List of Inductees 2002
John Child &
Mark Heese
Team
Known worldwide as the “Crazy Defenders”, John Child and Mark Heese played a tremendous role in putting Canada on the world beach volleyball map. Both came to beach volleyball after playing competitive Indoor volleyball in College and University.
John and Mark began their beach careers with other players. Mark originally with former national team player Mike Chaloupka representing Canada at the beach volleyball exhibition event held in conjunction with the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, where the pair finished 9th. In 1994, Mark played alongside Frank Blasi and won the Canadian Championships.
Since 1990. John has won the Canadian title on the pro beach tour in 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996 as well as the Jose Cuervo North American Championships in 1992. In 1994, teamed with Ed Drakich, he placed 6th at the World Beach Volleyball Championships.
In 1995, when John and Mark began playing together, they immediately found success. The pair captured 3 bronze medals on the FIVB World Tour and also won bronze at the 1995-96 FIVB Series Championships.
Ranked 5th in the world, the team entered the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with one thing on their mind – to win a medal for Canada. Their bronze medal win over Portugal was the first ever Volleyball medal for Canada in Olympic history, and the Crazy Defenders were about to go down in Olympic History.