Our Vision is to bring the world of Kinesiology to Water Polo. To promote and advance the sport by creating bigger, stronger, and faster athletes through scientifically based  practices, research, and principles.

We aspire to;

  • reduce the rate and risk of injury
  • educate and motivate
  • improve athleticism and performance
  • instill life-long nutritional values

WATER POLO STRONG STAFF

Brian Xicotencatl

WPS Founder and Head Coach

Qualifications

Bachelors of Arts – Exercise Science

USA Water Polo – Gold Coach Status

NSCA – Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach

USA Weightlifting – USAW-1 Performance Coach       

Technogym – Master Trainer

Functional Systems – Functional Movement Screen Level 1

Brian played Water Polo and swam for Fresno Pacific University. During his time at FPU, he was educated in the field of Kinesiology in techniques in the realms of fitness assessment, exercise prescription, motor behavior, and Biomechanics.

As a working professional, Brian got his start as a personal trainer working in the private sector. His most notable role was as Metabolic Specialist at Lifetime Athletic where he ran the metabolic testing department.

Brian is a Strength and Conditioning Coach that specializes in Aquatic Strength and Conditioning. His true strengths are Metabolic Conditioning and Recovery.

Specialties: PNF Stretching, Mobility, Strength and Conditioning, Water Polo, Swimming, and Body Work.  

Water Polo Experience

Three Years Junior College Water Polo, American River College 

Two Years NCAA Division 2 Water Polo, Fresno Pacific University     

Professional Club, Alumni Water Polo Club Coach, American River Water Polo Club, Sacramento, CA

Coach, Buchanan Water Polo Club, Clovis, CA

Coach, Adrian C. Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, CA

Coach, Jesuit High School, Sacramento, CA

Coach, Woodcreek High School , Roseville, CA

Water Polo Program Director/Head Coach, Westpark High School, Roseville, CA

Certifications

NSCA-CSCS, USAW1, BFCCC, PN1, FMS LVL1, NSCA-CPT, NFHS CERTIFIED COACH

Hannah has been coaching water polo since she was 17 years old. As an athlete, she is a goal keeper and was captain of her college team for two years. She has been playing since 2008 and has been in love with the game since she found the sport. Currently, she is working as the Aquatics Director at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, CA and also works as the assistant coach for Sacramento City College. She also coaches for Sacramento Water Polo Club and has been working with Water Polo Strong for a little over a year.

Water polo and water sports have always been a passion for Hannah. She has always found that being in the water and being a part of water sports have come naturally to her. The coaching side of things has always been more interesting to her than the officiating side, even though she is a certified official with USA Water Polo. She has studied under Steve Hanson, who is very well known in the water polo community, for the last 8 years and has learned so much from working under his tutelage for so many years.

Hannah is American Sport Education certified and is currently studying to get a bachelors degree in Professional Writing. She has been serving as the chairperson for her league for water polo for the last three seasons and has written one of their bylaws that will be around for years to come. She is the youngest person, and the second female to hold this position.

Hannah Widman

Skills & Tactics, Aquatics Coach

Ray Blankenship

Nutrition, Culinary Skills, and Metabolic Wizard

Ramon is a lifelong athlete, beginning with soccer in elementary school and playing competitively until he was a junior in high school. Wrestling was his favorite athletic endeavor while in school, and later utilizing his skill in wrestling during his short professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career. 

Getting into training others late in life, after having experienced top-flight coaching for much of his life, Ramon utilizes strength and conditioning, as well as basic nutrition principles and lifestyle changes, to maximize the body’s chance at adapting positively. 

His main skill set as a trainer was primarily focused on mobility, stretching, body weight movement and strength training, prior to developing his skill set in metabolic testing as a means for athletic development. He has worked as a metabolic technician at Lifetime, utilizing gas analysis to determine which nutritional and lifestyle skills to develop in the client. Ramon, along with his partner Brian Xicotencatl, helped lead that team to multiple national victories. 

Combining all of these elements of training has led to one of his clients winning a national weight loss tournament against 20,000 competitors, and a burning desire to share his knowledge with others.

Bobby is a mental performance coach as well as well as a certified strength coach. He has practiced strength coaching and personal fitness training for the past 10 years. In his time as a strength coach he has worked with general population as well as in the private athletic development sector. Bobby has had experience with people who are post rehab trying to build back strength/ get back into sport, and also people who are trying to develop overall strength and athletic performance. In the athletic development side of training, Bobby has worked with swimmers, baseball players, rugby players, and a variety of weekend warriors. In the private sector some of his clients include judges, doctors, and CEO’s from a variety of different companies.

While pursuing his master’s degree he noticed the need for an emphasis on coaching science in the field of training, and in his studies developed a mental skills training program intended to get clients to adhere to training and positive lifestyle habits that will make them successful in and outside of the weight room.

Along with his master’s degree in movement studies, Bobby is a certified mental performance coach. His research and education coupled with his certification in coaching mental skills allows him to create a deeper connection and understanding in his coaching practice, be it speed and agility training,  Olympic lifting, or nutrition caoching.

Bobby Best

Mental Performance and Strength Coach

LOCATIONS

Sacramento:

Sacramento Sports Center

1600 Tribute Road Sacramento, CA 95815 

Sacramento: 

Breathe Performance Lab

1808 Tribute Road Unit D, Sacramento Ca 95815

Roseville:

Absolute Flex Appeal

1106 Tinker Road
Rocklin, CA 95765

Rancho Cordova:

The Northern California Swimstitute

11335 Folsom Blvd
Unit B
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742