Robby Zhang

Founder, Head Coach

California Bay Area native. Started playing at age 10 under the tutelage of former and current olympic team athletes. Played at all competitive levels in the USA Water Polo circuit, including top finishes in the Junior Olympics. Went on to captain and coach the Vanderbilt University Club Team and received 4-year Academic All-American and 2-year All-Conference honors. Received the 2023 NEZ Ted Newland Award for boys developmental coaching. Holds a BE in Civil Engineering, an MS in Computer Science, and is a software engineer.

Robby is also an avid cook, Wizard's fan, and Marvel nerd. If you want to learn how to shoot a T-Shot, he's your guy.

Jill Lau

Head Coach

Jill previously coached at Navy Aquatic Club (Navy AC) from 2021-2023 and 2009-2014. She led the Navy AC 16U Girls to a first-place finish (Gold Division) at the 2022 USAWP Junior Olympics. Jill also served as an assistant coach for the University of Maryland (UMD) NCAA Division 1 Women’s Water Polo from 2010-2011, assisting the team to its highest national ranking (#10) and highest finish at the Easterns Championships. She was also the Head Coach for the UMD Men’s Club Water Polo and led the Terps to a national ranking, its first CWPA Men’s Atlantic Division Title, and second Club Nationals appearance. She was recognized in 2011 as the CWPA Coach of the Year and Maryland Club Coach of the Year.

Jill attended the University of Maryland from 2005-2009 and was a four-year letter winner on its NCAA Division 1 Women’s Water Polo Team. She helped lead the team to its highest national ranking since its inception. Jill also played for the Hong Kong Women’s Water Polo team and led the team to a first-place finish in the 12th Asia Pacific Water Polo Tournament.

Jill commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 2014 and is currently assigned to the Joint Cyber Operations Group. She is married with two children, ages 7 and 3. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Maryland’s School of Public Policy and a B.S. in Biology from UMD.

Jacob Markin

Head Coach

Jacob began playing water polo at age 10 in Northern Virginia. Playing on teams located in Virginia and Maryland, he attended the Junior Olympics and other national and international tournaments. He attended Cornell University, where he played four years on their club water polo team and served as team captain. While at Cornell, Jacob also helped to coach the Women's club team and organized their home tournament. After college, Jacob attended William and Mary Law School where he played on and coached the club water polo team. Now living in NOVA again, he is excited to bring his experience and love for the game to the next generation of players.

Jack Silver

Head Coach

Ohioan. Learned to play by joining the Ohio State Club Water Polo team, working up to becoming Captain and Treasurer. Was a former board member of the Cleveland Water Polo Club, with a role in onboarding and teaching new players the in’s and out's of the game. Holds a BS in Biology and Chemistry from The Ohio State University and works as a Chemist.

When not playing Polo, he enjoys golf, coffee, his dog Mally, and all things Ohio.

Marley Ramon

Goalie Coach

Marley Ramon started her water polo journey during her freshman year in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During her high school career, she guest played for teams across the mountain zone, was awarded in highschool varsity, and helped bring her team to the Junior Olympics before eventually committing to collegiate polo at Mercyhurst University. Beyond her experience in Division One, Marley has coached at the elementary, middle school, and high school level. She’s eager to bring a goalkeeper’s perspective to District Blossoms.

Outside of water polo, Marley works in politics and enjoys reading, writing, and making art.

Nolan Baldwin

Coach

Originally from Pennsylvania, Coach Nolan has been playing water polo for over 15 years. He grew up playing all over the East Coast with King Fish and Wilson High School, where he also began coaching his middle school team. He went on to play club water polo at Michigan State University from 2018–2019 and continues to stay active in the sport as a member of the DSeahorses Masters team in DC.

He is a software engineer, studied computer science at MSU and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, camping, and baking!

Heather Olson

Founder

California Bay Area native. Began playing in high school and was a 4-year NCAA Division 3 All-American. Has coached high school and youth club teams in multiple states, and helped found the Whitman High School Club team. Holds a JD and MSW from Michigan State University and works in the non-profit space.

Heather is a lockdown defensive specialist, and you will find her consistently in the lanes stealing the ball from coaches Dan and Robby at master's practice.

Dan Moorin

Founder

Coach Dan has eight years teaching and coaching experience at the middle and high school levels, most recently at Landon School (Bethesda, MD), where he taught literature, coached the water polo and ice hockey teams, and supported the choral program. He is currently pursuing a new career in hospitality. He is thrilled to oversee the Blossoms recreational program, where he can continue his passion for creating fun, inclusive spaces for those new to the sport.

Coach Dan holds a BA from Connecticut College, where he competed with the NCAA III Water Polo team, and MA degrees from UMass-Boston and Middlebury College. Originally from Fairfield, CT, he currently lives in Providence, RI with his wife and their dog, Bruno!