Welcome Athletes, Coaches & Guests!

Dear Guests,

Welcome to the Eighth Annual ACS Athens International Youth Basketball Tournament dedicated to the memory of Hasib Sabbagh and Diana Tamari Sabbagh! It is a pleasure to have all of you here with us. This event was created with the following vision in mind – to create a platform for healthy competition and enjoyable sport, where young people from around the world come together to play basketball. This event has now become a tradition and one that our ACS Athens basketball teams, visiting teams, and community look forward to each year.

More than one hundred boys and girls from Italy, Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia and Greece are expected to participate. They will have the opportunity to exhibit their athletic skills at the highest level for three days. At the end of the tournament, all teams will be recognized as winners: students/athletes, coaches, parents and spectators.

The significance of the event is that it brings together young people from different backgrounds, nationalities, religions and origins in the spirit of basketball and good sportsmanship.

I am very proud to lead an institution such as ACS Athens; committed to providing its students with holistic and meaningful educational experiences and contributing to the development of conscious citizenship. Under the directorship of Annie Constantinides, a former National Team Basketball Player and a team of outstanding coaches, young athletes learn to compete with respect, character and ethos, essential elements for developing tomorrow’s global citizens.

Let’s all enjoy this competitive athletic experience to the fullest and I hope you will enjoy being in the wonderful and historical city of Athens.

Sincerely,

Peggy Pelonis, Ed.D.

President

Dear Athletes and Coaches,

The International Youth Basketball tournament, in memory of Diana W. Tamari & Hasib J. Sabbagh, is a tradition at ACS Athens; now in its 8^th year of existence, we are very happy to once again host this competition – it is an event that is more than just “sports”!

Through this event, we celebrate friendship, sportsmanship, effort and cultural diversity. While the competition level through the years has reached high levels of performance, the true values of SPORT are manifested throughout those three days of activity.

Young athletes from different cultures come together to compete showing exemplary determination, sportsmanship, camaraderie, effort and persistence in reaching their goal. SPORT is very powerful in society and through this event we have clearly seen the gains and benefits outside the playing grounds: the international exposure, the development of institutional collaborations, the opportunities for friendships among athletes and coaches, and, last but not least, the exposure to a different city and culture are all invaluable.

Enjoy the competition, have fun and explore our city! Remember, basketball is just a game… take advantage of everything that is outside the court lines!

Annie Constantinides

Director of Athletics, Recreational Programs & Theater Operations