This October, during the autumn school holidays (Herbstferien), we had the pleasure of hosting Wasserballklub Stadtmannschaft Zürich. The Swiss club travelled to Patras, a vibrant seaside city in Western Greece, for a week-long water polo training camp that combined intensive practice, friendly games, and authentic Greek hospitality.

Trips & Sports handled every detail of the trip — from airport transfers and daily transportation (hotel – pool), to accommodation and meals — ensuring the athletes could focus entirely on their training. The team stayed at the Achaia Beach Hotel, a four-star seaside hotel offering excellent facilities, comfort, and spectacular views. Meals were thoughtfully designed to meet the nutritional needs of young athletes, providing generous, balanced portions rich in carbohydrates and protein, along with local Greek recipes made from fresh, regional products.

Training sessions were held at the A. Pepanos Indoor Swimming Pool of Patras, one of Greece’s leading aquatic complexes with a 50m x 8-lane pool and a 30m x 25m diving pool. Trips & Sports provided all the necessary training equipment — from balls and goals to cones — and a team representative was present daily to coordinate schedules and ensure smooth operation. Each day included two main sessions:

• Morning practices focused on technical drills, teamwork, and conditioning, while
• Evening sessions featured shared training and friendly games with two of Greece’s top clubs, NEP and NOP.

The games were live streamed on our YouTube channel, allowing families and supporters in Switzerland to follow the team’s progress in real time.

After one of the evening friendlies, both teams came together for dinner at a local tavern, where the young athletes enjoyed delicious Greek food, made new friends, exchanged contacts, and shared plenty of laughs — a perfect demonstration of how sport brings people together beyond the competition.

Between sessions, the team also used a fully equipped meeting room at the hotel for theory and tactics discussions. Coaches and players analyzed their games, reviewed strategies, and planned upcoming sessions using projectors and whiteboards — reinforcing the connection between technical execution and strategic understanding.

The trip wasn’t only about training. The club also had the opportunity to explore the city of Patras. One afternoon, the team visited the Castle of Patras, enjoyed a traditional Greek lunch, strolled through the city centre, and concluded with a guided tour of the Church of Saint Andrew, the largest church in Greece and the third largest in the Balkans. It was a day filled with culture, learning, and team bonding.

A highlight of the visit came when the Regional Council of Patras and local governors officially invited the Swiss team to their offices. The meeting was warm and symbolic, expressing gratitude for choosing Patras as a training destination. During the visit, the two sides exchanged gifts and shared experiences around water polo, while the club offered honest feedback on local facilities and services. The regional council appreciated hearing firsthand about areas of success and improvement, and the meeting concluded in a spirit of mutual respect and happiness — a proud moment for both the city and Trips & Sports.

The Wasserballklub Stadtmannschaft Zürich delegation included 18 participants — 2 coaches and 16 athletes, boys and girls aged 13 to 17. Their discipline, energy, and positivity made this first Trips & Sports camp a memorable success.

Testimonials

Head Coach:
“Trips & Sports did an outstanding job organising the trip with great attention to detail. The program ran super smoothly without any hiccups, so we could fully focus on our goal — training the team. Both NOP and NEP are very strong clubs, and our kids came back with higher competitive levels. They pushed our boundaries, and that’s exactly what you want when you go abroad for a camp. Above all though… the food was outstanding! Thank you a lot, and I look forward to the next one.”

Athletes:
“It’s a really cool experience to train in another country and in a different facility. Our trainings were tough, and the friendly games made us more competitive. We had so much fun going out for dinner with our new friends — we can’t wait for the next trip to Greece again!”

A big thank you!At Trips & Sports, we would like to sincerely thank Wasserballklub Stadtmannschaft Zürich for their trust and collaboration. It was a true pleasure working with such a dedicated, professional, and kind team. We’re thrilled that they wish to return to Patras in the future — and we look forward to welcoming them again soon for another unforgettable sports experience in Greece.

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