🇬🇷SPORTS NEWS🇺🇸

Syncharitiria, Congratulations to Monumental Sports Chair & CEO Ted Leonsis on being named to Sports Business Journal’s inaugural influence 125 List, which recognizes the most influential leaders in shaping the sports industry over the past 25 years. Leonsis owns the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals, WNBA's Washington Mystics, plus e- sports teams and the Capital One Arena. Leonsis ownership across different sports teams has proven to be a model of success.

Leonsis built Monumental Sports Entertainment, a.k.a MSE, into a major force in sports, focusing on community, digital growth and the Business of Happiness- Leonsis has popularized the concept that happiness drives success in business. Thank you, Ted Leonsis, for your leadership as an honoree. You are pushing the sports industry forward and setting the tone for sports industry business excellence. You make all Greek Americans proud when you speak of your humble Hellenic roots. AXIOS!

Arianna Fotopoulos is an 18-year-old senior at Scituate High School in Scituate, Rhode Island, where she is a standout multi-sport athlete and team leader. She has played soccer since the age of three and currently serves as captain and varsity goalkeeper of the girls soccer team. Arianna was a fearless captain, had good hands, and quick footwork as a goalkeeper. Arianna’s hard work and dedication on the field and in the classroom did not go unnoticed. Arianna was named to the 2025-26 Division 2 All-Academic Team which reflects her commitment as a student-athlete.

Arianna also competes at the varsity level as a defender in girls lacrosse and a forward in girls hockey.

As she prepares for graduation, Arianna is exploring college options and looks forward to continuing her athletic career at the collegiate level.

Beyond athletics, Arianna is deeply connected to her Greek Orthodox faith and heritage. She is an active member of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Cranston, RI, and has participated in Metropolis of Boston Summer and Winter camps as well as the Ionian Village Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Camp. She plans to attend the Kosmos Project in the summer of 2026.

Through these experiences, Arianna has developed a strong sense of spiritual growth, cultural pride, and lasting friendships rooted in shared values.

Foti Condakes is a senior two - sport athlete at Xaverian Brothers High School. Foti competed as a member of Xaverian’s Football Team the past two seasons. Xaverian would win back- to-back Division I High School MIAA Football Championships in 2024 &2025. He was proud to hold the Harry Agganis Football “Golden Greek” 2025 Championship D1Trophy. 

Foti is a National Honor Society member and works hard on the field and in the classroom. Foti was also a member of the Boston Sons of Pericles which won the Harry Agganis Basketball Tournament High School Division in 2024 &2025 held at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn, Massachusetts. Foti is very proud of his Greek heritage and his family is from Sparta and Tripoli, Greece. He is looking forward to attending college next fall.

Stratis Anastos has now committed to a Division 1 program to swim at the next level at Monmouth University. He has been an All State swimmer and has broken many school records. He is a scholar athlete, maintaining a 99 average throughout his high school career, earning him leadership roles in NHS, Key Club, the elite New Visions program, Secretary for Dollars for Scholars and several other roles. He has served as an altar boy since he was 5 and leads the dance group at our church. We are extremely proud of him and want to share his journey with you.

Strati attends Maine Endwell High School in NY. His father’s roots are in Sparti and Mother’s roots are from Crete. Strati’s love for his Greek heritage begins with Jesus Christ, to quote a recent essay he wrote “Faith, hard work, and family are the pillars that my life revolves around...I’m a strong believer in my lord and savior Jesus Christ and my devotion to being a Greek Orthodox Christian leads and guides my daily life.” Spending summers in Greece is so important to me to stay connected to my Faith through visiting different monasteries each summer, my culture, language, heritage and where my roots lie.

Ana Toumazatos is from Great Falls,Virginia and a graduate of Langley High School. Ana is currently playing volleyball at James Madison University D1 as a six foot, outside hitter. Greek American Sports staff just acquired Ana’s final statistics for this season.

Ana helped lead the Dukes to a very successful 2025 season as Sunbelt Conference regular season champions. Ana produced right away, finishing the regular season with 305 kills (2.75 per set) the most for a JMU freshman since 2013. She was consistent all season having 10 or more kills in 16 matches. Ana was an 2025 All-Sunbelt Conference Third Team recipient.

Ana also had an outstanding career in high school and received many honors. She led Langley High School to back-to-back Virginia State Championship. Washington Post All-Met Second Team (2024), AVCA All-American (2024), 3x First Team All-Liberty District, 2x First Team All-Region (2024, 2025), 2x First Team Virginia All-State, Team MVP for Virginia Elite Volleyball Club in 2024.

Ana enjoyed competing this year as a freshman in the Sunbelt Conference and is majoring in Health Sciences.

GAS: What part of Greece is your family from we hail from two places in Greece, Kato Achaia, which is near Patras, and the Ionian island of Kefalonia. We are members of Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Virginia.

GAS: How do you feel about your Greek heritage? My Greek heritage is woven into every aspect of my life from my faith, to the name I carry with pride. It’s part of my soul and I consider myself blessed to be an American with a rich Greek heritage.

The Sons of Pericles – Perseus Chapter 322 won the 2025 SOP Thanksgiving Weekend

Basketball Tournament, defeating the Manhasset NY team from Long Island team by 2 points in a tough, down to the wire game. The tournament featured five Sons teams and 3 Maids teams from the NY area. The tournament kicked off on Friday morning and wrapped up on Saturday afternoon. The games were played at the beautiful Archangel Michael gymnasium in Port Washington, NY. The AHEPA Manhasset chapter sponsored jerseys and hosted lunch on both days for all the team members. The tournament was directed by Bill Antonopoulos and Spyro Drenis along with the support from other brothers from the local chapter. The tournament was a double-elimination format that ensured all teams played a minimum of three games. The winning New Rochelle team played their first two games on Friday and returned on Saturday to play two additional games and win the championship. Coach Costa Papademetriou commended the committee for hosting their second annual tournament and bringing the youth together for some good fun and competition.

Costa Papademetriou National AHEPA Basketball Director spoke with GAS, “We need to continue to build on this tournament and bring more sons and maids teams together to participate in a great weekend of basketball.”

The New Rochelle Champions Roster from left to right: Coach Costa Papademetriou, Marcus Papademetriou, Johnny Papademetriou, Alexander Papademetriou, Luke Papadopoulos, Luca Jakic, Phil Vlandis, Spencer Vlandis, Alex Vlandis, Zachary Papademetriou, and Assistant Coach George Papademetriou.

Every Kuriakee ON AIR WNTN Grecian Echoes WNTN1550AM from Boston “The Athens of America” The one and only Greek-American Sports show “THE BENCHWARMERS” Hosted by Greek radio legend Ted Demetriades, Bill Galatis, Nick Ypsilantis, and Nick Markopoulos.

Greek Hoop Scoop- Check out Greek Hoop Scoop an amazing Facebook site about all things about Greek Basketball. They cover Greek and Orthodox basketball tournaments, high school, college players, teams, and much more. Terry Poulos, was a long-time Sports Editor for The Greek Star and Windy City Greek.com as well as a Greek American media journalist.

Joseph Yiakas owner of New England Premier Sports Plex in Danvers, Massachusetts is a busy man constantly supervising all kinds of sports competition. Joe Yiakas started The New Year 2025, the with a weight loss challenge at Founding Fathers Executives Networking Group to kick start 9 guys New Year’s resolutions. Yiakas lost 40 pounds in 90 days. After that in April, his good friend Chris Markos convinced 9 other guys to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC on October 26. Joseph then started training with his friends and son Costas We trained 3 times a week with initial strength and conditioning sessions followed by short/long runs and 3 half marathons.

Joseph would run the Marine Marathon with his son Costas. Upon completing the Marine Marathon Joseph was interviewed by GAS Staff. Joseph Yiakas was asked about his year 2025?

“I can’t put a finger on the greatest satisfaction looking back at this year but can rattle off my top three. First Training, running and completing the marathon with my son Costas. Second Having my wife Lynda, my daughter Athina, my mother Afridiede, my sister Fotine and my nephew Benjamin join us in DC to cheer us on. All 10 members of Founding Fathers Executives.” finishing The Marine Corps Marathon (3 father/son Joseph/Costas Yiakas, Kurt/Mack Fieldhouse, Chris/Gavin Russell, Chris Markos, Alex Paragios, Jim Bocchetti and Jeff Hanley.”

The family of Joseph Yiakas have been active members of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn, Massachusetts. Joseph Yiakas and his son Costas were both involved with athletics at Saint George and were members of the GOYA Basketball teams.

Greek Idiom- Vrisko to bela mou = Βρίσκο το μπέλα μου = I will inherit a headache and

trouble.

Greek Philosophy- The secret of happiness, you see is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.