Gwen Ritzau

Few coaches leave behind a legacy as enduring and dominant as Poly swimming coach Gwen Ritzau. Over a remarkable career spanning more than three decades, Gwen established Riverside Poly High as a powerhouse in both girls swimming and girls golf.

Few coaches leave behind a legacy as enduring and dominant as Poly swimming coach Gwen Ritzau. Over a remarkable career spanning more than three decades, Gwen established Riverside Poly High as a powerhouse in both girls swimming and girls golf.

As a 1975 graduate of Poly, Gwen was among the first wave of female athletes to compete in the CIF-Southern Section in swimming. Competing during a time when opportunities for female athletes were scarce and hard-won, Gwen’s swimming prowess led her to San Diego State University, where she continued to excel in competition at the collegiate level. Eventually, she returned to her alma mater to coach, taking the helm of the girls swim program.

From 1984 through 2008, her girls swim teams never lost a single league meet — a staggering 25-year undefeated streak. Under her guidance, the program captured 26 league titles and reached its pinnacle with a CIF-Southern Section championship in 2002 with eight swimmers earning CIF-SS titles during her tenure. As head coach of the girl’s golf team, she led them to five league titles. Until her retirement from coaching in 2013, she served on the CIF-SS Coaches Advisory Committee, lending her experience and voice to help shape the future of high school swimming across Southern California.

Beyond high school athletics, Gwen led the renowned Victoria Club Swim Program, mentoring swimmers of all ages and abilities and also led a grassroots effort in developing and supporting swim programs throughout the City of Riverside. In 2017, she joined the RSHOF Fame Wall of Distinction.

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