Bio

Sophie Sabbah begins her first season as head coach of the College of the Canyons swim & dive program in 2026-27.

Sabbah brings more than 30 years of experience in aquatics and over two decades of excellence in coaching, teaching, and athletic leadership.

Prior to joining College of the Canyons, Sabbah spent 20 years at Venice High School with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she served as a physical education and health teacher, department chair, activities director, and head coach for the swim, dive, and water polo programs. 

During her tenure, she helped resurrect the girls' and boys’ water polo programs within LAUSD after a more than 30-year absence, creating opportunities for hundreds of student-athletes to compete in a growing sport. 

She also served as the LAUSD water polo coordinator, organizing district tournaments and supporting the continued development of aquatic athletics across one of the nation's largest school districts.

Sabbah's coaching career has been defined by developing both successful teams and exceptional young people. She was named the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coach of the Year – West Section in 2009 in recognition of her leadership, commitment to student-athletes, and contributions to high school athletics. 

Throughout her career, she has coached numerous league, city, CIF, and state qualifiers, including Olympian Andrea "Andi" Murez, who went on to compete for Team Israel in three Olympic Games (2016, 2020, 2024) after swimming under Sabbah's guidance at Venice High School.

Most recently, Sabbah served as head coach of the swim & dive program at Canyon High School. She is also the head dive coach for the William S. Hart Union High School District, where she has built a culture centered on accountability, resilience, and personal growth while guiding student-athletes to CIF and state-level competition.

Before entering education, Sabbah dedicated 14 years to the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, advancing from lifeguard to Lieutenant Lifeguard II. In that role, she managed aquatic facilities, supervised and trained lifeguards, coordinated citywide swim programs, developed emergency action plans, and championed water safety initiatives throughout the community.

Sabbah holds a Master of Science in Coaching and Exercise Science from Concordia University Irvine, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University, California teaching credentials in Physical Education and Health Science, and numerous professional certifications, including USA Swimming, Lifeguarding, CPR, First Aid, and AED.

Known for her transformational coaching philosophy, Sabbah believes a coach's greatest responsibility is not simply developing faster swimmers, but developing confident, resilient, and compassionate leaders. Her programs emphasize technical excellence, character, accountability, teamwork, and a lifelong love of the sport.

As head coach of the Canyons swim & dive program, Sabbah is excited to build upon the program's tradition while fostering a culture of excellence in the classroom, in competition, and throughout the campus community. She is passionate about helping student-athletes discover what they can achieve both in and out of the pool.

—Bio current as of July 2026