Athletic Academy

Coach Kinsey’s love for hockey began early, inspired by watching his uncle play and fueled by his passion for the game. Initially captivated by skating and scoring, he soon realized the goalie was a major key to winning, and embraced the challenge of becoming one. Through intense training and handling pressure, Coach Kinsey developed the skills and mindset needed to succeed, driving him to continually reach new heights. Playing competitively, he experienced unforgettable moments, including winning a State Championship, competing at the National level, and earning prestigious honors. Despite his height limiting his playing career, he transitioned to coaching, combining his experience as a player, referee, and mentor. Today, his passion is to inspire and train the next generation, passing on the lessons he has learned.

Phil Lopez serves as the Athletic Academy Director at Fairmont SJC and is the current volleyball coach within the academy. With 15 years of coaching experience in Orange County, he has led athletes in club volleyball, CIF girls' and boys' volleyball, and, most recently, middle school programs. Throughout his career, he has earned multiple Coach of the Year honors from both the WAC and CIF, reflecting his commitment to excellence and athlete development.
As a player, Coach Lopez was part of Mater Dei High School’s historic first boys volleyball championship in 2009. He went on to win a state championship at Golden West College and a conference championship at Hope International University, earning multiple First Team and Second Team All-League selections along the way.
In his role as Academy Director and Volleyball Coach, he emphasizes holistic athlete development. He applies a “less is more” coaching philosophy - teaching athletes to move efficiently, refine essential skills, and eliminate wasted motion to maximize performance.
Coach Lopez believes the Athletic Academy at Fairmont SJC offers a uniquely valuable opportunity: “Our program allows athletes to integrate skill training and strength and conditioning into their school day, while engaging in rigorous academics and a traditional school environment. We prepare our students physically and mentally to thrive as high school student-athletes at the school of their choice.

Payton Banks is a former Division I basketball player, entrepreneur, and owner of 5onfive Basketball, one of Southern California’s long-standing youth programs. After competing at Penn State, he dedicated his career to coaching, youth development, and building systems that help players mature mentally, emotionally, and physically. Today he leads YOU+, a youth sports and wellness platform designed to connect players with who they are, strengthen the communities around them, and bring a more human-centered approach to technology. His work sits at the intersection of sports, education, and personal development. 

Kevin Morton earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Fresno State University, where he also competed as a collegiate football player from 2003-2007. His academic focus on human movement, biomechanics, anatomy, and psychology shaped his holistic approach to athlete development and injury prevention.

Driven by a passion to develop confident, purposeful young athletes, Coach Morton founded OC Elite Football - a program dedicated to elevating student-athletes through elite training, strong academics, and character-based leadership. Under his guidance, OC Elite has helped athletes secure hundreds of scholarship offers, with alumni competing at major universities across the Ivy League, ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12.

Coach Morton continues to build relationships with college programs nationwide, leading annual college tours that introduce athletes to coaches, facilities, and scholarship opportunities. His mission remains clear: to help student-athletes discover their personal vision, reach the next level, and grow into leaders on and off the field.

"Known as ""Goose,"" he began his coaching career immediately after graduating from high school. He was the Assistant Varsity coach for the boys' soccer program at Woodbridge High School from 1998 to 2004, during which they won five league titles in seven years, along with two CIF soccer titles.  He also coached the boys high school soccer program for one year at the Fairmont San Juan Capistrano campus, before the campus transitioned to a preschool-8th grade format. He compiled a 12-1 record, led the San Joaquin League, and was named Coach of the Year.  He had a 25-year club coaching career at Strikers FC, the last 10 years as the Youth Director. Although he is no longer on the field 24/7 for the club, he remains a consistent part of the club as a consultant.

Coach Gratzer is primarily involved in youth soccer development and coaching. His coaching career is centered around providing high-level, individualized, and team training to young athletes. Here at Fairmont SJC, he leads the soccer program for middle school student-athletes in the Athletic Academy, integrating intensive sports training into the regular school day. In this role, he, like other Academy coaches, provides dedicated, sport-specific training to students three times a week, for 85 minutes per session, focusing on individual skill development that club coaches often don't have time to prioritize during full-team practices.

A standout multi-sport athlete in New Jersey, Coach Zielinski earned All-State honors in both football and baseball before continuing his collegiate career at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He was drafted by both the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds, ultimately playing professionally in the Reds organization.

In 1987, he founded Saddleback School of Baseball, where he has trained athletes for nearly four decades. He also established the OC Tribe Baseball Organization, now recognized as one of Orange County’s premier travel baseball programs. His coaching legacy includes more than 400 players who have advanced to college baseball, six of them All-Americans and, with 40 MLB Draft selections.

He has been married to his wife, Audrey, for 32 years, and together they have two sons, Jesse and Zeke.

“A dull ax requires great strength; be wise and sharpen the blade.” - Ecclesiastes 10:10"

Dean Caban has been coaching for over 18 years. He has worked with players from around the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Many of the players he has worked with have gone on to have professional careers in hockey. Coach Caban is an expert in skating and has spent countless hours analyzing skating technique, which has helped him quickly hone in on the specific skills players need to skate their best. He also has expertise in both offensive and defensive skills, including puck skills, shooting, deception, and more, which helps him provide effective training to hockey players regardless of their needs. An expert in the field of youth coaching, Coach Caban is world-renowned for using his expertise to help young hockey players reach their fullest potential.

Coach Chris Martin is a Strength and Conditioning Professional with 18 years of experience across professional and private sectors. His approach emphasizes character development and personal growth alongside performance enhancement.

Previously, Chris served as a Senior Performance and Strength Coach at Sanford Sports, working closely with REP1 (a sports management agency for NFL, NBA, and MLB athletes). He played a key role in transitioning athletes from physical therapy back to performance training. He was also responsible for their middle school and high school athletes.

Before Sanford, Chris spent five years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Anaheim Ducks organization, overseeing performance for NHL and AHL teams, with daily collaboration across medical, coaching, and management teams.

Chris also operated his own private strength and conditioning business for over a decade, serving youth, professional, Olympic, and general fitness athletes.

He holds a BS in Kinesiology from Arizona State (2005) and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys golf and spending time with his wife Cara and their two sons, Jacob (10) and Briggs (3).

Caitlin Schrijver began her dance training in Southern California at the age of five, specializing in ballet. She trained at Pacific Ballet Conservatory and performed in Pacific Theatre Ballet’s productions of “The Nutcracker,” dancing main roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Dewdrop. She was a dedicated member of the Aliso Niguel High School dance team from 2010 to 2013 and began her teaching career in 2013, working with various dance studios in Orange County and Utah.

From 2014 to 2020, Coach Schrijver performed professionally as a parade performer with the Walt Disney Company, appearing in beloved Disneyland parades like Mickey’s Soundsational Parade and the Paint the Night Electrical Parade.

Coach Schrijver attended Saddleback College, where she was part of both the cheerleading squad and the dance program from 2013 to 2015, and then continued her education at Utah Valley University on a tuition scholarship. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, with an emphasis on ballet. During her time at UVU, she was a member of the Repertory Ballet Ensemble, guest performed with Repertory Dance Theatre, and attended the American College Dance Association.

From 2018 to 2020, she coached the middle and high school dance team at Saddleback Valley Christian Schools. Since 2020, she has taught physical education and dance at Fairmont SJC. Coach Schrijver has also been teaching various dance styles at Pacific Ballet Conservatory since 2019 and has coached the Aliso Niguel High School dance team since 2021.

Passionate about both dance and wellness, Coach Schrijver believes that a dance teacher not only teaches dance steps but also imparts valuable life lessons along the way. She is dedicated to nurturing her students’ love of dance and helping them grow as both artists and individuals.

Brian Brennan, owner of BUILD Basketball, Player Development Coach at Orange Coast College, and Lead Basketball Coach at Fairmont San Juan Capistrano, brings over 25 years of coaching and player development experience, working with athletes locally and globally across the men’s and women’s game, including McDonald’s All-Americans, collegiate standouts, and professionals. His career includes three State Finals appearances and two back-to-back State Championships at Orange Coast College, as well as serving as a Player Development Coach at Mater Dei Basketball, contributing to back-to-back CIF Open Division State Championships. In 2023, Coach Brennan was recognized as the Men’s Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and continues to consult for numerous NCAA programs across the nation. 

Known for a development-first approach built on fundamentals, decision-making, and conceptual understanding, he teaches players how to compete, communicate, and think the game at a high level through a proven progression of mechanics → habits → performance. His training environment blends elite standards with genuine support, helping athletes develop confidence, clarity, and long-term growth. At Fairmont SJC, Coach Brennan provides daily on-court instruction grounded in long-term athlete development, offering methods that have produced championship teams and high-performing individual players while guiding young athletes toward becoming complete players and complete young women. His experience, professionalism, and championship-level results have made him one of the most respected player developers in Orange County and a trusted resource for athletes worldwide.

"Warrior Up! 5 Pillars - Humility, Passion, Unity, Servanthood, Thankfulness"

With over 20 years of experience in player development, I’ve had the privilege of training athletes at every level - from grade school beginners to collegiate and professional players. For the past 15 years, I’ve dedicated myself to coaching, sharing my passion for the game, and helping athletes reach their full potential both on and off the court.

My basketball journey began at age 10 and continued through college, where I developed not only my skills as a player but also a deep understanding of the game’s strategy, discipline, and mental side. That foundation has shaped my approach as a coach - focusing on fundamentals, basketball IQ, and personal growth.

Today, I’m committed to developing well-rounded athletes who play with confidence, compete with integrity, and carry the lessons of the game into all areas of life.

Born and raised in Cerritos, California, Coach De Leon began playing tennis at age 4. He went on to become a top-10-ranked junior sectionally and nationally, NCAA Division I college player at Pepperdine University, and also had a brief professional career on the ITF/ATP circuit. He holds certifications as an ITF (International Tennis Federation) High Performance Level III Certified Coach, the highest accreditation level, and a PTR (Professional Tennis Registry) Level III Performance Specialist Certification. 
 
Coach De Leon has been coaching since 1999 and has developed many Southern California juniors into NCAA Division I-III players. He has made it his life’s mission to continue this work as a coach, providing pathways into college universities and/or career management on the professional tour. One of his most proud accomplishments as a professional coach was in the Philippines, where he worked as a private national coach for Philippine Tennis Academy, a non-profit organization for underprivileged but highly talented student-athletes. The academy produces the best talent in the country, including the Davis Cup and Fed Cup National Team and Jr. Davis Cup and Fed Cup National Teams. These players competed at the highest levels throughout Asia and became scholar-athletes for Division I US colleges.

As a coach, he works with individuals of all ages and levels, including private settings and small- and large-group clinics. He considers his teaching style holistic, emphasizing the mind, body, and spirit of the sport. He is inspired to continue growing the sport he loves by creating a lifestyle for the community that enjoys the process of reaching one's full potential as an athlete, performer, and person - on and off the tennis court.