Having been involved in waterpolo for 55 consecutive years, Ta’ Xbiex coach Charles Mock is one on Malta’s waterpolo veterans. His career as a player was flourished with Balluta WSC between 1951 - 1973 as a goalkeeper, whilst coaching took him to Ta’ Xbiex (9 years), B’Bugia, Sirens, Sliema Minors, Valletta United, Balluta, San Giljan and Neptunes Nursery.

“This season, we have a very strong team and my team will have a good go at winning the honours even though this depends on who goes into Division 2 after the preliminary round. My assistant coach Aldo Scerri, an ex-Valletta, ex-San Giljan and ex national team waterpolo player, helps a lot with the training sessions. We always try to include ball techniques, change systems and get together with other clubs, once or twice a week for games so that we ensure training doesn’t get boring. We try to offer fun and enjoyment during training sessions. We listen to our players’ ideas and we give them a day off during week. Of course, no training sessions during the weekend.”

This season, Ta’ Xbiex will be having four freshmen. Ex-Neptunes, ex-Marsascala and exnational player, Dorian Pisani is a very valid veteran and will give an experienced contribution to the team. After a year away, Travis Boyd has also returned with Ta’ Xbiex. Ex-Valletta player, Christian Saliba, will also play for Ta’ Xbiex this season.

The latest conquest for Ta'’Xbiex are the the Rizzo Naudi brothers – Karl and Julian – who are very young promising players from Sirens.

“Waterpolo has always been a largely followed sport. It is a whale of a game, especially this summer with the re-entry of the foreign player. Engaged foreign players are of a high caliber sometimes “world class” on par with big names in football such as Beckham, Henry and Del Piero. Foreign players will play a major role because a top player can transform a mediocre team into a “strong challenging one”. Some foreigners engaged in the past have been a “one man army”. Surely, this will generate more spectators during matches.

We have contracted the Belgian 21-year-old Tom van OOst. He is the Title holder of Belgian Talent of the Year 2004 and has been honoured eight times as Belgian Junior Chamber amongst other honours. He is right handed and plays on the left side.

Ta’ Xbiex captain Duncan Schembri is 32 years old and an ex-Sirens and ex-national Junior Swimmer. Duncan is a very skillful and technical player. Apart from being an all rounder in the pool, he is a motivator of the team.

“Waterpolo is a demanding sport. First, unlike other sport, except swimming - you have water resistance. It is a strong physical contact sport. Today, you have the luxury of substitutes but way back in my early days in waterpolo, the team consisted of only seven players so there was only one reserve player to substitute any injured player.

Before committing myself to waterpolo, I loved football. In fact, I never thought I would ever change this sport. Waterpolo was a total swimming sport, so in winter, I still played football and was also a football referee. One match which I’ll never forget was in the early 1970s, when I was linesman in Sansiro, Milan during Milan vs Red Boys of Luxembourg in the Fairs City Cup (the UEFA Cup today).

I never thought it was possible for me to substitute football with waterpolo as my passionate sport. It’s a very long story but I must say that my waterpolo career was literally a God send. On a Sunday morning, I was hearing Mass out on the steps of Balluta church (as I arrived late) and I was haunted by the whistles coming from across the bay. Probably it was God asking me to give waterpolo a shot. I went to Balluta pitch and following some chats I had made with Giraldu Tanti, his brother Guzi put me in as a goal keeper. He immediately spotted my natural instinct of elevating high out of the water. From this instant onwards, I never stopped playing waterpolo, of course, late on getting involved in coaching.

Some moments I’ll never forget during my career both as a player and a coach were winning the minor league during my first year in waterpolo with Balluta and being the double winner as coach with Valletta United in 1985. On the other hand, one of my disappointing moments in my career is not being able to contest Player of year Award and Sports Man of Year Award as when the award came to be, my best days were over and I was in veteran stages.”

Apart from all the swimming sessions he had as a waterpolo player and coach, Charles Mock loved distance swimming. In fact, he crossed the Gozo Channel for four times, the last of which was done at 62 years of age. Charles also likes long country walks.

Charles is married to Bianca and they have three sons: Stephen, Peter, Michael and four grandchildren.