Mike Gruszeczki

Mike Gruszeczki began playing water polo for Portage Park. He graduated from Fenwick High School in 1994 where he was a member of 2 Illinois State Championship Swim Teams, 1 Runner-up and 1 Third Place Finish. He was a member of 3 State Championship Water Polo Teams and 1 Runner-up while at Fenwick. In high school, Mike was a member of the United States National Youth Team and competed internationally for Team USA. He also represented the North Zone in the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival. 

Mike coached boy’s water polo at Fenwick High School from 1998 to 2004, starting as an assistant and ending as co-head coach with Dave Perry. While coaching at Fenwick, Mike help guide 5 State Championship teams in 7 years. Mike also coached several club teams at the National Junior Olympics. Mike attended DePaul University College of Law, graduating Cum Laude in 2007. During and after law school, Mike officiated for the IHSA and Collegiate Water Polo Association and called several state tournaments games. He was inducted into the Illinois Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2007.

Since moving to the Beverly area where Mike lives with his wife Nora and their three children, Mike joined CAPC  with Frank Mulcrone, stating, “I share Frank’s vision of giving back to the sport of water polo. Water polo is a great sport and has provided me with lifelong friendships and positive memories. I look forward to continuing to teach the sport of water polo at CAPC.”

Marcus M. Meyer

Coach Meyer started as an age group swimmer for Hinsdale Swim Club and Westmont Swim Club through high school and college. He was introduced to water polo his freshmen year at Fenwick High School where he learned from Hall of Fame Coaches Dave Perry & Jack Wagner. He went on to be a state qualifier in multiple events in swimming, and he won a State Championship in water polo (under Coaches Dave Perry & Mike Gruszeczki).

Coach Meyer then attended the University of Massachusetts as a double varsity athlete in both swimming and water polo. While at UMass, the water polo team had a 3rd & 4th place finish at the D1 NCAA Championships. Coach Meyer finished his collegiate career at Illinois Wesleyan University where he set school records in the 100yrd & 200yrd Breaststroke. 

Coach Meyer returned to his alma mater Fenwick High School in 2004 to coach swimming and water polo. During his tenure, the swim team placed 3rd in state and the water polo team won 5 state championships. At the same time, he coached for the Olympic Development Program, where he was named the Midwest Cadet Head Coach from 2007 to 2013 and Awarded Cadet Top Coach for the East/West Regional in 2011. Coach Meyer also coached Windy City Water Polo Club from 2000 thru 2012,  where he spent the majority of the time as the boys high school head coach.  

In 2019, Coach Meyer returned to coaching at CAPC after taking a break to start a family. His sons Michael (10) and Max (8) are both members of the 10U and 12U teams.