Beach Cities Swimming and Alpha Aquatics in Southern California have announced a merger, with the teams planning to compete as a united team in September under the name Beach Cities Alpha.
Justin Max, the current head coach of Beach Cities, will take over as the head coach of the combined program, while Scott Hubbard from Alpha Aquatics will be the Associate Head Coach & North Site Director.
The clubs cited the fragmentation in the South Bay area of Los Angeles as part of “inefficiencies and missed opportunities” for local clubs.
The merged entity will maintain their same practice locations, but add “opportunity for combined workouts.” The reorganization will focus on keeping younger age groups and lesson swimmers closer to home, while offering combined practices for elite groups.
No change in member dues is expected because of the merger. Both clubs are non-profits.
Alpha Aquatics practices out of the pool at Loyola Marymount University, Hawthorne High School, and the El Segundo Wiseburn Aquatics Center in the area just south of Santa Monica.
Beach Cities also practices out of the El Segundo/Wiseburn USD Aquatic Center, and also uses pools in Redondo Beach and Torrance, California, generally reaching south from Alpha Aquatics.
Among the facilities benefits cited includes giving Beach Cities Swimming more access to long course swimming at Loyola Marymount every morning, and Beach Cities securing an indoor location in El Camino.
Beach Cities is the larger of the two clubs with about 350 swimmers, while Alpha Aquatics has about 200. Gabi Brito and Isabella Brito, two of the best junior sprinters in the United States, both train with Beach Cities Swimming.
Beach Cities was a USA Swimming Silver Medal Club in 2024-2025, and Alpha Aquatics was a bronze medal winning club. Both teams have produced a pile of NCAA Division I swimmers, including 2025 Big West double breaststroke champion Evan Yoo of Cal Poly, who swam at both clubs throughout his development.
Former Stanford All-American Alex Crisera is another notable alum from Beach Cities.
The move is part of a larger trend nationally over the last decade for teams to merge into larger entities with more resources and leverage for negotiations on things like pool space, plus the opportunity to amalgamate larger groups of top swimmers for enhanced training and competition outcomes.
Letter announcing the merger:
On behalf of the Coaches and the Boards of Beach Cities Swimming and Alpha Aquatics, we are very excited to announce the merger of these premier swim clubs into one entity, “Beach Cities Alpha”.
For too long, club swimming in the South Bay has been fragmented, creating inefficiencies and missed opportunities. This merger offers a synergy which will help us to work with versus compete against one another. We look forward to combining talent, maximizing pool resources, and providing a unified, best-in-class swim experience for every level — from beginners to Olympic hopefuls.
The South Bay is a water-centric hub — from surfing and water polo to junior lifeguards. LA’s swim clubs have historically operated in isolation. By joining forces, Beach Cities Swimming and Alpha Aquatics offer a true regional powerhouse swim team.
The coaches and board members of both of these clubs agree: this merger brings together combined resources (water time and coaching talent) to deliver unmatched opportunities for South Bay swimmers and their families. Our united club will provide best-in-class programming for all swimmers—from developmental to elite.
Logistically, the merger enhances flexibility and convenience for families across the South Bay with a range of pool offerings across a broader geography.
By operating as one team under Beach Cities Alpha (BC𝜶), we create a more inclusive, competitive, and sustainable environment. We look forward to providing more detailed information in the coming weeks and months as we move toward this merger.
Together, we are investing in a future of excellence, driven by shared values and a commitment to our athletes.
See you on deck,
Justin Max
Head Coach
Beach Cities SwimmingScott Hubbard
Head Coach
Alpha Aquatics
Is Evan Yoo still training with these teams with cal poly cut now? Would love for my son to learn/train with him
I agree with what John Morse said. Consolidation of clubs is a good thing in most cases.
Beach cities alpha is a terrible name btw they gotta workshop that.
Alpha aquatics is so tuff
First Crow and PLS and now this.
West coast super teams.
Watch out! Big things to come. Go Beach Cities Alpha!
Great move!
Wish more clubs teams in this state went this route
That is what USAS rewards per the Club Excellence program. Lots of mediocre mega clubs hitting bronze and silver while some small town clubs who produce year after year get little recognition and struggle to get beyond bronze because of size.
USA swimming loves volume-more people=more money
Wow. What a huge merger for the Pacific Committee! Can we please see Gabby Rose and Gabi Brito on the same relay one day?