TIANJIN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- After leading China's women's water polo team to victory at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, 53-year-old Greek coach Theocharis Pavlidis ended his cooperation with the team. However, a phone call from a former player of his drew him back to China again.
Pavlidis has taken up a coaching role with Tianjin's women's water polo team. "I trust Sofia, who has lots of things in common with me about the water polo. She and her team need me," said Pavlidis.
Sofia is the English name of Sun Yating, who participated in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, and was the first Chinese player to join a European water polo club. It was during her time playing for Greek side Olympiacos that Sun formed a deep friendship with her coach Pavlidis.
After Sun retired, she became coach of Tianjin, who once won three consecutive gold medals at China's National Games, but now faces challenges as the players are undergoing generational transition. To get fully-prepared for the next National Games in 2025, Sun sought help from Pavlidis.
Pavlidis came to Tianjin earlier this year and quickly integrated into the city that combines Chinese and Western cultures. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling through its streets.
During training, he pays much attention to this youthful team. "Most of the players are very young. They are lacking in experience," Pavlidis said.
Pavlidis led Olympiacos to multiple European Club Champions League wins, and guided Canada's women's team to fourth place at the 2017 World Championships and second place in the World League.
His coaching experience is rich, but he says there is no secret to leading a team. "If you work hard with persistence, and every day try to be better from the last day, you will have the results."
Pavlidis said the Tianjin girls have to improve their strength in the gym and increase their confrontation in the pool, but otherwise had no other special methods for physical training.
"We have good relationships. They are very polite to listen and to learn, and very disciplined and willing to do my instructions," said Pavlidis.
However, a lack of competition worries him. "Girls in China do not have many chances to take part in big competitions. That's why I think Chinese water polo is not at the highest level of world water polo now," said Pavlidis.
Regarding the long-term development of water polo in China, Pavlidis says the lack of a deep talent pool is a major problem for its development.
"Water polo is not a mass sport in China, and there are very few water polo players. As far as I know, there are only about 300 water polo players in China now, which is not easy to have strong leagues and competitions. However, in Greece, where the population is less than Tianjin, there are 4,000 to 5,000 young water polo players."
Pavlidis added that water polo is developing, and the sport's rules are changing, expressing his hopes that Chinese athletes can be open-minded and adapt to the sport's latest changes and developments. ■