Britt Dobbelsteen: From the Netherlands to Greece! Why an International training camp is so valuable
My first training camp ever was in Greece.
Before that trip, I had never been on a training camp. So traveling abroad with my team, staying together for several days, and training and playing in a completely different environment was a completely new experience for me.
And honestly? I absolutely loved it.
Of course, it was exciting to travel to Greece for my sport. But what made the experience so special was getting to experience something completely different from what I was used to in the Netherlands.
From Dutch to Greek Water Polo
As a Dutch water polo player, you are used to a certain way of training and playing. The Netherlands has a strong water polo tradition, with a lot of emphasis on technical skills, tactics, structure, and team play.
In Greece, water polo is also deeply rooted in the sporting culture, but the environment and style can feel very different.
Training and playing against Greek teams gives you the chance to experience those differences yourself. With AquaTraveler's approach, the pace, physicality, tactics, and overall approach to the game can be different from what you are used to in the Netherlands.
And that is exactly what makes it so valuable.
You are suddenly playing against teams you don't know and facing situations you may not normally encounter in your Dutch competition. You have to adapt, communicate, and find solutions together.
You are not only training, you are learning to see the game from a different perspective.
My First-Ever Training Camp
For me, Athens was where I experienced all of this for the first time. Because I had never been on a training camp before, I didn't really know what to expect. But from the moment we arrived, I was incredibly excited.
We were together for several days, completely focused on water polo, while also having the opportunity to experience Greece.
Spending a week focused only on water polo felt like a dream come true. As many people know, water polo in the Netherlands is still largely something you do alongside school, university, or work, rather than something you can treat as a full-time profession.
That made the experience even more special for me.
We trained, played matches, ate together, and spent our free time together. And because you are around your teammates almost constantly, you naturally start to get to know each other in a different way.
A Different Environment Makes You Adapt
When you train and compete in the same environment all the time, you become comfortable with what you know.
Going abroad changes that. Suddenly, you have different opponents, different surroundings, and a different water polo culture. Maybe a team plays more physically than you are used to. Maybe the tempo is different. Maybe certain tactical situations are approached in another way.
You have to adapt as a player, but also as a team. And those are exactly the experiences that can make you better.
When you return to the Netherlands, you bring those lessons with you. You may see certain situations differently or have a better understanding of how to deal with different styles of play.
Becoming Closer as a Team
For me, the team experience was just as important as the water polo itself.
At home, everyone has their own lives outside of the pool. You train together and play matches, but afterwards everyone goes back to school, family, university, or other commitments.
During a training camp, that changes.
For a few days, you are simply together.
You travel together, train together, eat together, relax together, play games together, and experience a new country together.
That creates a different kind of connection.
You make memories outside the pool that you can take back into the pool. You understand your teammates better, build trust, and become more comfortable with each other.
And I believe that can make you stronger as a team when you return home.
More Than Just Water Polo
One of my favourite things about my first training camp in Greece was that it wasn't only about training.
Of course, we were there to improve and prepare ourselves as athletes. But we also got to experience Greece, discover a different culture, explore Athens, and enjoy being somewhere new with our team.
For me, that combination made the trip so much fun. It was my first training camp, my first time experiencing this kind of sporting trip, and something I genuinely enjoyed from beginning to end.
And looking back now, after experiencing Greece not only as a visitor but also as a professional water polo player, I understand even more how valuable that combination can be.
From Training Camp to Olympiacos
And now, about 10 years later, I made the decision to go and play for Olympiacos, one of the best teams in Europe, with an incredible history.
Living in Greece, exploring the country, and experiencing the Greek league have all been incredibly valuable for my development, both as a water polo player and as a person.
It was a difficult year for me. Training every day alongside a large group of some of the best water polo players in the world, while also living in a different country where “the only thing you have” is water polo, isn't always easy.
But it was an experience that challenged me to grow. I was able to perform at the highest level in European water polo and show my skills when the team needed me most.
Together, we won every trophy that we could have won this year, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss this experience for anything.
I am incredibly thankful for all the people I met along the way. They are a huge reason why I know I will be coming back to Greece many more times.
For me, Greece has become much more than a place where I went to train and play water polo. It has become a place full of experiences, friendships, challenges, and memories that I will carry with me for a long time.
Why Should a Dutch Team Go to Greece?
If you ask me, an international training camp gives a team something that you simply cannot recreate by staying in your normal environment.
You get to experience a different style of water polo, challenge yourself against new opponents, step outside your comfort zone, and learn from a different sporting culture.
But perhaps most importantly, you get to experience all of that together.
You travel to Greece to become better water polo players.
But you come home with more than that: new experiences, new perspectives, stronger team connections, and memories that will stay with you long after the final training session.
And for me, that is exactly what makes an international water polo experience so special.
My first training camp in Greece showed me that travelling for water polo can be about so much more than just training. It can challenge you, inspire you, and bring your team closer together.
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