Nikita Zabski, who arrived in Greece as a war refugee from Ukraine, has successfully established a new life there. Recently, he stepped onto the sand at the Ios Futures Beach Pro Tour event in a coaching role, leading the Ukrainian national beach volleyball team.
After living in Greece (Athens and Chania) for seven years, Zabski is well-known in the Greek beach volleyball community. At the Ios event, he wasn`t playing, but instead served as an assistant coach for the Likhatskyi brothers, Ivan and Richard. He took on this role because the team`s primary coach was unable to travel due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Zabski`s extensive knowledge of the Greek beach volleyball environment and local factors, combined with his own journey, provides valuable technical insight and embodies a compelling narrative of strength and the bond between two countries.
Interview with Nikita Zabski:
You are a familiar face on the Greek Beach Volleyball scene. What brings you to Ios this time?
I`ve played in many Greek beach volleyball tournaments over the seven years I`ve lived here in Athens and Chania. For the Ios Beach Pro Tour event, however, I`m here in a different capacity: coaching the Likhatskyi brothers from Ukraine.
How did you take on the role of coach for Ukraine’s national team?
I see myself more as an assistant coach. The players have their main coach back home in Ukraine who guides them effectively. But, as you know, the situation in Ukraine is difficult. Since their coach couldn`t travel, and the federation knew I reside in Greece and could assist the team, they asked me to step in and lend a hand. I know the players well, and I understand the conditions in Greece – the heat, the wind – plus I`m familiar with the four potential Greek opponents they might face. This local knowledge is beneficial.
What kind of support or coaching are you offering in Ios?
My primary advice to them has been to focus their training on quick, short, and accurate passes. I can`t fundamentally change their playing style in a short time, but we study opponents, review videos, and look for ways to gain an extra two or three points per set. At this competitive level, that small difference is crucial. Of course, during a match itself, a beach volleyball coach`s influence is quite limited. In indoor volleyball, a coach can actively direct the game and provide continuous feedback. On the sand… you basically just sit there and joke (laughs).
How did the team perform, especially in the match against Poland?
They performed very well. Naturally, they were disappointed by the outcome – losing games with close scores like 23-21, 29-27 is always difficult. But I was very satisfied with their performance. They played excellently.
“In Ios, everything runs like Swiss clockwork”
Every time I`ve visited Ios, the events have been flawlessly organized. International athletes coming here, even the Ukrainian female players, told me they`ve never experienced such a smoothly run tournament. Here, everything functions with absolute precision, like a Swiss watch. There are truly no issues whatsoever.
“How can you not want to live in the country with Odysseus’ island?”
I initially arrived in Greece following the 2014 conflict in Ukraine. My life had changed significantly, and I decided to discover what living in Southern Europe was like. I already knew about Greece through its history and mythology – I specifically wanted to see Odysseus` island for myself. And I`m really glad I did. Greece offers so many wonderful things and incredible food. I`m uncertain if I`ll remain in Greece permanently, because once you settle here, it becomes difficult to leave. You establish roots. Whether I stay or go is undecided, but one thing is definite: I want to retire here. Greece has transformed me. When I first arrived, I was constantly anxious, always hurrying, living life at high speed. Now, I have become much calmer. It has brought me peace.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood