Lancers Illustrated 2019-2020

1 Our Mission: ACS Athens is a student-centered international school, embracing American educational philosophy, principles and values. Through excellence in teaching and diverse educational experiences, ACS Athens challenges all students to realize their unique potential: academically, intellectually, socially and ethically - to thrive as responsible global citizens.

ACS Athens Philosophy of Athletics: In accordance with the ACS Athens Mission Statement, the Athletic department’s intent is to provide students with athletic opportunities that will challenge them and will further develop each student’s educational maturity. The athletic program will always be in conformity with the general objectives of the school and at no time will the educational curriculum be placed in a secondary role.

The fundamental principle of sports, particularly competitive athletics, is to augment the education of the young. Athletics should both promote and supplement the regular curriculum at the school. The athletic department’s concern is the personal development of each athlete. It is however necessary for the student who elects to participate in Athletics to understand that he/she is voluntarily making a choice of self-discipline, self-responsibility and commitment.

www.acs.gr

Publisher: ACS Athens Editor/Director of Athletics: Annie Constantinides Co-Editor: Labrini Rontogiannis Photo credits: Vangelis Stolis, Valia Efstathiou, Sevasti Vrakatseli, Elisa Ketter Concept & publication design: Leda Tsoukia Copyright©2019-20. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine (text or images) may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher

Lessons I Learned While Failing

By Dr. Peggy Pelonis, ACS Athens President “Keep your eye on the ball!” are words that ring loud in my mind as I remember my high school athletic career. Though I can’t really call myself an athlete, I did dabble in a variety of sports; basketball, volleyball and tennis being among them. My sport of choice however, was softball… yes, softball. As I pondered joining the Junior Varsity team, I thought ‘piece of cake… SOFT-ball’. Not at all what I expected and the lessons I learned, have been a guiding force in my life.

Two years on the Junior Varsity team was not exactly a record of success according to the jocks of the school. My batting average, barely 300 and showing no signs of improvement, led me to wonder if I really want to try out for Varsity in senior year and risk failure and embarrassment, after all, I had plenty of other activities under my belt; yearbook, school paper, debate and school play. So, I decided to take the easy way out and leave softball to the real athletes, ignoring the first day of tryouts.

My good friend Robert Lyles, at the time the best football player and most popular guy in school, who later went on to play pro football for the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons, walked me right over to the field the next day and said he wouldn’t leave unless I gave it one last shot at tryouts. “Are you more afraid of failing?” he said, “or of succeeding?”. I laughed, brushed off the comment and decided to go through the motions just to make his day, all the while thinking to myself “it’s easy for you to say, you win every time”. The hot Los Angeles sun burned my back as I casually began walking across the field to the batter’s box. About half way there, Robert came running over, “forget it” he said, “You won’t make it”. “What do you mean?” I came back at him slightly annoyed.

2 “I can tell from the way you are walking that you have already made up your mind that you won’t make it, so forget it. Let’s go get pizza”. He said. I turned around, leaving him standing in the middle of the field, and quickly walked over to grab a bat.

Mindset: the beginning of either success or failure.

Everyone is afraid. Going in with fear is ok, but going in with an expectation that the fear will win, allows that to be the focus and everything else to become background noise. Before we know it, that mindset becomes a reality because we convince ourselves that it is what it is and there is no way out. Mindset leads to Attitude: If I’m afraid I’ll fail this leads to a particular kind of attitude. Attitude is about how I treat those around me and in turn how I invite others to treat me. If I’m too busy focused on how much better than me others are, I either let that intimidate me or try to intimidate them. If I go in knowing that I’m better than others, I have to do whatever I can to maintain that position. The stress of being number one allows little time for personal care, and even less time for caring about others. Either way, not the best recipe for either personal or team success.

Focus: the ability to block out everything else and keep your eye on the goal. Focus prioritizes, keeps us from being distracted and moves us in the direction we intend to go one step at a time.

The pitcher’s sly smile as I missed my first batting attempt distracted me, making my confidence wane further. Coming back to reality as the coach shouted, very loudly I might add, “keep your eye on the ball Pelonis”, I took another shot. I missed. I could see Robert from the corner of my eye shaking his head, while I imagined my teammates silently laughing or quietly fearing my failure in senior year. I took a deep breath, stepped to the side, took another deep breath and made a decision: “it’s now or never”; “I will never have this chance again. I will be graduating in a few month, will probably never see most of my teammates again, but I can walk away knowing that I gave it my best shot or leave the field now acting like I don’t care and appear somewhat cool”.

The COVID-19 experience found us casually walking through our daily routines and disrupted all that was ‘normal’. Everything that we were successfully doing, up to that moment, was now history. We chose to pivot and to create a new ‘normal’ by teaching and learning on an online platform. As we move from the initial shock of our status quo being disrupted, throwing us into the depths of chaos; what will happen? How long will this last? Will life ever be normal again? We, the ACS Athens community,

moved forward with a positive mindset that led to becoming more open-minded about teaching and learning; and guess what? Everyone rose to the occasion. Why? Because we were prepared to change, even towards the unknown. Though the road ahead seems uncertain, it’s the values and beliefs that we share as a community that have preserved our bond and strengthened our convictions that we must keep our ‘eye on the ball’; that the students are the center of the educational institution. This means that every decision we make, every direction that we go, every methodology we perfect, we do so with the end goal of preparing independent learners, capable of navigating unchartered waters and developing conscious global citizenship.

The third time I hit a homerun. My teammates cheered, my coach gave me a pat on the back and I could see Robert’s wide smile from afar. Yet, the initial euphoria quickly subsided as I thought about what lies ahead. I quickly hid the anxiety from everyone around me. I made Varsity but now I would be playing with the “pros”; the ones who hit homeruns all the time. I knew then what Robert’s words meant and it was precisely this fear that eventually kept me on the bench for the first part of the season. Plenty of opportunity to observe: I noticed that the coach spoke differently to each player and each responded differently. When she yelled at Jane, Jane worked harder, when she took Mary to the side, Mary tried a different approach, when she whispered in Julies’ ear before a hit, Julie almost always hit every ball, when she followed Sonia to first base after a hit, Sonia made it safely to every base. I realized then the importance of diversity and uniqueness. We really aren’t equal, we are different. But having equal opportunities means that what matters is to provide the platform for everyone to succeed while meeting them where they are and knowing their individual needs.

The Coaches’ attention to individual differences and caring enough to pay attention was priceless. The coaches at ACS Athens care enough to pay attention every single day.

Ultimately I did play and we won some and lost some.

Overall, the season was a success and trophies were handed out, banquets took place and parents were proud. But if you ask me today, I can’t recall how many games we won or how many we lost, how many hits I missed and how many homeruns I made. What I do recall however is the moment that I kept my ‘eye on the ball’ and I remind myself to do just that ever since.

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ACS Athens Athletics “10 Commandments” • Never underestimate your opponent.

• Work on your weaknesses until they become your strong points.

• Remember that a great effort is usually the result of great attitude.

• Win with humility, lose with grace.

• Ignore those who discourage you.

• Remember that how you conduct yourself off the field is just as important as how you conduct yourself on the field.

• Talent is God-given – be humble. Fame is man-given – be thankful. Conceit is self-given – be careful.

• Don’t ask to be deprived of tension and discipline- these are the tools that shape success.

• Do what has to be done, when it has to has to be done, and as well as it can be done.

• Always give your best!

EFFORT RESPECT DISCIPLINE MOTIVATION SPORTSMANSHIP PRIDE

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Welcome!

A year to remember... and a year to reflect!

By Annie Constantinides, Director of Athletics The 2019-2020 academic year will be embedded in our memory for a long time; I am not even sure that it will be forgotten at any given time in the future!

The year started very promisingly, particularly for the sports teams, as there were high expectations for our student-athletes performances based on last year’s accomplishments. However, the fall season had a few unexpected surprises for our school.

Our community was called to come to terms with the sudden loss of our school president for 15 years, the late Stefanos Gialamas, as well the loss of the Dean of Academics and the Institute, a mentor colleague of many years, the late Steve Medeiros. The entire ACS Athens community, students, faculty, administration and parents had to find the strength and unity to grasp and manage these events, emotionally as individuals but also operationally as a school community. Both Dr. G and Mr. M had touched so many individuals: students, faculty and staff, parents, and many members of our educational community locally as well as internationally. Both of them left behind their own mark and legacy that the new school President, Dr. Peggy Pelonis, has vowed to continue and capitalize on, as the school is clearly on a new path to Excellence in the years to come.

As life went on and the daily routines of students and faculty were slowly but surely coming back, 2020 was not very kind either! The COVID-19 pandemic affected the globe and of course our own community, ACS Athens. With the announcement of the school closure in early March, classes continued “virtually,” students and

faculty had to quickly adjust to full online operation and the initial uncertainty gave its place to new initiatives and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. However, for a great number of studentathletes, school closure meant the end to all athletic competitions: the winter season (basketball and swimming) did not finish being two weeks away from the ISST Championships, and the spring season student-athletes did not get a chance to practice and compete.

A promising sports year ended with many events and tournaments being canceled and many, if not all of our seniors particularly, were left without the satisfaction of competition. Although efforts were made to find solutions, the depth and severity of the pandemic situation did not allow for any other options.

Through my personal experience I have learned that from difficult situations and particularly when those are out of one’s control, one must not dwell on the issue (s) but rather learn to deal with it, attempt to understand matters at hand, cherish what has already been experienced, and move on. I also believe that there always is a “bigger picture” out there; and in the most recent case, the “bigger s t u d e n t a t h • l e t e picture” was the [stood•nt ath•leet] importance of public health noun 1 a person whose road to and how health athletic greatness is not marked is important by perfection, but the ability to individually constantly overcome adversity and as well as failure collectively; the rest is just trivial.

Student-athletes learn through the years to be motivated, to focus, to work hard, and to persevere through all and any mishaps that come their way. Every unfortunate incident can be a learning experience; an experience through which student-athletes become wiser and stronger.

To all our returning athletes, I hope that you will return with great enthusiasm and energy so that perhaps we can all continue where we left off; to our departing seniors, I hope that you will leave keeping the great memories that each one of you created! Cherish those memories since as you witnessed first hand, life can certainly throw you some unexpected “curve balls”!

BE POSITIVE - STAY SAFE EVERYONE!

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INTRODUCING THE ACS ATHENS COMPETITIVE TEAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY

HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY

JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER

VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER

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JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS SOCCER

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER

JUNIOR VARSITYGIRLS GIRLSVOLLEYBALL VOLLEYBALL JUNIOR VARSITY

VARSITY VARSITY GIRLS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL VOLLEYBALL

JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS VOLLEYBALL

VARSITY BOYS VOLLEYBALL

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MIDDLE SCHOOL SWIMMING

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL

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“THE LESSON”

By Ilias Karapiperis, Varsity Boys Soccer Coach

W

hat an incredible season…and what lessons were learned!

A young and talented team, consisting mostly of returning players, started off the fall season with one thing in mind: a commitment to place first on home turf during the end of season ISST tournament. Marked from the previous year’s relegation to Division 2, the boys considered no other option.

Despite their deep seeded commitment, the team struggled to attend practice and put their work ethic in practice. Was it academic pressure? Was it over confidence? Was it a deep-rooted belief that rising up to the occasion

when the rubber hits the road will make the day?

Was it a misleading sense that Division 2 was a level we could easily conquer?

There is no clear answer but the lesson was beginning to form…

What can certainly be stated is that this team came in two absolutely different versions. Version one was that of a team confident that an ISST win was in their grasp, but failing to show the promising signs in regular season matches.

Version two was a team struggling to work together, and show consistency on and off the pitch. The lesson was materializing…

But on day one of the tournament, something magical happened. During

our pre-game team lunch, and while driving to the pitch, my assistant coach and I felt an energy we had never encountered before.

We were staring at a group of absolutely focused and determined young men, with fire in their eyes and united as a fist. A second version was born, one with a common faith. Match after match, this faith grew as we got closer and closer to our goal. In my 20 years of professional coaching, I can only remember one other occasion where I had such a deep sense of certainty about the winning outcome of a tournament. But instead of a triumphant end, soccer had a major lesson to offer us. One detail; one goal conceived due to a lack of focus and consistency in a moment no one expected, changed everything. Suddenly we were in 3rd place, and in a state of shock. But the lesson was clear, and it was probably a more valuable gift to all of us than that passionately desired promotion. After all, school

sports are about learning and evolving in ways you will find useful in all of your future life endeavors.

Mrs. Annie Constantinides, our Director of Athletics, put it in the best suitable words in our end of season meeting: “At the end of the day and in the decisive moments, you will end up playing only as well as you have practiced…” Lesson learned.

I would like to congratulate my players for everything they have achieved and learned during the last two seasons; most of all, for consistently demonstrating high levels of sportsmanship. Finally, from the bottom of my heart, I wish to share my deep feeling of gratitude for cooperating with Coach Paspalidis and Coach Mikros. There is nothing more enjoyable than being on the same journey with people who share common core values and the ultimate passion for the game.

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HUNGER

By Angelos Dimitropoulos, Volleyball & Basketball Coach

H

unger: “a strong desire or craving for something.”

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Hunger.

In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary.

Throughout the years I have been working as a teacher and coach, I have come across a variety of student-athletes, at different age levels and with a wide range of skills.

While some pursued their passion for sports in their post secondary education, others unfortunately faded out. Physical education teachers and sport professionals very often use the word “talented” to describe the very best, and prospective performers. Talent is defined as “having a natural aptitude or skill”. What the word “talent” cannot describe or foretell, however, is the evolution of the individual, which is usually unpredictable.

There are a few values a “talented” athlete should have in order to reach his/ her full potential.

1. Have tremendous desire for achieving a goal

2. Have determination

3. Show constant dedication and discipline 4. High Commitment 5. Enthusiasm 6. Mental Toughness 7. Goal setting and preparation

Most of all, in order to become a winning athlete, one should feel hunger; a hunger for success.

A coach’s job (besides being an instructor, friend, mentor, facilitator, chauffeur, supporter etc.) is to demonstrate skills, to motivate and inspire young athletes and help develop their full potential. A hungry athlete has to stick it out, work hard and have the desire to succeed more than anything. Hunger usually generates excitement and enthusiasm and is often more important than talent;

it’s the desire to succeed more than anything. Talented athletes do not stand a chance against the hungry ones. It is a fact that many successful athletes are no more talented than unsuccessful ones.

So how can one gain hunger for success? Get some drive; we all have an inner power.

Create a positive mindset; you do not want to give up on whatever dream you are going after.

+ “I work because I’m hungry.

I’m hungry because I have goals. Those goals are based on my dreams and my dreams will soon become my reality.”

Anonymous

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BONDING Ghalia Burgan & Maria Christodoulou, 12th Grade Student Athletes, Varsity Girls Soccer

“A

thing used to tie something or to fasten things together”, Merriam Webster Dictionary.

A word accurately describing this team. A team consisting of girls from ages fourteen to eighteen; freshmen to seniors. A team consisting of girls at different levels and with varying abilities.

This is this year’s Varsity girls soccer team and

the “thing” fastening us together was the feeling of family.

From a young age, we were all raised valuing and adhering to the meaning of being a family. Practices were never dull; every girl was at every practice working together, training hard and talking it out - like a family. Although we had to stay focused and on-track, we would occasionally end up in a circle on the field chatting - like a family. For two and a half months,

seventeen girls had the ability to become a big family. Despite experiencing multiple injuries and losses, we learned to be there to support and encourage one another like a family. We realized that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and therefore, we constantly strived to surpass our own expectations, and capabilities, making us stronger and more bonded every day. Another key and significant lesson, was that everyone on the team, regardless of their age, or soccer abilities, had the opportunity to use their voice, and share their ideas. It wasn’t unusual to see the more experienced players, taking time out of their practicing, to help the ones who were in need of extra support, and coach-

ing like a family.

The majority of this season was dedicated towards the ISST Tournament in Brussels, through our hard work during morning and afternoon practices, as well as local games. Regardless of the outcome in the tournament, the experiences and memories we acquired this season were much stronger than any loss we faced as a team.

We bonded as a family and lived through the journey together; after all, it was not only about going to Ithaka, but the journey to get there, and for sure it was a great ride!

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EXCITEMENT

By Ria Pateraki, Junior Varsity Girls Basketball Coach

“G

et excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire - you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.” - Denis Waitley The 2019-2020 JV Girls Basketball team consisted mostly of girls who were new to the team and to the sport. The beginning of the season was challenging, but as with every new learning experience, the players had the excitement and eagerness to improve and become a whole.

Our first practices were hard for most of the players as we were under the process of getting to know each other, while learning basketball fundamentals and rules. The team responded well and showed the expected progress over time. All players were willing to enrich their knowledge and were happy to take home any provided basketball notes and athletic related “tips”.

Through excitement and enthusiasm, our team was getting ready for the next steps of our season and

the upcoming games.

Going to our first game was a new experience for the majority of the team.

The players were nervous but at the same time they could not wait to play and compete. During all of our games, the team showed high levels of energy and passion and wanted to win no matter what. They were all fighting and giving their best despite the lack of experience. Cheering for each other and being ready to get in the game was impressive for such a young team. They were all enjoying being part of this team and playing together.

Throughout the season, more and more girls were getting excited about basketball. Many of them had been members of other athletic teams of the school or teams outside of the school, but displayed much eagerness for this new opportunity to play a different sport. Some girls would practice on their own to improve their skills, many would come to me with new questions about the game and others would ask to shoot more or play more after the end of our practices. Watching their will, excitement and love for the sport was very

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The end of an era

By George Soukakos, 12th Grade Student-Athlete, Varsity Boys Basketball

I

t all began in March of 2019, when we had just won our second consecutive, ISST championship. We were filled with emotions as we celebrated; joy and triumph. However, in that moment, we knew that next year would not be the same, seeing as half of the team would graduate in the summer and head off to university. The family of basketball players that was being built over the past two years was slowly starting to go its separate ways.

With seven returning players, four of which had been playing together since Junior Varsity, the bond between us was strong. Excited to head into our senior year, our excitement grew as Coach Annie informed us that the 2020 ISST championship would be hosted by our school. This was truly a dream come true – to play our last ISSTs in front of a home crowd.

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As the school year began, our anticipation for the basketball season grew. In late October, however, the passing of our beloved school president, Dr. Gialamas, shook the entire school. This broke the hearts of the entire ACS Athens community and educational communities across the globe. His passing was something we would not forget and it soon became one more motivation to achieve everything – for him.

November finally came and the team was assembled. The team that was formed reminded me of my first year on the varsity team, when I was just a freshman. That year, we too were hosting the ISSTs. In that moment, the 2020 Boys Varsity team knew that, and we all knew that we had a lot of work to do in order to achieve our goals.

From the very first practice, the seniors and coach worked hard to help the newcomers acclimatize and become familiar with the spirit and philosophy of our team, something which would not prove to be easy. When our first tournament came around, the Holiday Tournament, we knew that it was going to be a big test, since we were up against good teams, while not having

had many practices together. Despite the third place outcome, we knew we had to work much harder in order to win the Youth Tournament.

Weeks later in February, after three very competitive days, we won the Youth Tournament, having come back from a loss the previous year, and managed to achieve the first of our two goals.

The Youth tournament also brought many individual successes. Manolis and I were selected in the All-Tournament team, while Petros won the Skills Challenge.

However, it wasn’t the personal accolades that mattered, as I believe that throughout the Youth Tournament we played the most united we had ever played, putting aside personal egos and giving everything for the team.

Despite the big win, we knew that we had one more tournament to win, and so our focus shifted to the ISST Tournament.

Then, all of a sudden, news of the pandemic (Covid-19) which had started in China in the fall, had now started spreading to Europe. It was not of the scale that it grew the weeks that followed, but it could still pose a threat to the ISST competition, however, that is something we did not even want to

think about. Winning the ISSTs in front of our home crowd as seniors was something we had dreamed of since we joined the Varsity team.

The following week, Coach Annie held a meeting to inform us that after communicating with the other schools and ISST organization, all tournaments would be cancelled.

This broke our hearts and brought us to tears, as our dream of celebrating the ISSTs for the third time in a row, this time in Athens, was shattered. We were then left with the Local Tournament, which was eventually also cancelled.

What could have been the most memorable and successful season ever, suddenly turned into a bitter one. Coach Annie and us seniors were at a loss for words and could only think of what could have been, but wasn’t.

Our younger teammates tried consoling us, but this sadness could not be suppressed.

Looking back at our short season, I realize how many hurdles we had to overcome as a team; from the passing of Dr. Gialamas, to the early season defeats, to the cancelling of the ISSTs. We managed however to get passed everything, and we came out stronger. Some things broke our hearts, others made us cry, but united we emerged and for all I

know we could overcome anything. I also believe that we set a precedent and passed down to the next generation of Varsity players the mindset of a winning mentality and the team philosophy we had developed over the past three years which allowed us to be so successful and so resilient.

Closing off, I just want to express my gratitude to every person that was involved in the journey of the past four years; from coaches to teammates, who allowed us through hard work, discipline and love for the game of basketball to transform from boys to young men.

We managed to succeed at all levels and surpass all expectations, even our own. All I know is that no matter how many years go by, we will always be bonded by this team and our achievements, and we will forever be champions and, above all, brothers.

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BUILDING RESILIENCE, in the Face of Adversity

By Chris Kourtis, Middle School Tennis Coach

H

ow can a lost season make us stronger and more determined?

2020 will be a landmark in our future, a year that we will all remember and reminisce about when talking with our family, friends, students and colleagues. Stories that we will tell our kids and grandkids, when they ask us what really happened, and how we coped in a situation that no one has ever experienced.

ACS Athens was hit by adversity multiple times this academic year. In October, we lost our beloved President and leader of our institution Dr. Gialamas. In November, an inspirational educator and mentor, Steve Medeiros, passed away. In March, we experienced our first ever school closing due to a pandemic; Covid-19. In the midst of all this, our

spring season was canceled, leaving coaches and students with a void in their hearts.

We had to learn how to cope without our favorite routines: practices, team travels, team dinners, and meeting with student-athletes friends from around Athens and Europe. Until humanity would heal, we had to forsake our social nature, work individually but collectively, stay focused on our goals, as well as stay fit for the next time we would meet. The anticipation of the last season of the year, the promises we gave each other on the court the last time we met, the thrill of the tryouts and the weird feeling the night before, all the dreams of competition, goal setting and acknowledgement, all were put on hold.

We had to learn how to build resilience in the face of adversity.

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Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity. On its own, this statement includes profound personal growth.

How do we learn to build resilience? By accepting situations we cannot control and focusing on the aspects that we can, by being able to see the important things, the things that matter the most in our lives, by setting attainable goals and doing our best to reach them no matter the difficulties that come our way. According to the American Psychological Association, building resilience is like building a muscle; it takes time and needs intentionality. Staying connected, investing in our wellness, embracing change, seeking and giving help is the pathway to build our resilience.

As a coach and especially

an individual sport coach, my primary target always is to motivate student-athletes to look at the bigger picture. Tennis players need to distinguish the good of their team, within their individual performance, to focus on the common goal, and to identify positive patterns through failure.

Our current state is the best lesson that can be taught to young adolescent students about resilience, about learning through failures, and growing through hardships. This is the best example of working together for a common cause and for all of us to be able to bounce back.

Our season is lost, but I am confident that we will renew our promises, that we will work harder than ever before to reach our goals. The courts will be waiting for us for as

long as it takes to return healthy and more determined to play. And of course, to try on our new ACS Athens tennis outfits.

Until we meet again‌ “It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoymentâ€?

Bram Stoker

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Dream “big”

By Ornela Muca, 12th Grade Student-Athlete, Varsity Girls Basketball

I

f you had asked me a couple of years ago where I would see myself in the years ahead, I would probably have responded “at home or on the basketball court.” Looking back now, never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that I would be here today - attending an American high school, advancing in my basketball career and packing my bags to attend the University of California.

Things like this never happened to my family. Though I was born and raised in Greece, my parents are of Albanian descent, and growing up, they had faced

difficult times. When they moved to Greece and eventually created a family, they worked countless hours in order to provide for us.

Nothing was ever given to them - everything they had, they worked for. When I was younger, I was never able to really see all the sacrifices they made, but today, it is my parents’ hard work and dedication that I look up to the most. Every night, I prayed to grow up and find a way to give back to my parents - something that would bring them joy, happiness and relief.

My prayers were finally answered at age 14, when I got a call that would change

my life forever. It was the day that I found out that I had received the three year “Hasib Sabbagh & Diana Tamari Sabbagh” scholarship to ACS Athens based on my academic and athletic qualifications. I remember the adrenaline rushing through my body - I had finally made it. I started attending ACS in 10th grade, and though I was initially afraid and worried that my English would never be good enough to keep up, I was instantly embraced and welcomed by the ACS community. Dr. Gialamas and Ms. Constantinides stood by my side from day one, making themselves available at all times, and always asking me how I was keeping up. Everyone was always so nice to me, that at times I felt like I was living a dream. People like Mr. Dimitropoulos and Mr. Kalogridakis helped me integrate, guiding me through both the athletic

and academic aspects of ACS Athens. My teachers all knew where I had come from, they knew my background and my story, and though they always pushed me to greater heights, they never made me feel pressured. They gave me my space and time, and it is due to them that I was able to balance athletics and academics. Some days, I wouldn’t get home until late at night. Overlapping and repeated practices and gym time, left me tired and worn out. There were days when I felt like the world was collapsing under my feet, but even on those days, people at ACS Athens made me feel better and always offered to help me out. Besides the adults, the student body of ACS was also a huge part of my journey. They never made me feel like an outsider, and they never treated me any differently.

They were always there to help me whether it was by

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+ “Ornela is an explosive guard with deep range. She is a slasher who can find her way to the paint and make plays. Her international experience gives her a craftiness that will make her hard to guard here in the states. Most importantly, Ornela brings leadership skills that will help our program continue to grow. And she fully understands the meaning of a Cal degree and constantly shows gratitude and appreciation for being a part of our program. We can’t wait until she arrives in Berkeley”.

Charmin Smith Head Coach, Women’s Basketball University of California, Berkeley

offering to explain a lesson to me in class or by cheering me on from the bleachers during an important game.

With the beginning of my first season on the ACS Athens basketball team, I immediately realized that coming to this school was the biggest blessing I had received. The team pushed me to be the best I can be, motivated me to work harder, and believed in me at times when not even I

believed in myself. In that team, I found a second family, for which I am forever grateful. Along with the help of Dr. Kaburakis, I was able to bring my version of the “American Dream” to life. He reached out to me, stood beside me throughout my years at ACS Athens and always pushed me to go the extra mile, put in the extra workout and even send out that extra college application. With personal dedication and loyalty, my support system within the

school, along with the help of the University basketball coaching staff, I would not have been able to go home to my parents holding an acceptance letter from the University of California, Berkeley.

I want to thank everyone who has been part of my journey here at ACS Athens, for giving me the opportunity to make my dreams come true. I am eternally grateful to all the people who saw something in me and stood

by me these past years. To my friends, my parents, my mentors, my teachers, my coaches and everyone who was a part of everything I have been able to do, it is because of you that I am where I am today. If there is one thing I hope you can take away from my story, it is that hard work always pays off and you never know when you’ll get that call that will change your life forever.

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becoming champions

By Justin Cramer, Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Coach

A

fter winning the 1994 NBA championship in improbable fashion - during an on the court post-game interview head coach of the Houston Rockets, Rudy Tomjanovich famously said about his team, “…don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion”. I distinctly recall watching that championship and seeing that post game interview as a child and that phrase has always stuck out to me. I have heard other coaches quote it when talking about their teams. I have even used the phrase as a coach myself, despite not fully understanding its meaning. What comes first, the heart or the champion? Does having the heart of a champion require challenges or adversity?

I have had the privilege of coaching many good teams in my career. Some of those teams were fortunate to win championships, but no team showed me what the heart of a champion meant more than 2019-2020 Junior Varsity ACS Lancers – champions of the local boys’ junior varsity tournament.

The success of the team was due to three factors. First, each member of the team bought into their roles.

This was a new team, with only two returning players from the previous season.

Because of this, roles could be clearly defined. Some players were asked to score, some were asked box out and rebound, and some players asked to play great defense. No role was more important than the other.

The buy-in was evident from the first game, a game that many of our players doubted we could win. St. Catherine’s players won the eye test, but we won the game and we would not have done it without each player filling their role.

From there, our confidence increased, and our championship hearts began to grow.

The second factor was the coachability of the team.

Each practice I demanded two things – get better and enjoy the process. I pushed the team not only to play the game, but to think about the game. We watched college and professional games together during

lunch, looking at how good teams rotate defensively and applied those rotations in practice. Kids were given homework to diagram plays and defenses. We competed against each other, with the losing team running. Each day we became better individual players and better as a team. Our championship hearts continued to grow.

The third factor was a laser like focus on our goal. We talked about how all the games before the tournament, didn’t matter. Our goal was to win 1st place and it was going to take winning three games in one day to do it. The morning

of the tournament I had a good feeling, not because I thought we were better, but because I knew that we had worked harder in our roles than the other teams.

There was some adversity in the tournament, a bloody nose for our point guard, a huge lead blown, a severely jammed finger for a key player, and foul trouble for our post players. But, with our goal in mind were able to overcome these obstacles and won each of the games by double digits, including the championship. Our goal was met, and our hearts were full. This team exemplified the heart of a champion.

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The Concept of Housing

By Valia Efstathiou, Athletic Programs & Events Coordinator

E

very year our school hosts a number of local and international events. It is always a special case, when ACS Athens hosts an ISST (International School Sports Tournament) or SCIS (Sports Council of International Schools) event, as these tournaments involve the hosting of all visiting athletes by our school’s community. This can be a very positive and rewarding experience for our students and their families and at the same time be very challenging for the Athletic Department to find the

homes taking into consideration special parameters in regards to operations and organization.

How does housing work? It has become a requirement that all ACS Athens athletes host a minimum of 2 students for two nights during the days of competition.

Likewise, when our athletes travel abroad for competition, they are housed by the host school’s community. It is a “give and take” situation with great advantages for both parties. The most obvious advantage is the minimization of travel costs but the most important

advantage has to do with the creation of personal international connections that may result in long lasting friendships through sports.

Visiting athletes come from different countries and backgrounds, which automatically creates an international network of students, similar to a mini cultural exchange program.

There are many cases, when ACS Athens students come to the Athletic Office to request specific visiting athletes, that they have met in previous years through the “housing experience.”

There are also cases when families with non ACS Athens athletes, request to house, just because they love the idea of living this international experience.

If you are an ACS Athens parent, and haven’t tried this experience yet, why not give it a try in our next housing event? You will love it!

Statement from ACS Athens Parent, Mrs. Elisa Ketter: For the last few years we’ve been opening our home to international student athletes.

Being a host family to middle school and high school students has been a rewarding experience for our family.

Each time we’ve hosted it’s been fun and worthwhile.

We pick up the students at ACS Athens and get to know more about them at dinner. We have shared our love of Greece by taking some athletes to the Acropolis and our favorite local taverna. In addition, the students have been thrilled to get to spend time with our two dogs.

We are lucky to have this experience warmly reciprocated. Our daughter, Kaya, has been hosted in Hungary, Belgium, and Germany.

Kaya said, “It’s a positive experience that brings friendly competition.”

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Sports Shoes Recycling Project

By Stella Argentopoulos and Nestor McDonald, ACS Athens Athletic Council

“D

onating shoes fo vulnerable children fulfills such a basic need that is hard for them to meet in any other capacity”, Rachel Wallis For yet another year, the members of the 2019-2020 Athletic Council in collaboration with the Athletic Department initiated the annual “Sports Shoes Recycling Project” that has become a tradition at our school. The Athletic Council believes that through the “language” of sports, individuals of all ages can communicate and connect, no matter the circumstances. Therefore, as an athletic community, we strive to give back by offering to less fortunate individuals the opportunity to exercise and play sports.

Thus the “Sports Shoes Recycling Project” was created in collaboration with the NGO “Institute of the

World”, to encourage the ACS Athens Community to donate sports shoes in good condition that are no longer in use.

Hosting a shoe drive is a fun and meaningful way to serve those in need. Shoe drives create teachable moments for families by giving them the opportunity to discuss poverty in a way that’s relatable to their children.

Students understand the idea that some children may not have shoes, and realize the importance of helping and taking action. Picking out a pair of shoes becomes a very personal experience.

The shoes and the warm memories hidden within each shoe are a small way to show the greatness that lies within human relationships.

Furthermore, shoe drives are a great way to build community. They mean so much more than just dropping off shoes into a box. The noticeable locations around campus,

where shoes can be dropped off, become points of social life as well. Each corner of the school containing a box filled with shoes, is a part of a larger embodiment that supports hope and joy for many individuals. By joining a community in which giving back has an important value, children can grow and develop a different mindset.

As students, we have realized how fortunate we are to be able to participate in so many different sports and

to experience all that comes with them; happiness, joy, disappointment (that only fuels determination), close bonds, friendships and limitless memories. We want to give back to the best of our ability to individuals in hardships, to make them feel the same and experience the exhilaration that comes by playing sports;

this is a way to “escape” that only sports can provide.

We want to give refugee children the opportunity to live according to their age standards by encouraging them to run and play sports.

Many times, we realize that things we may take for granted, such as an old pair of sports shoes that is still in a good condition, can mean the world to another individual. Therefore, this year, the athletic council wanted to raise as much awareness as possible and encourage the broader

ACS Athens Community to help by giving back. We also wanted to extend our project internationally, by asking other international schools that would participate in competitions hosted

by ACS Athens, to contribute by donating used and in good condition sports shoes. Unfortunately, due

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to the pandemic (Covid-19), the majority of these sports events did not take place.

Nevertheless, in January, during the High School SCIS Swimming Competition that was hosted by ACS Athens, the American School of Warsaw joined our cause by donating 36 pairs of sports shoes! The entire ACS Athens Community would like thank the participating families for being part of this project!

Overall we are very thrilled to announce that in just two months we were able to collect approximately 200 pairs of used and in good condition sports shoes. As an athletic community, we would like to thank all the families that participated, and we hope that next year we will be able to expand our project even more.

Join the movement!

Thank you american school of warsAw for your generous contribution

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Preparing for the Future

By Nicolas Filippou, Junior Varsity Boys Soccer Team Captain

A

nother season is over and what an incredible one it has been! When the season started in September I would never have thought that we would do so well. We had our share of successes but we also had a few anxious moments; it was just the beginning of the season and we did not know what to expect from our team.

The 2019 Junior Varsity Boys Soccer team started off the season with a 2-0 win streak. This may not sound too extravagant, but for us it was a big deal as we have not won the season’s first games in a long time. These victories showed the determination and dedication that all players had to our team.

Furthermore, at the Local Tournament that took place at St. Catherine’s, our team played really well and managed to win third place, showing its talent and potential.

Although we felt a little disappointed, as we could have probably made it to the final game of the tour-

nament, we all knew that this experience was a lesson for all of us. One of the greatest things about Soccer is that there’s always room for improvement; we can all work harder and improve our skills. When every player gives his best, the results can be amazing.

I would like to thank our coach, Mr. Mikros, our Athletic Director, Ms. Constantinides and the Athletic Department staff.

We really appreciate all you do for us, and we could not have gotten this far without you. Moreover, I would like to thank my teammates for showing up at every practice, no matter the circumstances.

It has been an honor and a privilege for me to be the captain of such a group of student-athletes. There is a saying “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but how you play the game” and our team knew how to play the game well! The future is bright for the next Junior Varsity teams and I cannot wait to hear about their success.

Go Lancers!

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TEAMWORK

By Orestis Charachousis, Middle School Swimming Coach

T

his year was, yet again, another successful year for our middle school swim team despite the numerous challenges we went through!

We all started the season very excited for what was about to follow. We set some short term and long term goals and we planned our practices accordingly.

The challenges were there to make us better and build our teamwork spirit, which was one of our main goals.

From day one we tried to pass on to our swimmers the importance of teamwork. Although swimming is an individual sport and most of our athletes were young and with diverse personalities, they seemed to bond as a team after the first few practices. Furthermore, they managed to help, support and grow from each other in many aspects.

Another goal of our team was to make every single student-athlete improve and reach his/her best individual capabilities. Our team’s trip to Basel for the SCIS Swimming Competition was a great experience for all of us despite the stressful moments we and

the athletes had before the race. These student-athletes exceeded our expectations as coaches and made us proud in terms of both performance and behavior.

The end of the season was not as expected, since the last Swimming Competition got cancelled.

The Athletic Department in collaboration with the Swimming Coaches organised an internal mini Swimming Tournament for our swimmers, which gave them a bittersweet taste for the end of this season.

This meet was a success as all swimmers enjoyed the competition and a lot of them broke their personal records.

We, as Coaches, would like to thank our athletes for this amazing journey and we are looking forward to coaching the ACS Athens Swim Team in the upcoming years!

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS Fall Season JV Boys Volleyball:

1st Place

in local tournament at St. Lawrence

Varsity Girls Volleyball:

3rd Place

in local tournament at ISA Participation in ISST Event in Cobham, England

Varsity Boys Volleyball:

2nd Place

in local tournament at ACS Athens Participation in ISST Event in Frankfurt, Germany

JV Boys Soccer:

3rd Place

in local tournament at St. Catherines

Varsity Girls Soccer:

3rd Place

in local tournament at ACS Athens Participation in ISST Event in Brussels, Belgium

Varsity Boys Soccer: ISST Division 2 hosted

by ACS Athens:

3rd Place

Cross Country:

Participation in ISST Event in Zurich, Switzerland

Athletic Council Students

+

Argentopoulos, Stella Bitsikas, Marianthi Chitou, Iliana Ghoneim, Raneem Heliou Le Heux, Emmanuel Katsarou, Chrysonoe Kouroupos, Francesca Laitinen, William

Macdonald, Nestor Martinou, Ann Marie Muca, Ornela Naoum, Nefeli Pliakas, Georgios Soukakos, Georgios Soulanticas, Euthymia Taiganides, Nikolaos

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Winter Season (not completed) Middle School Swimming:

JV Boys Basketball:

1st Place

in local tournament at ACS Athens

Varsity Boys Basketball:

1st Place

2nd Place

in International Youth Basketball Tournament at ACS Athens

High School Swimming:

Varsity Girls Basketball:

2nd Place

in International Youth Basketball Tournament at ACS Athens

SCIS Event in Basel: Boys Category:

SCIS Event in Athens: Boys Category: Girls Category:

3rd Place

2nd Place

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Coaches in action ANNIE COnstantinides

RIA PATERAKI

ANGELOS Dimitropoulos

VASSILIS MIKROS JUStin cramer

ILIAS KARAPIPERIS

niki dimitropoulou

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LABRINI RONTOGIANNIS

ALEXANDRA KOMNOU

MARIE GORACK athanasia kotsiani

NICK NAOUM Stavros tsichlas

ORESTIS CHARACHOUSIS

DIONYSIS papadakis

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SPECIAL EVENTS 2019-2020

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ISST BOYS SOCCER PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS 1. American School of the Hague 2. St. John’s International School 3. American International School of Vienna 4. British School of Brussels 5. ACS Athens

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SCIS HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Zurich International School Munich International School American International School of Budapest American International School of Vienna American School of Warsaw InterCommunity School Zurich Frankfurt International School British School of Brussels ACS Athens

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International YOUTH BASKETBALL PARTICIPATING TEAMS Boys’ Teams 1. Uskudar American Academy 2. Veternik 1998 3. Stellazzurra Basketball Academy 4. ACS Athens Girls’ Teams 1. Uskudar American Academy 2. ZKK Duga 3. ZKD Ilirija 4. ACS Athens

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