Just call it a working vacation.
The Stanford Junior 18-and-under boys water polo team recently spent two weeks in Europe, but it wasn't all fun and games.
There were games all right - about 12 of them against teams in Germany, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. And a day didn't pass without an early-morning practice filled with drills and an evening of all-out scrimmages.
Not that the Stanford club team complained.
The 23 players - including locals Brian Combs, Tim Kates and Brian Avon of St. Francis High, Brian Henry and Tim Kelsch of Los Altos and Brad Lefkowits, Tyson Dirksen and Dave Swinehart of Gunn - were expecting to sweat.
After all, the trip was designed to better prepare them for next month's Junior Olympics, according to coach Craig Ackley.
"We went there to get some international exposure and to bond as a team," said Ackley, a Mountain View resident.
Combs, who's headed to UC-Davis in the fall, said the players did grow closer.
"We were all friends before and now we're incredibly good friends," Combs said.
While the bonding part of the trip was a success, the international exposure wasn't what the team had expected.
"Water polo is really strong in Europe," the coach said. "So at first, they had us play younger teams figuring we couldn't compete against their best."
When Stanford started beating such opponents, the Europeans decided these Americans weren't so bad after all.
"They started to realize we we're better than they thought we'd be," Ackley said. "That's when they brought in some better teams for us to play. I wish they had done that from the beginning."
When the Stanford players weren't in the pool, they spent their time sightseeing.
"We went everywhere during our free time," Ackley said. "We walked around and took buses and trains to different cities."
Ackley said the highlight of trip - which went from June 24 to July 10 - was visiting Prague, Czechoslovakia.
"It's an incredible city in itself and the facilities were very nice," said Ackley, who organized the trip after contacting coaches throughout Europe.
The voyage apparently agreed with the Stanford team. Upon its return, the team captured the Junior Olympics Qualifying Tournament at De Anza College.
Stanford dominated the July 11-12 competition, winning its five matches by an average of 10 goals. This included a 14-2 spanking of Marin in the finals.
Ackley said he hopes to face better competition at the Junior Nationals, which start July 30 in Marin. The tournament will include some of the top teams in the state and even a few college squads.
This will be Stanford's last tune-up before the Junior Olympics, which go from Aug. 5-9 in Orlando, Fla.
Combs is confident his team will make a splash in Florida.
"I think we'll do well," Combs said. "Our goal is to get to the finals."