Fall Sports Tournament

After months of training, the AFS sports teams were ready for the big tournament of the fall season. About twenty private schools from all over Greece and a few other Eastern European countries participated. We entered teams for boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, and girls volleyball. It was hosted by our cross-town archrival Anatolia: the Marist to our Pius, the Wash U to our Emory, the Pepsi to our Coke, the Valley to our Bayside, the Nu to our Chi, the Ohio State to our Michigan, the Wile E. Coyote to our Road Runner, the Newman to our Jerry – you get the point. I have seen significant progress in our boys soccer team since the start of training, but I had no clue what to expect from the other teams; most are much larger schools than AFS.

Our boys soccer team won two matches and lost a tough battle to one of the premier private schools in Greece, Athens College, whose enrollment is 3500 students compared to AFS’ 250 students. The rest of the AFS teams were not as successful, but we picked up one victory in volleyball and a tie in girls soccer. Overall, the competition was a great experience, and I came away from the experience with a newfound respect for our students. Although their athletic prowess did not turn many heads, the AFS students were far and away the loudest, most spirited fans. At every match, regardless of which team was playing, throngs of students sang, chanted, cheered and pounded on a massive drum. By the end of the weekend, most students had lost their voices and most of the other spectators had impaired hearing. Even in blowout losses, the AFS cheering section belted out non-stop “We can’t hear you” chants and a catchy song that features the repetition of “AFS I love you” in Greek. Whenever our soccer team scored a goal, the AFS mob launched dozens of streamers onto the field, which forced delays in the game, but did not warrant reprimand. How can you chastise students for too much spirit.

Another area in which AFS students shined was sportsmanship. I was very proud to watch our athletes win and lose with class. Most of our students are from rural, modest homes in Greece, whereas the other teams represented distinguished international schools and elite private schools of Greece. At times, the opposing supporters criticized the AFS athletes because of their agriculture-infused curriculum. On one occasion, American students from a wealthy school in Athens pestered us while I warmed up our team. The encounter went something like this:

Obnoxious American Girl #1: “American Farm School? Do they actually go to school on a farm.”

Obnoxious American Girl #2: “No way. It’s just the name of the school.”

OAG #1: “Excuse me, is your school on a farm?”

Me: “Our school has a working farm on campus.”

[Some of the group started giggling]

OAG #2: “So do your students like learn how to drive tractors and stuff.”

[Laughter from the cronies]

Me: “Some do. We have agricultural training in addition to the standard academic curriculum.”

OAG #1: “Do you have cows?”

Me: “Yep.”

OAG #1: “Oh my God. There is no way we can lose to Farmville.”

[The hecklers cackle at which point Vasilios, one of our best players and smartest students, approaches the group]

Vasilios: “If farms and schools like ours didn’t exist, how would your butlers buy milk for you?”

The comment quieted the taunting momentarily, but they let our team have it during the match. As we rolled to a 2-0 victory, their jeers dwindled and were drowned out by the thunderous clamor of the AFS supporters.