coaching staff in 2017 immediately taking reins of the club’s 12u and 14u categories. Gal has helped the development of many young athletes and some of our older athletes with college recruitment including helping several athletes find their playing future at schools such as Salem International University, Bucknell University, Stanford University, Mount. Saint Mary’s, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Mercyhurst College, etc.

From 2019-2024, Gal was involved in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) as a coach, starting with assisting the 18u age group before becoming the head coach of the 13u age group where several athletes under his time were selected onto the United States National Team contingents for the respective age groups. In 2022, Gal was honored by USA Water Polo and the Southeast Zone with the Ted Newland Award, given to the coach recognized for their player development with athletes in the 14u age group and younger.

Gal’s recent exploits include an unprecedented level of success at the local level for both club and high school including various podium finishes at nearly every local event at club tournaments and at the high school level includes a state championship for his alma mater at Saint Thomas Aquinas. Coaching alongside Michael and Eric Goldenberg, the trio led the Raiders to a 28-2-1 record capping the season with the program’s second state championship. At the club level success followed even at the national stage  that started with the club’s 14u boys program in 2022 where the team claimed the USA Water Polo Dallas Junior Olympics Platinum Division title, repeating a year after in 2023 in the 16u division and in 2024 the team competed in the 16u division of California Junior Olympics where they placed first place in the Gold Division (25th overall in the country) and fourth overall for non-California teams.