Coaching Staff

Coach Trella has been coaching at Maine West since 2019.  He feels privileged in the highest regard to be a part of the team that started his competitive swim career where he swam under Coach Ryan Claus and Coach John Carle. He was proud to represent Maine West High School at the State Meet in 2004. 

Following his high school career, Coach Trella attended Carthage College in Kenosha Wisconsin, where he competed on their swim team. He was honored to be given the role of captain his senior year, and to earn academic all conference honors. 

Coach Trella is currently a resident of Des Plaines, and a Physical Education Teacher at Maine West High School. When he is not at his favorite school, Coach Trella enjoys spending time with his beautiful family.

Coach Tuntland has been coaching at Maine West since 2007.  He is a proud NISCA member as well as ASCA Level 3 Coach He is very honored and excited to be a part of this program which is rich in history and tradition especially given it is his alma matar.  Since the start, he has coached the boys diving program, spending four of those years, as the Boys Head Coach.  He has also coaches the girls program at West. 

During his tenure at West, athletes have broken numerous school records, earned numerous All-Conference honors, All-State selections, as well as appearances at the IHSA State Meet and State Finals for both swimming and diving.  This also includes two athletes making Top 12 finalist appearances in the IHSA State Finals.  Several athletes have also qualifed for the NISCA Academic All-American Award, a national recognition program recognizing athletes who maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher throughout career.  

Prior to his commitments at Maine West, he spent 5 years as Head Coach for the Des Plaines Park District Ducks Swim Team along with 2 years coaching diving at Olympia High School in Stanford, IL. Tuntland also has vast experience directing a former age-group/senior swim program, the River Racers, for over 10 years. 

As a native of Des Plaines, he dove and swam for Maine West, class of 2001, under the tutilage of John Carle and Ryan Claus. He was selected co-captain of the team his Senior year.  He graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in Middle Level Education.  He taught middle school for 15 years and now currently serves as the Des Plaines Park District's pool mechanic, taking care of the district's four aquatic facilities.  Away from the pool, he is not far from some type of water. For fun he can be found wakeboarding or checking out some shipwrecks in Lake Michigan or cave diving in the springs of Florida. Back on dry land, he trades liquid water for frozen water, as he is also an avid ice-hockey player. 

Coach Tuntland says he never wants an athlete to regret not trying something, which is why he wants EVERY kid to have the opportunity to learn life-long love for the sport and compete.