Summer Sea Polo is a water polo training camp in Rijeka, on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, for youth teams and individual players. Players train with coaches who have won Olympic and world titles, play matches in the sea and spend their free time exploring one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.
ABOUT THE CAMP
Summer Water Polo Camp in Croatia
THE CAMP
A Summer Water Polo Camp on the Adriatic Coast
Summer Sea Polo brings youth water polo teams and individual players from around the world to Rijeka, a city on Kvarner Bay where water polo is part of everyday summer life. The camp is built around one simple idea: young players improve fastest when they train with great coaches, play a lot of water polo and genuinely enjoy the experience.
Each group gets its own plan, shaped around the players’ age, level and goals. Mornings are for structured training in the pool and on dry land, afternoons for rest, culture and the sea, and evenings for friendly matches against local teams and dinners together. Clubs from the United States to Finland have already trained with us on the Kvarner coast.
Around the training, we take care of everything else: hotel accommodation, meals, all transfers in modern vans and excursions to places like the Plitvice Lakes and the islands of Kvarner.
POOL + SEATraining and matches
OLYMPIANS & PROFESSIONALS On the coaching staff
TRANSFERSAll included, modern vans
WHY RIJEKA - CROATIA
Water Polo Country & Summer Paradise
Croatia is one of the great water polo nations, with Olympic, world and European titles and a long list of legendary players. In coastal cities like Rijeka, the sport is everywhere: in the pools, in the local clubs and in the sea all summer long. Rijeka’s own club, Primorje, has produced players for the Croatian national team, including our coach Ivan Krapić, who captained both the club and the national team.
Kvarner Bay adds the rest: warm, clean sea, long sunny days and historic towns within a short drive. It is the ideal place to combine serious training with a summer young players will never forget.
CROATIAOlympic & world champions
RIJEKAHome of VK Primorje
KVARNERWarm, clean sea
TRAINING
Water Polo Training at the Heart of the Camp
Every session has a clear goal, and every player leaves the camp a better water polo player.
Training is the reason teams come to Summer Sea Polo, and it is where we put most of our attention. Sessions are planned and led by coaches who have played and coached at the very highest level, from Olympic finals and world championships to American college water polo and the top European leagues. They know what it takes to get there, and they know how to break it down for young players.
A typical day starts with dryland work and continues in the pool with technical drills, tactical play and game situations. In the evening, players put what they have learned to the test in friendly matches against local teams, played in the sea. Throughout every session, coaches give players individual feedback, so each of them knows exactly what to work on next.
01
Technique & Fundamentals
Swimming technique, eggbeater, ball handling, passing and shooting. The basics every great player relies on, refined with precise, individual feedback.
02
Tactics & Game Intelligence
Counter-attacks, power play, man-down defence, pressing and zone defence. Players learn to read the game and make better decisions under pressure.
03
Position-Specific Coaching
Dedicated work for goalkeepers, centre forwards, defenders and perimeter players, including goalkeeper training with Egon Jurišić, a professional goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach.
04
Dryland & Conditioning
Functional strength, mobility and injury prevention, designed around the demands of water polo by our athletic trainer, Mila Possa, and adapted to each player’s age.
05
Match Play
Friendly matches against local Croatian teams, played in the sea at Volosko, where players put new skills to work in real games against new opponents.
06
Teamwork & Mindset
Communication, leadership and confidence in and out of the water. Camps are where teams grow closer, and it shows when the new season starts.
POOL & SEA
From the Pool to the Open Sea
Most training sessions take place at the Rijeka swimming pool, where proper lanes, goals and conditions allow for focused technical and tactical work.
Then the camp moves to the sea. At Volosko, a small fishing village next to Opatija, players compete in matches played in the sea, a Croatian summer tradition and an experience few young players ever get at home. Waves, sun and salt water demand stronger legs, better positioning and quicker decisions, and players return to the pool sharper for it.
POOLRijeka swimming pool
SEAMatches at Volosko
LOCALCroatian opponents
LEARN FROM THE BEST
Coached by Olympic and World Champions
Our coaching staff brings together Croatian water polo greats, an experienced American college coach and some of the best players in the world today. Your players learn directly from people who have won at the very top of the sport.
GOLD
London 2012 Olympics
Damir Burić
SILVER
Rio 2016 Olympics
Ivan Krapić
2023
World champion
Sabrina van der Sloot
NCAA
UC Irvine coaching
Bojan Hrlec
THE EXPERIENCE
What Players Take Home
A week or two at Summer Sea Polo leaves a mark that lasts well beyond the summer. Players go home with:
- Sharper technique and a deeper understanding of the game
- New training habits picked up from elite coaches
- Better fitness and strength, built safely for their age
- Confidence from playing new opponents, in the pool and in the sea
- A closer team and new friends from other countries
- Memories of a summer on the Adriatic they will talk about for years
BEYOND THE POOL
Life at Camp Beyond the Pool
Water polo comes first, but a summer in Croatia should be about more than training.
Plitvice Lakes
A full-day trip to Croatia’s oldest national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 16 terraced lakes linked by waterfalls.
Island Boat Trip
A day at sea, sailing to the islands of Kvarner Bay for swimming, sunshine and team time away from the pool.
Kastav & Opatija
Afternoons in Kastav, a historic hilltop town above Rijeka, and along the elegant seaside of the Opatija Riviera.
Beach & Team Time
Swimming in the Adriatic, team dinners and evenings together: the moments that turn teammates into friends for life.
All transfers are included. From arrival to departure, players travel between the hotel, training, matches and excursions in our modern vans.
GOOD TO KNOW
Everything Is Taken Care Of
Coaches and club staff can focus on the players. We handle the rest.
Accommodation
Players stay together at the hotel, where every day starts with breakfast and a team meeting. Each player also receives a Summer Sea Polo kit.
Meals
Breakfast at the hotel, lunch at a restaurant after the morning session and dinner together in the evening.
Transfers
All transfers in modern vans: to training, to matches, on excursions and back to the hotel.
Day-to-Day Support
Our team helps with minor health needs and small logistical issues, and keeps players, parents and coaches connected.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions clubs and parents ask us most often.
Who is the camp for?
Youth water polo teams and clubs, as well as individual players who want to train with us. Individual players join a group that suits their age and level.
Where does the camp take place?
In Rijeka, Croatia, on Kvarner Bay. Training usually takes place at the Rijeka swimming pool, and matches in the sea are played at Volosko, next to Opatija.
How long does the camp last?
Each group gets its own plan, so the length is flexible. Most teams stay for about a week or more. Tell us your preferred dates and we will put together a programme.
What is included?
Training with our coaching staff, hotel accommodation, meals, all transfers in modern vans, excursions and a Summer Sea Polo kit for every player. Your quote lists everything in detail.
Can parents come too?
Yes. We organise a separate programme for parents, with hotel accommodation, wine tastings in Istria and day trips. Find out more on the For Parents page.
How do we register?
Send us an enquiry through the contact form. We reply within a few working days with dates, a plan and a quote. Enquiries are free and non-binding.
Team Registrations for the Next Summer Are Open
Spots are limited. Clubs that register early get priority for dates and group placement.