THESSALONIKI - "Boots on the Ground" Clinic

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Lacrosse was introduced to over 400 elementary, middle and high school aged children in Thessaloniki, Greece earlier this year in a four-month program called “Boots on the Ground.” The program was presented to and endorsed by Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, Greece. Stepan Partemian, Coordinator of Athletics and Student Activities at Anatolia College and the GLA’s Regional Director for Thessaloniki carefully arranged physical education classes at all levels to be available.

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Teacher/coach Jason Pereles, who was hired by the GLA in January as an intern on an interim basis, directed the efforts of the “Boots on the Ground” program. He will be running three more lacrosse camps this month, potentially touching as many as 250 more students. Pereles will be staying on through the fall to continue to assist the GLA in its development efforts.

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The success of the “Boots on the Ground” program led to the addition of a second program that will be taking place this month in Trikala, Greece.  The program is an intensive 5-day clinic for girls and physical education teachers selected from 14 Middle Schools and nine High Schools in the region. Maria Samara, a foreign language teacher at Aristotle University and GLA Regional Director in Trikala, has done all the groundwork preparing for this clinic, coordinating her efforts with GLA Women’s Director, Cathy Samaras.

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Vlahakis believes that these on-going programs, along with FIL membership and an anticipated FIL fall clinic with physical education teachers, will be the catalyst for the rapid development of both the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs as the sports catches on in Greece.  Plans are in place for Greece to attend the FIL Women’s World Cup in Manchester 12-22 July 2017 to observe and participate in meetings, then field two men’s teams to compete in the FIL Men’s Lacrosse World Championship and accompanying festival tournament in Netanya, Israel, 12-21 July 2018.

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“With the tremendous role that Greece played in the Olympic games,” says a beaming Vlahakis, “and with all their famous Olympians, we now can proudly watch as young student-athletes of present day Greece embrace the fastest game on two feet and make lacrosse the next major sport in Greece.”