Sports Tour Overview

On Wednesday 19^th October 2017, 16 girls from Rydal Penrhos School left north Wales behind and embarked on a 5-day netball tour to Greece. Accompanied by Welsh international / Captain / MSG Ambassador, Suzy Drane and MSG Tours’ Katie Peggs the group arrived in Athens to blue skies and a warm welcome from our hosts, SportCamp. The girls got stuck into netball training straight away followed by a dip in the pool, hot chocolate from the bar and a well-deserved early night.

On the first full day of the tour, the group enjoyed a morning of relaxation and exploration of the SportCamp site before heading to Loutraki beach to enjoy the coast and delicious food, including a warm Nutella filled waffle. The overcast weather didn’t dampen spirits as the team returned to SportCamp to prepare for their first fixture of the tour.

Netball

Netball in Greece is grassroots level but that doesn’t mean the girls who play are lacking in ability. Many girls who play netball in Greece are highly skilled in volleyball and handball, both of which have qualities that can be applied to the netball court. All 4 matches that they played and the training they enjoyed were invaluable experiences for the girls in their development individually and as a group. They also enjoyed some fitness sessions in the pool, as well as having access to video analysis of their games and training to help with their tactical awareness and progress.

The group’s day off was a chance to enjoy some of the culture that Athens offers, starting with the Acropolis. Sitting at 150m above sea level (with around 150 steps leading to it) the Acropolis offered beautiful scenery and is steeped in Greek history; the group had a fantastic morning here before moving on to the Panathenaic Stadium. Situated just 10 minutes from the Acropolis this is the only stadium in the world to be built from marble. This was a great stop for a sports tour as it is home to every Olympic torch since the first modern Olympics.  With a guided tour it provided cultural enrichment and a chance for the girls to soak up some of the local history as a side to their competitive netball experience.

Great end to a fantastic tour 2 wins out of 2. Couldn’t have asked for better! #proudteacher @cheshirelife @WelshNetball @cardiffmet @msgtours

A post shared by Rydal Penrhos Sport (@rydalpenrhossport) on Oct 22, 2016 at 10:22am PDT

Sports Tour Highlights