OL Reign Legend: Kristin Gellert – Bainbridge High School Water Polo Coach and Trailblazer for Women in Sports
The Legends Campaign, a partnership between OL Reign and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to the May 22nd match against the Washington Spirit, OL Reign recognized Kristin Gellert, Bainbridge High School Water Polo Coach and trailblazer for women in sports.
Gellert started playing water polo in the eighth grade and was immediately hooked. She graduated from Bainbridge high school, where she led the water polo team to a state championship her senior year. Following graduation, she attended the University of Hawaii, where she played on the water polo team.
“After college, I moved back to the area and started coaching. I’ve come and gone a little bit, but primarily, Bainbridge has been my home club that I always come back to,” said Gellert.
“I had a fun little stint in Ireland and coached for a team down in Tacoma for 2 years, but I’ve been back with the club for about seven years now. Since I came back, the program has seen so much positive growth. We went from a team that didn’t make it to the state championship to a team that’s winning it.”
Something that sets Gellert apart as a coach, is the way that she interacts with her athletes. She focuses on positive coaching techniques that build trust and respect within the team.
“I talk to the kids with respect and the way I would like to be talked to. I have high standards for them, and they have high standards for themselves. We hold each other accountable, and I think that just building that trust amongst the team is what has helped us to be so successful. They trust me and my process, and I trust them. It’s just a culture of kindness and hard work,” shared Gellert.
“On top of what we do in the pool, I think it’s really important for our youth, especially youth who are growing up in an affluent community, to know the value of giving back. We do community outreach as a program.”
As part of their community outreach efforts, the team has set up blood drives, tended to community gardens and helped out at a senior living home.
“We just try to give back to the community that has shown us so much support. We’re trying to really instill the values of gratitude and thankfulness, because none of us could be here without our community and how much they give to us.”
As a coach, Gellert finds that the drive of her athletes keeps her motivated, especially through adversity. The group navigated through the pandemic together and in that time, not only came up with solutions to return to the sport that they all love but pushed each other to be the best versions of themselves, in and out of the pool.
“We couldn’t play our sport for over a year. Even when the pools reopened, we weren’t allowed to get within six feet of each other in the pool, so we just kept thinking outside the box and kept reworking our entire system to fit within the guidelines and keep things interesting when kids weren’t able to play their actual sport.”
Reflecting on her career as a coach, which began the summer after she graduated high school, Gellert feels honored to be able to give back to the sport and community that she loves and hopes that one day, an athlete that she coaches will feel the same way.
“I had some phenomenal coaches but also some coaches that I don’t coach like because I want things to be different than those experiences. I had great mentors and I hope one day, a kid I’m coaching now will be able to take my spot. That would just be the coolest thing ever.”
A coach at Bainbridge High School, as well as the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program, she has earned top honors and recognition for her work. In the last year, she has doubled the size of the Bainbridge water polo program by creating programs to welcome kids as young as 6.
Gellert has also received many awards, including the Washington State Coach of the Year award for her expert coaching of the boys' water polo team at Bainbridge High School. The team won state in 2021, making her the first female coach to win the championship. She was named the state coach of the tournament for the third time in four years. Gellert has also won the Double-Goal Award from the Positive Coach Alliance and the Olympic Development Program Top Coach award for her work with the Cadet Girls.
“I’m still really proud of winning state as an athlete my senior year. I got defensive MVP that year and it took a lot of drive for years to get us to that point. That was a huge accomplishment, being a leader of that team and seeing that dream fulfilled. I’d also say that winning the state championship as a coach this year was definitely a highlight in my career. It’s amazing when you set that goal and you keep working toward it and then you the kids that are willing to put in the hours working toward it as well.”
As someone who has persevered through many challenges throughout her career, Gellert offered this advice to young women.
“Stand tall and own your space. You deserve to be there. The more women we have owning their space and demanding more, the stronger we are all going to be together.”
She continued, “I also want to add that having children or a family does not mean you have to pause or halt what you are doing. The same goes for going back to school. I have two kids and am just wrapping up my Masters in Sport Psychology and am still able to work toward and accomplish my goals.”
After being recognized as an OL Reign Legend at Lumen Field, Gellert was incredibly honored.
“Having my sport be acknowledged and even just hearing water polo be said on the loudspeaker at Lumen was incredible. It was great to have my two little children there to see their mom being recognized for hard work and dedication. Similarly, it was great for my athletes to see that hard work and the grind is worth it and that they can do it too. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
“I can’t believe that my name is amongst such incredible women who have received this honor before me. I honestly feel like I’m beyond words. I’m so thankful that there are people out there celebrating women. It’s so important for girls and women to see that they can do anything, whether they are the first one to do it or the 21st one to do it.”