Coach Mary (McDonough) Giles is looking forward to her 19th year as the women's water polo coach at Ventura College. In her 18 years directing the team, the Pirates have won seven Western State Conference crowns (2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) and she has also been honored as the WSC Coach of the Year for the six times (2001, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011). Giles has a career mark of 297-291-2, good for a .596 winning percentage, and has posted a 65-25 regular season record in WSC play (.722). In the classroom,  Giles' teams have captured four CCCAA State Scholar Team Awards (2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015).  Giles is also the men's and women's swim team head coach and is a full-time health instructor at the College.

Coach Giles was born and raised in Ventura. She attended Buena High School where she was a member of the swim team and played water polo on the boys’ team. While attending Ventura College she was a two-year All-WSC and All-American swimmer, and played on the first women's water polo club team at Ventura College.  She was the swimming MVP her second year before transferring to San Jose State.

While at San Jose, Giles swam for Roseann Benson and played water polo under the coaching of Lou Tully.  She captained the Spartans' water polo team for three years, was a three year Western Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete, a three year SJSU Outstanding Athlete and a 1998 Mountain Pacific Scholar Athlete.  She earned her bachelor's degree cum laude in 1999 from San Jose State majoring in nutritional science with minors in chemistry and health and was a Dean's Scholar.  Giles completed her teaching credential at Cal Lutheran University and earned her master's degree in education with an emphasis in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 2003.

Giles resides in Ventura with her husband Mike, and son Merrick and daughter Makayla.