How can I donate to the pool renovation? 

• To contribute online, please click here or visit The Bill Brown Aquatics Capital Improvement Campaign at: matsfund.org/donate 

• To contribute with a check, please mail to: 

Miramonte Booster Club

Attn: Aquatics Campaign

PO Box 1961 

Orinda, CA 94563

 

 

Is my donation tax deductible? 

• Yes (EIN: 94-2768877) 

 

Is my donation automatically earmarked for the upcoming Miramonte Aquatics Center renovation?    

• Yes. All funds raised through the Bill Brown Aquatics Center Capital Improvement Campaign/Mats Fund will be applied to aquatics facilities construction/improvements only. 

 

Can my donation be matched?

• If you have corporate matching through your employer, please contact Boosters’ Club President, Lee O’Haver (lohaver@gmail.com) for further instructions. 

 

What is The Mats Fund?

• The Mats Fund is the Miramonte Boosters Club’s new fundraising platform to support donations for upgrading Miramonte Athletic facilities. The Bill Brown Aquatic Center Capital Improvement Campaign is the first fundraising initiative of the Mats Fund. 

 

How old is the Miramonte pool? 

• Miramonte High School was established in the fall of 1955. The Class of 1959 sold See’s Candies to help raise money to build a pool, which opened in 1960. Miramonte has since become a highly regarded school, recognized for both its academic achievements and athletic successes. 

 

Why is Miramonte’s pool so special?

Miramonte is proud of its long history of strong Aquatics programming. “2025 marks the 65th anniversary of Miramonte swimming. We’ve been fortunate that our ability to foster growth minded teams and deliver incredible results in all aquatic sports has been consistent and supersedes our tired facility. Investing in our aquatic center will inspire Mats athletes and positively impact our teams’ success. It will be very exciting to compete in a facility that reflects our exceptional school pride, and even more so knowing that it was built with the support of our community.” -Trevor Rose, Miramonte Swim & Dive Head Coach

 

The Miramonte High School pool facility, known as The Bill Brown Aquatic Center, hosts a variety of activities year round including Miramonte’s Physical Education swim classes (serving all first year students), the Mats Swim Team, the Mats Water Polo teams, and many community partner events including recreational swim team and club water polo practices and competitions.

Miramonte High School Aquatics is proud to have nurtured ten Olympic Athletes in Swimming and Water Polo. Mats Water Polo is honored to be considered one of the most successful high school programs in Northern California. 

 

In 2002, the Miramonte High School pool facility was named to honor Coach Bill Brown for his dedication to Miramonte students and the Orinda community. Brown developed the men's and women’s Water Polo programs at Miramonte, where he began his career teaching in 1965. Coach Brown is a man of incredible character and his successes are numerous, including coaching 6 USA Olympians and 90+ High School All-Americans. He continues to coach young athletes at Miramonte, in club water polo programs.

 

Miramonte Alumni Heather Petri, is one of the most decorated female water polo players in the world. She played on the first womens’ Water Polo team at Miramonte. She is one of two female athletes who won four Olympic medals in water polo: silver in 2000 and 2008, bronze in 2004, and gold in 2012. Petri is the Assistant Coach of Cal’s Women's Water Polo team. Most recently, Miramonte was thrilled to celebrate alumni Drew Holland, who competed in the Paris Olympic Games on the USA Men's National Team, winning the bronze medal. 

 

Why is this the right time to renovate Miramonte's Bill Brown Aquatics Center? 

AUHSD pool maintenance and improvement is planned years in advance. In 2024, the AUHSD Board of Education approved a capital improvement budget to update the Miramonte High School pool facility, known as The Bill Brown Aquatic Center. The Miramonte pool remodel has Design Scope Approval in place and the contractor will be selected in the fall of 2025. 

 

"The Acalanes Union High School District is fully committed to upgrading the Miramonte pool and aquatics facility. Replacing the deck, refurbishing the pool shell, and making the locker rooms and bathrooms ADA-compliant are top priorities, and we are looking forward to these much-needed improvements. The school district plans to start this project in the Fall of 2026, at the close of the water polo season." -Nick Carpenter, AUHSD Associate Superintendent, Business Services

 

The Miramonte’s Boosters’ Club is fundraising to expand the scope of the Miramonte pool renovation to include long awaited enhancements, such as, new starting blocks, new pool lights, and a new scoreboard; all of which will be installed in the new concrete deck surrounding the pool. While construction is in progress, it makes sense to also raise money for new exterior paint for the pool area, new windscreens behind the bleachers and new signage throughout the pool facility. 

 

“I’m excited to be working alongside AUHSD, Boosters’ Club, and our community partners to make this project a great success. Together we’ve moved beyond a planned pool upgrade and reimagined our aquatics center to be a first-class facility for our athletic programs, physical education classes, and community partners. With joint funding in place, we could take advantage of existing district approvals and contracts, do all of the desired construction at once, and minimize the impact on our students, teachers and staff.” -Miramonte Principal Ben Campopiano

 

When will the construction begin? 

• AUHSD plans to start the Miramonte Pool renovation project in the Fall of 2026, at the close of the water polo season.

 

Who manages the Mats Fund? 

• The Miramonte Booster Club, a non-profit organization of parents, alumni, and community members. Boosters’ Club is the critical funding mechanism for Miramonte Athletics; while annual fundraising for Miramonte’s educational programs is led by Orinda Network for Education [ONE] and The Miramonte Parents’ Club. The Miramonte Booster Club and the Miramonte Parents’ Club work in concert with ONE and AUHSD to support the high school overall.

 

Can Boosters reallocate my Aquatics Capital Campaign donation to another Miramonte facility or sports project?

• No 

 

Are there other ways to help the Aquatics Capital Campaign fundraising team?

• Yes, please contact Boosters’ Club President, Lee O’Haver (lohaver@gmail.com) for more information.

 

This year, I already paid an athletic team contribution (e.g. for student's swim and/or water polo participation) and I gave to Boosters Club (annual contribution, fall). Where did my money go? What do sports foundations cover? What does the District pay for?

Individual contribution to a Team - This covers important coaching stipends, the officials, team events, some equipment and more. 

Boosters Club contribution - The "Boosters Membership" funds school-wide needs including salaries for the Athletic Trainer, our websites, some equipment and more. 

Athletic Foundations - If your team has a sport specific non-profit Athletic Foundation, they may cover additional equipment/gear, travel, off-season programming and facility upgrades.      

AUHSD - The District pays for the Athletic Director salary and general facility maintenance. 

 

How will the District and the community share the funding for the Miramonte Pool renovation? 

“The District is fully committed to upgrading the Miramonte pool and aquatics facility. Replacing the deck, refurbishing the pool shell, and making the locker rooms and bathrooms ADA-compliant are top priorities, and we are looking forward to these much-needed improvements.” -Nick Carpenter, AUHSD Associate Superintendent, Business Services

 

The Miramonte’s Boosters’ Club is fundraising to expand the scope of the pool renovation to include long awaited enhancements, such as, new starting blocks, new pool lights, and a new scoreboard; all of which will be installed in the new concrete deck surrounding the pool. While construction is in progress, it makes sense to also raise money for new exterior paint for the pool area, new windscreens behind the bleachers and new signage throughout the pool facility. 

 

Who can I talk to for more information? 

• Please contact Boosters’ Club President, Lee O’Haver (lohaver@gmail.com) with additional questions.