COACHING STAFF
World-class coaches. Seattle-based.
Head Coach & Founder
Ilich Marcano
Coach Ilich Marcano is the head coach and cornerstone of Alpha Diving Club, widely recognized as one of Venezuela's premier aquatics coaching exports. With over 25 years of experience, his career includes a 5th-place finish at the 2005 World Championship in Montreal, a standout performance at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, and multiple medals at Diving Grand Prix events. His leadership has paved the way for athletes to compete at the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016. At Alpha, Coach Ilich's visionary guidance and commitment to excellence set the standard for the entire team. He is renowned for transforming novice divers into elite competitors, instilling a championship mindset and positive attitude in every athlete.
- —25+ years coaching experience
- —5th place — 2005 World Championship, Montreal
- —2010 Youth Olympic Games coach
- —Multiple Diving Grand Prix medals
- —Olympic Games 2012 & 2016 — athlete development
Assistant Coach
Gerson Martinez
Gerson Martinez is a distinguished diving coach with a remarkable 30-year career. Since moving to the United States in 2016, he has contributed to elite programs including Alpha Diving Club and RIPFEST Diving Academy, where he worked alongside Olympic coach John Wingfield developing athletes who qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials. His coaching journey began in 1992 following a successful diving career in Venezuela. As National Technical Director of High Performance and Head Coach of the Venezuelan National Team, he guided the team through the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games, and 2012 London Olympics. He also served on the Technical Commission of CONSANAT from 2010 to 2018.
- —30 years coaching experience
- —Venezuelan National Team Head Coach
- —2008 Beijing, 2010 Singapore, 2012 London Olympics
- —National Technical Director of High Performance
- —CONSANAT Technical Commission 2010–2018
Assistant Coach
Daniel Marcano
Daniel Marcano brings a fresh mix of energy, passion, and expertise to Alpha Diving Club. His natural ability to connect with athletes makes his coaching style both fun and inspiring — blending humor with dedication to help athletes reach their full potential. Diving runs in Daniel's blood: the son of Coach Ilich, he grew up surrounded by champion divers and Olympic dreams. Beyond his work with Alpha, Daniel has coached high school divers, giving him a broad perspective on athlete development at every level.
- —Son of head coach Ilich Marcano
- —High school diving coach experience
- —Athlete development specialist
- —Grew up in competitive diving environment
55+ combined years of coaching experience spanning three Olympic Games, World Championships, and national team programs across two continents.