The building, which once housed the «Efxinos Leschi» organisation on Vasilissis Olgas Street, has since 2015 been transformed into PAOK Academy House. It was leased by the club in order to ensure that the team’s young players would have the appropriate accommodation and living conditions for those who have left their families behind to come to Thessaloniki on behalf of PAOK.

These lucky players are all under one roof and all their needs are met. Training programs, nutrition, medical care, school courses, buses to take them to and from the training grounds, and security. All of which are not a given for any youngster in this day and age and should not be taken for granted.

For the 2021-22 season, 45 children are living in the Academy House. Sixteen of those belong to the Under-19 side, 12 to the Under-17s, eight to the Under-16s, four to the Under-15s, plus two who play for the Under-14s and Under-13s. The facility also hosts three players of PAOK’s basketball team.

Grigoris Karavelis, who is in charge of the project, declares himself extremely satisfied and is convinced that the PAOK Academy House will prove an even bigger boost for the club’s young players.

Those who put in the… kilometers

Of course, there are those players who choose not to move to Thessaloniki, and instead prefer to commute for training and for matches. This is either because they are not yet at an age where they want to be separated from the family, or because they can still put in the miles without a problem.

From the Under-17s, there’s Koumenos who travels from Kilkis, Vagionas from Moudania, Kalioglou from Philadelphia, Sovas from Assiros. Kesidis (Under-16s) lives in Prochoma, Vassili of the Under-15s in Kilkis. From the Under-14s, the trip of Kavala – Thessaloniki is made by Tsemalidis, Provatidis and Kaipis, from Drama there’s Avgitidis, from Skydra there’s Minasidis and from Krya Vrysi, Pella there’s Mokris.

In the Under-13s, Kalpakidis and Danidis come and go from Komotini, Aivazoglou from Kavala and Nikolaidis and Kalpakis from Kilkis. In the Under-12s there are two players, Douralis and Avramidis, who travel from Kavala, Tentolouris from Larissa and Anastos from Veria, while for the Under-11s, Geladaris travels from Veria. Finally, in the Under-10s, Grigoriadis travels from Kilkis, Karasteriou from Liti, and for the Under-9s, Matsikopoulos comes and goes from Serres.

Our warmest congratulations to the parents, grandparents, and other relatives who spend so many hours behind the wheel…