The AHEPAN - Fall 2011 - (Page 26)

athletics National Athletic Luncheon Honors Pros, Student-Athletes Alike By Gregory Stamos T he Athletic Hall of Fame was enhanced by the addition of five stellar Hellenic inductees at the Athletic Luncheon held July 21, 2011. This year’s class of inductees were Arthur Anastopoulo, a NCAA Division I All-American tennis player at the University of South Carolina; Adam J. Archuleta, an All-PAC 10 football player at Arizona State and a member of the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League; Nick Kypreos, a member of the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers hockey team; Stan Spirou, a 26-year college basketball coach at Southern New Hampshire University; and George Theodore, a baseball and basketball star at the University of Utah and member of the New York Mets. This distinguished class swells the roster of the prestigious Hall of Fame to 123, commencing with the initial class of 1975, which included Harry Agannis, Alex Karros, Jim Londos, and Milt Pappas and joins other distinguished Hellenic athletes as Gene Rossides, Fred Smerlas, Pete Sampras, and Eric Karros; and esteemed coaches and contributors to athletics such as Alex Spanos, Peter Angelos, and Bob Costas. Arthur Anastopoulo, after his all-American tennis career at the University of South Carolina, went on to become an Association of Tennis Professionals tour player, and thereafter competed for the Greek National team for a number of years. He is a very active Ahepan with Daphne AHEPA Chapter in Pensacola, Florida. Arthur spoke warmly of his involvement with the Order of AHEPA, and the great honor that was being bestowed upon him. Adam Archuleta was unable to attend as he was advancing his career in sports journalism, but was ably represented by his mother, Vangie Archuleta, who in particular, thanked and Athletic Hall of Fame Class (l-r): Spiro, Theodore, Kypreos, Selection Chair Stamos, Anastopoulo, Harry Agganis Awardee Mavraides, and Supreme Athletic Director Siaggas. acknowledged all of the Ahepans in Chandler, Arizona, where Adam is a member of Tri-City Chapter 454. Adam, in his distinguished career at the University of Arizona State was the PAC 10 defensive player of the year, a finalist for the Dick Butkus award and a second-team AllAmerican, and was a first round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams, and played six years in the National Football League. Nick Kypreos is a native of Toronto and is currently a hockey analyst for the Rodgers Cable Network in Canada; he was a member of the Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers in 1994, capping off a distinguished National Hockey League career. Nick warmly spoke of the great assistance of the Greek community to his immigrant parents upon their arrival in Canada. Stan Spirou recently attained his 500th career college basketball victory at Southern New Hampshire University, and in 2010 was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Stan conducts clinics in Greece and also assisted Hall of Fame member Steve Lappas, in coaching the 2008 AHEPA All-Star team which defeated the Greek U-21 Junior National team during the 2008 AHEPA convention in Athens. Stan movingly spoke about the importance of athletics, and the local Order of AHEPA Chapter, in helping him, as a young Greek immigrant in Manchester, New Hampshire, assimilate into the American culture, and how the exposure of the 2008 All-Star team to Greece had allowed those young ball-players to discover their Greek roots and the importance of their heritage. Lastly, George Theodore thanked all of his supporters in the Greek community in Utah and nationally who were, for many years, sources of encouragement to his career, both in Utah and on the professional level with the New York Mets. George was an All-State performer in basketball and baseball at Utah University, attaining the Utah Hall of Fame in both of those sports before a distinguished baseball career in the professional ranks capped by his years with the New York Mets in the early 1970s. It was clear to all of the luncheon attendees, after hearing the emotional and eloquent remarks by each of the above-inductees, that while they were equally proud of their athletic talents and successes, they were as proud of their Hellenic roots and heritage and of the tremendous honor that was bestowed upon them by their induction into the AHEPA Athletic Hall of Fame. Young Greek American Athletes Shine in Miami Beach This year, the Athletic Scholarship and Awards Committee received a “record number” of applications and the recipients were all firstclass quality student-athletes that make their own families and also the AHEPA family extremely proud. The evening before the 26 the ahepan Fall 2011 www.ahepa.org http://www.ahepa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The AHEPAN - Fall 2011

The AHEPAN - Fall 2011
Contents
Supreme President’s Message
Daughters of Penelope Message
Sons of Pericles Message
Maids of Athena Message
AHEPA Family News
South Beach Sizzles, The ‘Bleau Dazzles
The Journey Continues… With a Focus on Volunteerism
AHEPA Supports Military Family Reading Program through USO
Education
Housing
Athletics
AHEPA Family Chapter News

The AHEPAN - Fall 2011