What sports did you play in High School/College? I played badminton and basketball in High School and continue to compete in Badminton Tournaments hosted by different Badminton Clubs.
College(s) attended/major? I currently attend UC Davis majoring in Human Development with a minor in Psychology.
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? I wanted to coach Napa High’s Badminton team specifically because I wanted to give the students opportunities I didn’t have when I played for Napa High. I want to change the image and narrative tied to badminton and how many people don’t see it as a sport. Many fail to see that it is more than a backyard sport and it is as competitive as any other sport depending on the program and the coaches.
What do you love most about coaching? I love seeing the improvement of every athlete in a short amount of time. I look at my team now, and I forget that we’ve only been coaching them for less than a few months. They’ve improved so much that it’s hard to believe that those improvements were achieved in 3 months. I also love seeing the development of my players. Luckily for us, the current badminton team are mainly 9th and 10th graders. They have so much time to get better.
Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? I am a really big Warriors fan!
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? When I was younger, I fell out of a moving van because I didn't close the door properly (the van wasn’t going fast haha, they were just pulling out of a parking spot.)
What sports did you play in High School/College? Baseball
College(s) attended/major? Napa Valley College, University of Redlands, UC Davis (Majored in English)
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? I want to specialize in the “student athlete” and have built my career around this concept. Being able to teach advanced English classes during the school day and then work with some of the very same people-- as athletes-- on the diamond at the highest levels of high school baseball is very much my passion.
Our work in the classroom and on the field is based on putting growth first. We are highly competitive and dedicated-- and when we put a laser-focus on growth, relationships, and achievement in both the classroom and the field we can get incredible results as a team and individually. We want our program to function closely and as a group. We want to connect. We want to compete. We want it to be far more than about our sport. We want the opportunity to belong to our program to be meaningful and be something that helps us become the best version of ourselves, all while making our school proud.
What do you love most about coaching? The feeling after a great practice is the best feeling as a coach. We can’t control every detail of game day, but we can control how we prepare for it. Watching a group of young men improve dramatically as a result of a carefully designed and executed practice plan and seeing the confidence their work instills in the group is just a powerful-- and rewarding-- moment for players and coaches.
Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? San Francisco Giants
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? I was part of a small group that was invited to sing the National Anthem at a Giants game. How can you say no to that? So we did it. And it wasn’t pretty. Note: I have absolutely zero musical talent.
Derek Moore is in his third season as head coach of the Napa High cross country team. In that time the program has grown to become the largest in the Vine Valley Athletic League. Derek ran cross country in Oklahoma, where he grew up prior to moving in Napa in 1987. Derek's running accomplishments include finishing the Boston marathon in a personal best of 3:08:23. He is a board member of the Napa Valley Marathon/Half Marathon and a career journalist. He lives in Napa with his wife, December, and their two children, Jack and Claire.
What sports did you play in High School/College? Golf/Basketball
College(s) attended/major? UC Davis - Sociology
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? Learn - Enjoy - Practice before winning
What do you love most about coaching? Sharing my passion/enjoyment of golf in a team atmosphere.
Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? A’s & Warriors
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? (food related, music, superstitions, etc) - I would love to teach Ag/Horticulture classes.
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? To give back to the community and provide positive role model for younger generation.
Teaching a new sport and creating a team culture. Working on developing fundamentals of the game and creating a comfortable environment where athletes can be motivated to learn and communicate with each other.
What do you love most about coaching? Interaction with the athletes and teaching them a new sport. Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? 49er’s
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? I grow the world’s hottest peppers and make fermented hot sauces.
Kian Tavakoli is the head coach of our Swimming and Diving Team (as well as our WaterPolo Team). He went to school at UC Davis and majored in Genetics/Viticulture, while also doing Swimming while there. His philosophy is to instill the importance of the lessons learned during their time in the pool that can be applied to their lives outside of it. He loves motivating his student athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, to dig deep to bring out that extra level of effort and observing the joy they express when all fo their hard work pays off.
What sports did you play in High School/College? Tennis (high school/college), Basketball (high school), Softball (high school/college)
College(s) attended/major? Mount Holyoke College/History
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? As my 82-year-old father and I can attest, tennis is a sport you can play your whole life. My coaching philosophy is based on having fun while establishing solid fundamentals and emphasizing good sportsmanship and conditioning so players can enjoy the game throughout their lives.
What do you love most about coaching? Working with young people and sharing my knowledge and passion for the game with the next generation.
Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, so I'm well acquainted with professional sports-induced misery. That said, hope springs eternal! When it comes to tennis, Roger Federer is mesmerizing for his seemingly effortless strokes and Bianca Andreescu for masterfully outsmarting opponents with her uncommon repertoire of shots. For pure inspiration, I most enjoy watching Diego Schwartzman at 5'7" and Coco Gauff at only 16 years old!
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? A lesser-known fact about me: I play cello, saxophone and accordion, started taking online bluegrass mandolin classes during COVID-induced quarantine and enjoy creating musical parodies. Superstition: Cleveland will never win the World Series until they move on and change their name.
Kian Tavakoli is the head coach of our Waterpolo Team (as well as our Swimming and Diving Team). He went to school at UC Davis and majored in Genetics/Viticulture, while also doing Swimming while there. His philosophy is to instill the importance of the lessons learned during their time in the pool that can be applied to their lives outside of it. He loves motivating his student athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, to dig deep to bring out that extra level of effort and observing the joy they express when all fo their hard work pays off.
What sports did you play in High School/College? High School - Track, Wrestling and Football; College - Wrestling
College(s) attended/major? Santa Rosa Junior College
Why do you coach or brief description of your coaching philosophy? I believe it is an honor and a privilege to be a coach of any sport. In my opinion, a coach is not just someone who teaches you how to play a game or learn a sport. Not to say that every athlete doesn’t deserve the absolute highest quality coaching and instruction, but to me, a coach also means being a mentor, a confidant, a friend, a leader and a positive role model in a young person’s life.
To be given the opportunity to be all of those things to someone, especially these days where so much of this is lacking at home, is truly a gift, one that should be treated with true respect.
My rules and expectations are strict. It is my experience that kids need and respond positively to organization and structure. I am firm, but fair and flexible at the same time.
What do you love most about coaching? The ability to share life changing moments that I know will make a difference in athletes lives.
Who is your favorite professional sports team to watch? NFL . Niners
What is a strange fact that many people do not know about you? The smell of milk makes me want to vomit.
