OCTOBER 19, 2018 | SportsUnion
high school
Soccer
By Matt Ondesko
Managing Editor
Remember the days of
sitting in grandma’s base-
ment while she is cook-
ing upstairs, the smell
of sauce over taking the
kitchen.
A
gathering
of family downstairs as
cousin’s gather and play.
It was a typical Sunday
gathering, a gathering of
family.
It wasn’t any special
day. It was a holiday. It
was just family being
family. It was a cultur-
al thing, something that
was brought over from
generation to generation.
It was a tradition and no
one thought anything of
it.
It’s good for people
to embrace where they
came from – or from
where their parents and
grandparents came from.
It gives them a sense of
belonging – a personali-
ty. It makes up who they
are, and why they believe
in what they believe in.
Every culture is differ-
ent, but embracing your
cultural shows that you
still care about the tradi-
tions that have gone on
for generations.
For Kenmore West High
School soccer player Faye
Panagopoulos
learning
about her culture is ev-
erything. She has em-
braced the fact that she
is Greek, and what being
Greek stands for.
“Being Greek is a very
important piece of who
I am,” stated Panagopo-
ulos. “I wouldn’t know
how to describe myself
without that piece of in-
formation, because it’s
such a big part. I’m very
proud of my heritage.”
Wanting to know where
you came from is some-
thing that Panagopoulos
embraces. Wanting to
know where her parents
lived, and how they live
dis also important. Many
will probably compare
17
being Greek to My Big Fat
Greek Wedding, but that
isn’t the case.
Sure the family gath-
erings are big, but being
Greek and knowing the
Greek culture is so much
more than what might
be shown in a movie or
television show. Pana-
gopoulos and her brother
are the first to be born in
America.
Her parent’s, and the
rest of their family, all
come from Greece. It was
have been easy for her
parents to just let their
kids take part in Ameri-
can culture, but they also
wanted them to know
where they came from.
So, the Greek culture was
also taught in their home.
Learning Greek as a lan-
guage was just as import-
ant and learning English.
“My parents were both
born in Greece, so of
course we embraced the
culture big time. My
brother and I are the first
generation in my fami-
ly to be born in America.
Growing up, my parents
spoke to me in Greek. I
went to Greek school ev-
ery Saturday to learn how
to read, write and speak
Greek, which has come
in handy during soccer
games when my dad yells
something in Greek so the
other team doesn’t know
what he’s saying,” stated
Panagopoulos. “We visit
our family in Greece very
often and sometimes they
come here. Even on vaca-
tion in Greece, I continue
to play and watch soc-
cer with my cousins and
friends. For me, soccer
“The best part
about being Greek is
definitely the food. I
love Greek cooking,”
stated Panagopoulos.
“Another thing I love
about being Greek
is my HUGE family.
They are all so loud,
fun and crazy for
soccer.”
Continued - Page 26