OPAP Sports Academies’ Festivals

Big celebrations of sport across Greece for second year

In the framework of its Sports Academies program, OPAP organizes big sporting festivals in ten regions across Greece for the second consecutive year. The first festival was held on Sunday, 29 January 2017, in Heraklion, Crete where 770 children and 1.000 parents and chaperons participated in activities at the Pankritio Stadium.

In accordance with the philosophy and values of the Sports Academies program, all activities during the festivals focus in the most enjoyable of ways on the values that make up the athletic ideal, especially fair play, respect, ethics and teamwork.

The young athletes participate in teamwork and football skills games, games/courses on nutritional issues and an experiential activity during which they practice sports as Paralympic athletes and actively participate in Olympic sports demonstrations. At the same time, parents and chaperons attend seminars delivered by the members of the special scientific team of the program, and participate in interactive games on psychology, nutrition and first aid issues.

The Sports Academies program is part of OPAP's Corporate Responsibility framework and is based on UEFA guidelines and the principles of Grassroots, the leading youth sports model in the world. It is an innovative program that supports 125 amateur sports academies from around Greece in which more than 10,000 children of 7-12 years old participate.

The program successfully launched for the first time last year with 9,000 children and 15,000 parents/chaperons participating in ten festivals held throughout Greece.

With its central moto being "Athletes Today –Better People Tomorrow", the program's goal is to attract even more children and promote the educational and entertaining role of sports, contributing to laying solid foundations for the future of sport in Greece.

Participating academies enjoy the benefits of an integrated educational program that includes:

Scientific support by specialized pediatricians, child phycologists and nutritionists
Age-appropriate coaching directions, according to UEFA and FIFA international standards
High quality sports gear
Insurance coverage during training sessions and games, as well as one hour before and after
Participation in a big sporting festivals with an educational and entertaining profile

The cities that will host the next Festivals of OPAP Sports Academies from February to June are: Patras, Argos, Athens-Peristeri, Argos, Thessaloniki (Ampelokipi Stadium), Ioannina, Xanthi, Thessaloniki (Kaftanzoglio Stadium), Volos and Athens - Kallithea.