604 WaterPolo Inc

Testimonials:

Mark Block

"During the past 46 years of my national and international career I have observed and worked with many talented athletes involved with the Men's National Water Polo program. Mark was certainly one of the most outstanding scoring threats our country ever produced. A Gifted athlete, a tremendous team player and now a highly effective teacher - I would highly recommend Mark's shooting school program."

David Hart, 4-time Olympian, former National Coach of Canada & Brazil.

 

"I played with Mark for a number of years on the Men's National Water Polo Team and he was always a threat from the outside and often our top goal scorer. I’m excited to hear he’s passing his knowledge on to the next generation of water polo players and I highly recommend the opportunity to learn from one of Canada’s best."

Thomas Marks, 2008 Olympic Team Captain, 6-time Senior Men's Canadian National Club Champion

 

"Without a doubt the best team leader and captain I have ever met in my career. After 30 years of professional coaching, I remember Mark's ability to lead players and teams like no other I have seen. Winner of six Senior Men's National Championships in a row, Mark was with no contest the leader of our success. His skill and abilities to understand the games, players, and game situations made him one of Canada's finest water polo players ever. Mark took teams and teammates to a second level of play with his understanding of discipline, hard work and tactical play. In some way it's a shame that he was born Canadian, as being born in Europe, Mark would have been a world premier water polo player and made a career out of water polo. Mark's ability to score goals and create opportunities to win games was unequal to many in Canadian history and most likely one of his highest successes as an individual water polo player. I would be honoured to have the chance to see Mark's shooting clinic and learn from one of Canada's finest ever."

Michel Roy - National Team coach, Head Coach at Carleton University, former University of Hawaii Coach, most successful coach in Canadian history,  founder of Vancouver Reign & Pacific Storm.

 

 

"Former National Team Captain Mark Block was an inspirational teammate and mentor whose understanding of the game of water polo and what it takes to be a successful, impactful offensive force is rivalled by few in the water polo world. An chance to be taught by such a prolific talent is not something one should take lightly. Simply put, this is an opportunity to learn from the best in order to become the best."

Robin Randall, starting goaltender for Team Canada (2007-present)

 

"Mark Block was one of the best shooters that Canada produced in a long history of water polo. His shot was innovative and very hard to block by goalies due to his lucidity and very quick release. Also, Mark had the ability to see the goalies and to recognize their weaknesses easily while being able to easily convert scoring chances. His smoothness in shooting hezy shoot was, at that time, and even today, remembered and recognized throughout the world."

Dragan Jovanovic - 2008 Canadian Olympic Team Head Coach, former Yugoslavian National Team Goalie, founder of DJ Global Wave

 

"Mark's reputation as a one of Canada's all-time great shooters is well-warranted. He understands the combination of power, accuracy and deception required to beat the best. I'm thrilled that he will be passing on his expertise to future generations of Canadian water polo players!"

Kevin Graham, 2008 Olympian, current Team Canada captain, professional water polo player in Montenegro & Hungary, 2014 Hungarian National Champion - Eger 

 

"Mark Block is the most patient coach I have ever had. He has a great eye for technique and would constantly adjust little things that would help improve my play. He was persistent but calm and would continually correct my bad habits until they no longer existed. His teaching/coaching skills combined with his ability to create new drills and invent 'rubber tube things' to assist with those drills allowed for great improvement but also most importantly, fun. Mark is a phenomenal coach - a great motivator that knows how to engage and develop athletes and I would recommend all high performance water polo athletes that aspire to compete at the next level to attend his shooting school."

Hayley McKelvey, USC Sophomore, 2014 Youth World Championship Silver Medalist

 

"I was lucky enough to be coached by Mark Block during my years in Pacific Storm. Not only is he a great teacher to the skills and technical aspects to the sport, but a tremendous leader. His advice and input comes from an elite background level, which is quite hard to find North of the Border. Not to mention, he is probably one of the reasons I stayed in the sport of Water Polo." 

Constantine Kubaba - 2008 Olympian, professional water polo player in Montenegro & France.

 

"Top notch creative offensive players are incredibly rare anywhere in the world.  Mark Block was one of those players who combined the ability to get open for scoring opportunities with having a vast array of potent finishing shots.  Any water polo player getting instruction from Mark will be able to significantly change for the better his or her performance on offence."

George Gross,Jr. - 2-Time Olympian, 2-Time Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach  

 

Having had the privilege of playing with Mark on the National Team, I have firsthand experience of not only of Mark’s shooting ability, but the mindset of this World Class shooter!  While many believe scoring is simply based on “shooting hard”, and Mark could shoot hard, I believe Mark’s greatest attribute was his mastery of deception!  Simply put, a goalie is not capable of stopping a shot, if he doesn’t know the shot is coming!  Whether Mark crossed up the goalie with a different arm motion, release points, hesi or a simple “no look”, Mark had the deception to make the World’s best goalies, look like amateurs.  In my estimation, the best pure shooter ever to represent Canada in International Water Polo!  

I believe spending time with Mark will not only improve your shooting and scoring ability, but will also instill the mindset of being an International goal scorer!

Darryl Bourne - Captain Men’s National Team 1997-2000

 

"Mark Block understands shooting has biomechanical considerations in order to maintain a healthy arm long term. The biomechanics are foundational necessities. But rarely (and perhaps more importantly) do you find a shooter that understands the creativity and mindset necessary to develop in to a great shooter and attacker. Mark gets it...." 

Keith Leggett - USC Alumni '88; NCAA All Tournament 1st Team; former Canadian National Team Member

 

I was lucky enough to work with Mark in his time with the National team , Mark had a great feel for the game and how important is was to control the tempo of the game. He also had the same ability with his shooting technique, its not all about speed and strength but change of angles, speed, deception. I'm sure that Mark will bring that same understanding of both the game and shooting to his coaching expertise, I have no hesitation in endorsing him.

Neil Muir - Canadian Olympic Team Manager, English International Water Polo Legend.

 

"Mark Block was one of Canada's premier shooters of the late 1990's and early 2000's.  Mark was a constant threat from the outside with his quick release shot and was consistently called upon to perform penalty shots for Team Canada during his tenure on the National Team.  Mark was instrumental in leading Canada's FISU Team in 2001 in Beijing when they defeated eventual champions Italy in round robin play.  He also scored one of the biggest goals for Canada at the 1999 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg.  He currently is still involved with water polo through coaching and supporting the women's program in BC"

Monster Water Polo