Coaches - Updates Coming
Sean Shoptaw - Varsity Head Coach
This is Coach Shoptaw’s eleventh season coaching the Varsity at Mira Costa. Sean is excited to continue to lead this historic program and looks to keep building on its legacy. In the early ‘90’s, Sean played four seasons for the Mustangs, his last three on the Varsity, a devastating left-handed outside hitter on three Ocean League championship teams and two CIF semi-finalist teams. He was a two-time all-Ocean League honoree, team captain and most valuable player. Sean played collegiate ball at Ohio State, Loyola-Marymount and Cal-Berkeley respectively, from the latter of which he graduated with a degree in Political Science. He has spent most of his professional career working in the digital media industry and is currently an executive at The Walt Disney Company. In his ten seasons as the Varsity coach, Coach Shoptaw has led the Mustangs to a 285-35 match record, four CIF Southern Section finals appearances (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), two CIF Southern Section titles (2008, 2012), including the epic “own 0-2” victory over Newport Harbor in the ’08 final, two Southern California Regional State titles (2010, 2012), three CIF semi-finals (2009, 2013, 2015), one CIF quarter-final (2011), twelve tournament wins and eight Bay League titles. Sean is very proud of the above mentioned on-court success, but is equally motivated to see our boys succeed in the classroom and as people beyond their time at Mira Costa. Coach Shoptaw brings consummate knowledge, enthusiasm, and an intense, burning desire to win to the program he loves so dearly.
This is Coach Shoptaw’s eleventh season coaching the Varsity at Mira Costa. Sean is excited to continue to lead this historic program and looks to keep building on its legacy. In the early ‘90’s, Sean played four seasons for the Mustangs, his last three on the Varsity, a devastating left-handed outside hitter on three Ocean League championship teams and two CIF semi-finalist teams. He was a two-time all-Ocean League honoree, team captain and most valuable player. Sean played collegiate ball at Ohio State, Loyola-Marymount and Cal-Berkeley respectively, from the latter of which he graduated with a degree in Political Science. He has spent most of his professional career working in the digital media industry and is currently an executive at The Walt Disney Company. In his ten seasons as the Varsity coach, Coach Shoptaw has led the Mustangs to a 285-35 match record, four CIF Southern Section finals appearances (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), two CIF Southern Section titles (2008, 2012), including the epic “own 0-2” victory over Newport Harbor in the ’08 final, two Southern California Regional State titles (2010, 2012), three CIF semi-finals (2009, 2013, 2015), one CIF quarter-final (2011), twelve tournament wins and eight Bay League titles. Sean is very proud of the above mentioned on-court success, but is equally motivated to see our boys succeed in the classroom and as people beyond their time at Mira Costa. Coach Shoptaw brings consummate knowledge, enthusiasm, and an intense, burning desire to win to the program he loves so dearly.
Mike Longacre - Varsity Coach
2017 marks Coach Longacre’s seventh season as a varsity coach at MCHS. The first two seasons were marked by a CIF Southern Section and CIF Southern California Regional championship in 2012 and a CIF Southern Section Semifinal finish in 2013. Mike played four seasons for the Mustangs from 1984 – 1987, the final two on varsity. He was a setter on the CIF runner-up 1987 team that featured three future Olympians (Eric Fonoimoana - Gold Medal-Beach Volleyball, 2000 Sydney Olympics; Bryan Ivie - Bronze Medal-Indoor Volleyball, 1992 Barcelona Olympics; Cark Henkel - 5th Place-Beach Volleyball, 1996 Atlanta Olympics). He then was a four year starter as a setter and outside hitter at Loyola Marymount University and later earned a bronze medal as part of the North team in the 1991 Olympic Festival. He stayed on as an assistant coach at LMU from 1991 – 1993 first under head coach Mike Normand and then Rick McLaughlin. He was also active in coaching local club volleyball teams from the late 80’s through the mid-late 90’s and coached several MCHS alums during that time. Mike has worked in various areas of the commercial finance industry for the last twenty years but has never been far from Mira Costa volleyball. In the few years prior to officially joining the MCHS coaching staff, he helped the program with the advance scouting of playoff opponents. The tradition that surrounds the Mira Costa volleyball program demands that the bar each and every year is set at the highest levels for the sport. With a lot of players returning from last year's varsity team who were in the starting lineup at various points last season, expectations for this year, as always, will continue to be second to none. Mike is excited to see this team develop into its full potential. He is also excited to rejoin Head Coach Sean Shoptaw, Coach Josh Riley, JV Coach Mike Cook, Frosh/Soph Coach Greg Snyder, Athletic Trainer Tim Cooper and all of the great parents and alumni who are collectively instrumental in carrying on the tradition of our great program in pursuit of another CIF championship. Mike lives in the South Bay with his wife, Lynda, and their two children.
2017 marks Coach Longacre’s seventh season as a varsity coach at MCHS. The first two seasons were marked by a CIF Southern Section and CIF Southern California Regional championship in 2012 and a CIF Southern Section Semifinal finish in 2013. Mike played four seasons for the Mustangs from 1984 – 1987, the final two on varsity. He was a setter on the CIF runner-up 1987 team that featured three future Olympians (Eric Fonoimoana - Gold Medal-Beach Volleyball, 2000 Sydney Olympics; Bryan Ivie - Bronze Medal-Indoor Volleyball, 1992 Barcelona Olympics; Cark Henkel - 5th Place-Beach Volleyball, 1996 Atlanta Olympics). He then was a four year starter as a setter and outside hitter at Loyola Marymount University and later earned a bronze medal as part of the North team in the 1991 Olympic Festival. He stayed on as an assistant coach at LMU from 1991 – 1993 first under head coach Mike Normand and then Rick McLaughlin. He was also active in coaching local club volleyball teams from the late 80’s through the mid-late 90’s and coached several MCHS alums during that time. Mike has worked in various areas of the commercial finance industry for the last twenty years but has never been far from Mira Costa volleyball. In the few years prior to officially joining the MCHS coaching staff, he helped the program with the advance scouting of playoff opponents. The tradition that surrounds the Mira Costa volleyball program demands that the bar each and every year is set at the highest levels for the sport. With a lot of players returning from last year's varsity team who were in the starting lineup at various points last season, expectations for this year, as always, will continue to be second to none. Mike is excited to see this team develop into its full potential. He is also excited to rejoin Head Coach Sean Shoptaw, Coach Josh Riley, JV Coach Mike Cook, Frosh/Soph Coach Greg Snyder, Athletic Trainer Tim Cooper and all of the great parents and alumni who are collectively instrumental in carrying on the tradition of our great program in pursuit of another CIF championship. Mike lives in the South Bay with his wife, Lynda, and their two children.
Josh Riley- Varsity Coach
This is Coach Riley’s second season as a Varsity coach at Mira Costa. Josh graduated from Costa in 2007 after a dominant career as a 1st team all-CIF middle blocker, leading the 2007 team to a 33-2 record and a 2nd place finish in CIF (we lost game 5, 15-13 and yes it still hurts). Josh went on to a very successful career at Long Beach St., starting for three years as an outside hitter, earning multiple conference player of the week awards along the way. After his college career Josh went on to play professionally in Sweden where he was the offensive player of the year for his league. For the last couple of years he has been a successful club coach for 949 and now we are very glad to bring him back home as a Varsity coach at Costa, his mom and Coach Shoptaw are equally excited.
This is Coach Riley’s second season as a Varsity coach at Mira Costa. Josh graduated from Costa in 2007 after a dominant career as a 1st team all-CIF middle blocker, leading the 2007 team to a 33-2 record and a 2nd place finish in CIF (we lost game 5, 15-13 and yes it still hurts). Josh went on to a very successful career at Long Beach St., starting for three years as an outside hitter, earning multiple conference player of the week awards along the way. After his college career Josh went on to play professionally in Sweden where he was the offensive player of the year for his league. For the last couple of years he has been a successful club coach for 949 and now we are very glad to bring him back home as a Varsity coach at Costa, his mom and Coach Shoptaw are equally excited.
Mike Cook - Junior Varsity Coach
Coach Cook retired from the rigors of head coaching the varsity, in addition to organizing the entire volleyball program, after the 2008 season. But he has stayed on coaching the junior varsity and assisting as asked at the varsity practices. So the paterfamilias, for the thirty-fifth season is again a fixture in Fisher Gymnasium with six rings on his fingers, twenty-five varsity league championships under his belt, and a 627-93 varsity match record at Mira Costa.
Coach Cook has countless treasured memories of his twenty-nine year stint as head varsity coach. Of course, CIF Championships are always the most special, each unique to Coach’s heart:
1984 – the first one: 22-0, rallying back in the finals from a 1-2 games deficit;
1990 – an undefeated (22-0) juggernaut that lost only two games in its entire match and tournament play, a team deemed by almost all volleyball pundits to be the best high school squad ever;
1996 – this 23-0 crew swept Capistrano Valley in the finals allowing only 16 points in the three games – a CIF record that still stands;
2001-2002 – back-to-back CIF Champions, the first time in school history, combining for a 57-1 match record.
2008 – THE COMEBACK: never has a team rallied from a 0-2 deficit to win a Division I CIF Championship.
Also treasured, this during Coach Cook’s junior varsity tenure, is the 101 match winning streak compiled from the 2009 through the beginning of the 2012 seasons, which includes nine tournament championships.
High school boys’ volleyball was founded as a club program in the spring of 1972. Coach Cook was one of the pioneer coaches (at that time employed by Serra High School in nearby Gardena) and is the only one active today. After that initial twelve team club league in ’72, the club program expanded to about 35 teams in ’73; then, so many new programs came aboard in ’74 that the CIF picked up the sport for that spring and organized leagues and playoffs from that year forward.
Prior to coaching at Mira Costa, Mike coached at the aforementioned Serra High where he developed a reputation for building strong teams without the benefit of beach talent, while winning four consecutive Camino Real League championships from 1974-77. Coach Cook has a master’s degree in English from USC, his teaching credential from Loyola-Marymount, and, though retired, still teaches two classes of Latin at Mira Costa which include four different levels (courses) from beginners to translators of Vergil.
Coach Cook is dedicated this spring to once again mentoring the junior varsity—physically, mentally, and morally—into varsity champions for 2015-2016. These players are most fortunate to be associated with one of the legends of high school coaching, the only volleyball coach thus far to be inducted into the prestigious California Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2005).
Coach Cook retired from the rigors of head coaching the varsity, in addition to organizing the entire volleyball program, after the 2008 season. But he has stayed on coaching the junior varsity and assisting as asked at the varsity practices. So the paterfamilias, for the thirty-fifth season is again a fixture in Fisher Gymnasium with six rings on his fingers, twenty-five varsity league championships under his belt, and a 627-93 varsity match record at Mira Costa.
Coach Cook has countless treasured memories of his twenty-nine year stint as head varsity coach. Of course, CIF Championships are always the most special, each unique to Coach’s heart:
1984 – the first one: 22-0, rallying back in the finals from a 1-2 games deficit;
1990 – an undefeated (22-0) juggernaut that lost only two games in its entire match and tournament play, a team deemed by almost all volleyball pundits to be the best high school squad ever;
1996 – this 23-0 crew swept Capistrano Valley in the finals allowing only 16 points in the three games – a CIF record that still stands;
2001-2002 – back-to-back CIF Champions, the first time in school history, combining for a 57-1 match record.
2008 – THE COMEBACK: never has a team rallied from a 0-2 deficit to win a Division I CIF Championship.
Also treasured, this during Coach Cook’s junior varsity tenure, is the 101 match winning streak compiled from the 2009 through the beginning of the 2012 seasons, which includes nine tournament championships.
High school boys’ volleyball was founded as a club program in the spring of 1972. Coach Cook was one of the pioneer coaches (at that time employed by Serra High School in nearby Gardena) and is the only one active today. After that initial twelve team club league in ’72, the club program expanded to about 35 teams in ’73; then, so many new programs came aboard in ’74 that the CIF picked up the sport for that spring and organized leagues and playoffs from that year forward.
Prior to coaching at Mira Costa, Mike coached at the aforementioned Serra High where he developed a reputation for building strong teams without the benefit of beach talent, while winning four consecutive Camino Real League championships from 1974-77. Coach Cook has a master’s degree in English from USC, his teaching credential from Loyola-Marymount, and, though retired, still teaches two classes of Latin at Mira Costa which include four different levels (courses) from beginners to translators of Vergil.
Coach Cook is dedicated this spring to once again mentoring the junior varsity—physically, mentally, and morally—into varsity champions for 2015-2016. These players are most fortunate to be associated with one of the legends of high school coaching, the only volleyball coach thus far to be inducted into the prestigious California Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2005).
Jonny Rawson - Varsity and JV Assistant Coach
Jonny Rawson is a 2011 Mira Costa graduate who played volleyball at the University of Hawaii, where he graduated in 2015. This is Jonny’s first year coaching at Mira Costa, he will be assisting both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams. Jonny is also a club coach for the Manhattan Beach Surf Volleyball Club. Prior to returning home to coach at Costa he coached for four years in Hawaii as a coach and private trainer. After being an assistant in 2013 for Brian Beckwith, Jonny became Saint Louis High School’s Division 1 head coach. He became the youngest head coach in the state. He led Saint Louis to their best season in school history in 2014 with 16 wins and their first ever Division-1 semi-finals appearance. He was a 2014 Interscholastic League of Hawaii (ILH) “Coach of the Year” finalist. He also coached club volleyball for Hawaii Elite Volleyball Club 18’s with former All-American Tony Ching. From 2013-2014 he was a coach, private trainer, and clinic leader for indoor and beach volleyball for former All-American and Olympian Kevin Wong’s volleyball club: “Spike and Serve.” For two years as a private trainer and head coach he helped train three “All-State” selections. Jonny spent two years coaching women’s volleyball at Sacred Hearts Academy High School from 2013-2014. Jonny currently works for Transamerica Financial Advisors as a licensed financial advisor and associate in wealth management. He is beyond excited to return home to his alma mater and coach alongside two legends who helped him along the way: Coach Shoptaw and Cooker.
Jonny Rawson is a 2011 Mira Costa graduate who played volleyball at the University of Hawaii, where he graduated in 2015. This is Jonny’s first year coaching at Mira Costa, he will be assisting both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams. Jonny is also a club coach for the Manhattan Beach Surf Volleyball Club. Prior to returning home to coach at Costa he coached for four years in Hawaii as a coach and private trainer. After being an assistant in 2013 for Brian Beckwith, Jonny became Saint Louis High School’s Division 1 head coach. He became the youngest head coach in the state. He led Saint Louis to their best season in school history in 2014 with 16 wins and their first ever Division-1 semi-finals appearance. He was a 2014 Interscholastic League of Hawaii (ILH) “Coach of the Year” finalist. He also coached club volleyball for Hawaii Elite Volleyball Club 18’s with former All-American Tony Ching. From 2013-2014 he was a coach, private trainer, and clinic leader for indoor and beach volleyball for former All-American and Olympian Kevin Wong’s volleyball club: “Spike and Serve.” For two years as a private trainer and head coach he helped train three “All-State” selections. Jonny spent two years coaching women’s volleyball at Sacred Hearts Academy High School from 2013-2014. Jonny currently works for Transamerica Financial Advisors as a licensed financial advisor and associate in wealth management. He is beyond excited to return home to his alma mater and coach alongside two legends who helped him along the way: Coach Shoptaw and Cooker.
Greg Snyder - Frosh/Soph Coach
This is Greg's third year coaching the Frosh/Soph team. Last year, Coach Snyder led the Frosh-Soph team to the League Championship. As a student at Costa in the early 90's, he was a standout volleyball and soccer player. Coach Snyder was a starting outside hitter on the 1993 CIF semi-finalist squad coached by Mike Cook and included Varsity head coach Sean Shoptaw. With strong fundamentals and stellar defense Coach Snyder was also one of the few rated beach players in the 1993 class.Turning down offers from smaller east coast schools, Coach Snyder attended LMU where he played Division I soccer and coached summer camps. With his degree, Coach Snyder became an award winning graphic designer/animator and Art Director for television networks with clients such as FX, CBS, ABC, HBO, and ABC Family. Coach Snyder still plays beach ball and lives in Hermosa Beach with his wife and son.
This is Greg's third year coaching the Frosh/Soph team. Last year, Coach Snyder led the Frosh-Soph team to the League Championship. As a student at Costa in the early 90's, he was a standout volleyball and soccer player. Coach Snyder was a starting outside hitter on the 1993 CIF semi-finalist squad coached by Mike Cook and included Varsity head coach Sean Shoptaw. With strong fundamentals and stellar defense Coach Snyder was also one of the few rated beach players in the 1993 class.Turning down offers from smaller east coast schools, Coach Snyder attended LMU where he played Division I soccer and coached summer camps. With his degree, Coach Snyder became an award winning graphic designer/animator and Art Director for television networks with clients such as FX, CBS, ABC, HBO, and ABC Family. Coach Snyder still plays beach ball and lives in Hermosa Beach with his wife and son.
