The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach in 2025-26 is sponsored by Watersafe Swim School.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
First-year coach Luke Garrison wants to change the culture of the Millikan boys’ water program, and he’s brought in the right staff to do so.
Garrison is an assistant water polo coach at Cypress College and has brought in three-time national champion and Cal Berkeley alum Ian Minsterman as an assistant coach. Also joining them as an assistant is a familiar face in Mike Carrillo, the Millikan girls’ water polo coach and LBCC water polo director.
“We want to redevelop the culture here,” Garrison said. “We want to not only create monsters in the water but more importantly set these young men up for the real world. We love this sport but understand there are limitations with how far you can get in the water polo world, so we want to make sure these boys have life skills and team bonding moments for when they go out into the world.”
Millikan will have an experienced group in the water this season, with 11 total seniors including nine varsity returners. The group will be led by James Fernandez, Cooper Dixon, Josh Lindner, and Luc Poissant, who Garrison expects to be his anchors to success.
“I view them as the catalysts of our season,” he said. “They’ll be dictators in and out of the water of what we expect as coaches. They echo everything for us.”
Most of the team already has good familiarity with each other from club water polo and at Long Beach LifeGuards. Alex Paredes, Niko Ponce, Zavier Velasco, and Jacob Tritz will also be key seniors, while Kollin Seeds will start at goalie as just a sophomore. Fellow sophomore Adam Wells will also look to step up.
Garrison says that Dixon, Fernandez, and Poissant will be his go-to goal getters this season, and wants to focus on finishing opportunities at the goal. Garrison believes that will be the biggest hurdle to get over this season, and noticed the struggle from watching film of Millikan from last year.
“The team from last year I felt was leaving 3-5 goals in the pool every single game,” he said. “So one thing we’re really harping on is finishing at the goal. It’s the physicality and the competition level, and we’re going into each game like it’s any other game.”
Millikan has started its non-league slate with a 2-3 record, with wins over Marshall and Palisades. The Rams will also have non-league matchups against El Segundo, Le Habra, and St. Francis.
The Rams finished 13-11 last year and went 3-2 in the Moore League for a third place finish. Garrison believes his squad can give Wilson and Long Beach Poly a run for their money, and those matchups are set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, respectively. Millikan opens Moore League play against Wilson.
