Ion Milias is a teacher and physical education instructor. A professional athlete and member of the Greek National downhill and waterski team, with international achievements in Balkanian, Medditeranean and European Championships, he continued his carrier as a coach for the Greek (1986-87) and the English (1988) national waterski team. In England he got acquianted with a new for Greece at the time sport, kayaking. A pioneer in Greece, since 1986 he has been organising for his students a great number of skiing, mountaneering and kayaking excursions,as well as summer camps with various activities, in Greece as well as abroad.
Georgis Milias is a chemistry teacher for high school students, with postgraduate studies in France (DEA). Author, he has written books from Kastaniotis publications (Chemistry, Ecology and Biology), and POTAMOS publications as well as novels related to life in nature, education and sports with ANAVASI and HYDROPLANO publications, He has also published numerous articles on scientific, educational and sports topics in scientific publications, magazines, etc. Alongside his scientific activities, Georgis Milias has also been very involved in sports. A former champion and member of the national team in alpine skiing and water skiing, he was very active in mountain sports, specifically mountaineering, ski mountaineering and climbing. He has repeated as well as opened dozens of climbing routes in the Greek mountains and is a graduate climbing coach and mountain guide (EOOA), member of the board of the Hellenic Mountain Guides Association, SEOB. For more details of the CV of G. Milias open the following link: http://tzortzis-milias.miliascamps.gr/
The creators of MILIAS CAMPS and their partners, teachers and experts in outdoor activities, based in their guesthouse MILIAS VILLAGE on the northern slopes of Parnassos, plan and carry out excursions and camps for children and young people, aiming to get in touch with nature through sports , , such as mountain climbing, mountain biking, skiing, climbing, kayaking, archery and others.
Below, Tzortzis and Ion Milias advise and guide us on the ways in which, effortlessly and naturally, we can direct our children's interest in activities that are authentic and they exercise and bring them in contact with the beauty of the mountains and our natural environment (An iInterview from the big Greek newspaper Kathimerini).
"In spring, summer and autumn", says Tzortzis Milias, "we can introduce the mountain to our children by organizing hikes on smooth paths that help us reach a peak, a remote chapel, a meadow, a cave or a spring, specific locations that are the goal of the route and give meaning to our hike. Children should have their own equipment, small backpack, canteen and jacket but nothing more so that they don't have to carry too much weight. Furthermore, they need to feel that we are walking because we like it, without pressure and stress. It is important that when we take children on hiking and trekking excursions we know the area well so that we don't get lost and make them suffer a longer walk than they can handle.
"For winter", adds Ion Milias, "skiing is probably the ideal sport for a child and his first introduction to the snowy mountain. Indeed, on a ski trip, children fully experience the process of getting to know the mountain, the chains on the car tires, the fog and bad weather, the wind that freezes and hurts our face, the sun that burns too much, the frozen hands and feet, and of course the happiness you feel when you slide in the snow on your skis, or even on a small sled. Skiing is a game for children and that's how we should pass it on to them, a game that brings us close to the mountain and makes us love and respect it. The day after tomorrow, those children who have experienced the mountain through such processes will be the first to fight to protect and care for it."
"Finally", adds Giorgis Milias, "the children love climbing and cycling. In complete safety, using ropes and helmets, accompanied by experts, the children can test their strength on artificial climbing walls or on nature and have fun climbing on appropriately selected and safe climbing routes. Lastly, on dirty roads and well-maintained trails, they can get their breath back on their bikes, have fun and improve their technique."