From his time with the Stanford women’s water polo club team, Minnis learned how to conduct practices efficiently and effectively under the guidance of a highly successful mentor in Stanford women’s water polo coach John Tanner.

“When it come to coaching water polo, that’s where I cut my teeth and learned how to do what I do,” Minnis said. “[Tanner] really taught me organization and how to look at the game, how to go from the beginning and break it down into small pieces and bring it up to that total end. He taught me how to be a teacher.”

While picking up lessons in organization and leadership, Minnis also incorporated much of the Stanford water polo mantra into his own coaching doctrine.

Even now, the Harvard men’s and women’s water polo run many of the same offensive and defensive systems that the No. 1 Cardinal women’s water polo team employs.

“The system we run is [Tanner’s] system,” Minnis said. “We might attack it differently, but the general basics are what I’ve done at Stanford for the last 12 years.”

Minnis stresses that defense is where every aspect of his game plans start.

“Everything starts on the defensive end,” Minnis said. “We’re going to get a stop on defense, we’re going to transition, we’re going to score a goal, and then we’re going to come back and get another stop. I like the up-tempo game; we like to stretch the pool and make them defend us two-meter to two-meter.”

For Minnis, collaboration with other coaches and other experts has been key. He has gone so far as to integrate some parts of his game plan from other sports.

“He’s always learning and surrounded himself with college level coaches always picking up new drills,” McIntosh said. “Him being open to other people’s feedback and always trying to learn more has helped his development over the years.”

For example, Minnis has incorporated plays from basketball, a sport that he has stayed close to over the years.

“One of our timeout plays is something that I have seen Tara Vanderveer from Stanford run,” Minnis said. “It’s worked. It’s a thing that she ran for Candace Wiggins.”

Yet another example of this collection was his removal of the tradition where freshman players would carry the team equipment on the road at away games.

“I always had freshman carry equipment on the road and stuff like that,” Minnis said. “I talked to other coaches and they said, ‘We don’t do that’. If we are going to consider ourselves a family, you wouldn’t have your little brother or sister always doing all the chores. You’re going to have to do some of the chores too.”

Minnis still remembers his first coaching job at Phillips Brooks with coach Stan Drake.

“One of the biggest things that I took away [from coaching with Drake] is to always have a smile on your face when you’re playing the sport and have fun with it,” Minnis said. “It’s not a job; we’re not out here solving world problems. We play the game we love, and we’re lucky to be playing it. My kids have bought into that, and they compete.”