The Mavericks Water Polo Club has been a force in Ontario and Canadian Water Polo since 1992. We offer fun, healthy and high-level programs for athletes from about age 6 and up.
Supported by one of the largest (and finest) coaching staffs in the country, we offer programs that take players from learn-to-swim into our competitive stream and beyond. The current Mavericks staff is made up of National Team coaches, and former National Team and NCAA athletes.
The Mavericks are proud to have many athletes each year invited to join provincial and national team programs.
For more information on programs, age groups etc., please explore the site further or contact us.
Our Coaches
The Mavericks Water Polo Club is lead by some of the most elite coaches in Canada. With a team based coaching approach, you will often see many of these faces working with our athletes.
Nikolina Mihajlovik
Head Coach
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- -2008 Ontario Games (Ottawa, Canada) - Provincial Team
- 2011 Team Ontario (California) - Provincial Team
- 2012 93 Junior Training Team (Thessaloniki, Greece) - National Team
- 2012 94 Youth Worlds (Perth, Australia) - National Team
- 2013 Youth Cup (Montreal, Canada) - Provincial Team
- 2013 95 Youth Training Team (Dunaújváros, Hungary) - National Team
- 2014 Commonwealth Games (Aberdeen, Scotland) - National Team
- 2014 95 Junior Pan Ams (Riverside, California) - National Team
- 2015-2018 Division I Waterpolo, Hartwick College
- 2021-2023 Head Coach of the Women’s Program at Mavericks
- 2022 Team Ontario Provincial Coach - 15U Boys Head Coach
- 2022 Manager Men’s Junior National Team - Pan Ams (Indianapolis)
- 2023 Team Ontario Provincial Coach - 15U Girls Head Coach
Dimitrije Veizovic
Head Development Coach
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Born and raised in Yugoslavia, Coach Dimi played for two of the most well known clubs in the world— Partizan and Red Star.
After a short stint away from the pool in his late teens, he returned to Partizan as a swim coach and assistant water polo coach.
Coach Dimi, who is also a physiotherapist, combines all his experiences as the Head Coach of our Development programs.
Danko Bjelica
Coach
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Omar Gutierrez
Coach
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Coach Omar joined the herd for his first season in 2023. He played for 21 years with the Mexican National Team. During that time he participated in two junior world championships, four PanAm games, 4 Centro-American Games and won a gold medal in 2002 at the El Salvador Centro-American Games.
He played 13 years as a pro goalie in Spain.
He has coached one season with Pumas UNAM Mexico City, one season with the Club Nautique Livery Gargan senior team and U12 and four years as a Head Coach of the Mexican Men’s National Team, winning one silver medal at the Barbados qualification for the Centro-American Games.
Elena Dukhanova
Coach
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Coach Elena has been playing water polo since 2008. She played to the highest levels of her sport, being selected to the National Team of. Uzbekitan. Until 2022, she was the first goalkeeper for the Uzbek National Team.
A graduate of Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Coach Elena earned a degree from the Specialized Sports College of Olympic Reserve Specialization. She is a trained coach of water polo and trained in physical education.
Coach Elena brings to the herd an incredible resume of international playing experience.
Her playing career highlights include:
- National Team (Rome 2009, Shanghai 2011)
- Junior World Championship (2011, 2012, 1013)
- Asian Games (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016)
- Russian Championships (2019, 2020)
- Championship of the Republic of Uzbekistan 2008-2022 National Team
Her coaching career highlights include:
- 2018-2019 Republican Specialized Children's and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve for Water Sports.
- 2019-2022 Assistant Goalkeeper Coach for the Women's National Team
- 2020-2023 Swimming Coach
Denis Tryshak
Coach
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Denis Tryshak is a dedicated U11 water polo coach that has nearly 10 years of experience in this sport playing and coaching for Mavericks.
He is currently studying physical and environmental science at the University of Toronto.
His passion for water polo stems from the personal experience of being a goalie and transfers over to his athletes during every practice and every game. Denis inspires and motivates his young athletes by not only instilling important values of the game such as the importance of teamwork, resilience, mental strength and sportsmanship, but also by cultivating a love for this game and making everyone feel like part of a family.
His coaching style focuses on values that are meaningful in water polo, but more importantly, can also transfer over to life outside the pool and help his athletes be the best versions of themselves .
Our Pools
The Mavericks train out of several pools. The pools are indicated in each workout on the team schedule. Please look for your destination among the following maps.
Main Pool
Etobicoke Olympium
590 Rathburn Road, Toronto
West of The 427 and South of The 401 near the intersection of Renforth and Rathburn.
TTC Access – Rathburn Bus #48 leaves from Royal York Station
SWIM AND PLAY BALL POOLS
Keele Street Public School
99 Mountview Ave, Toronto
Gus Ryder Pool
1 Faustina Drive, Toronto
Gus Ryder is located just west of Kipling and north or Birmingham on a small lane way called Faustina Drive.
TTC access – Kipling South Bus from Kipling station to Birmingham. Walk one block west and one block north on Faustina.
Other Pools
Markham Pam Am Centre
16 Main Street, Unionville
Sunnyside Pool
1755 Lakeshore Blvd. West, Toronto
Parent Volunteers
The Mavericks is a volunteer-supported organization. We collect a volunteer deposit at the beginning of each year.
Their volunteer deposit is then used to help offer compensation to get work completed. Parents (or players) who do volunteer, will be credited for their volunteer efforts and can earn back their volunteer deposit which is repaid at the end of each competitive season.