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Burbank Homenetmen Participates In South American Navasartian Games

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  • Burbank Homenetmen Participates In South American Navasartian Games

    BURBANK HOMENETMEN PARTICIPATES IN SOUTH AMERICAN NAVASARTIAN GAMES

    Monday, November 3rd, 2014
    http://asbarez.com/128488/burbank-homenetmen-participates-in-south-american-navasartian-games/

    Standing from left to right, Timmy Mardirosian, Very Reverend Father
    from Buenos Aires , Varaga Zeinali, Argin Haghoubian, Vardan Adzemian,
    Ara Margoosian, Robik Khodadadian, Gurgen Adzemian, Eduardo D.

    Tateosian, Homenetmen South America Regional, Albert (Afo) Eskandari,
    Alec Baghdasaryan, seating from left to right, Eric Hartoonian,
    Tomik Baghoomian, Ishkhan Setagayan, Shahen Hartoonian and Christian
    Der Gregorian

    BY ALEC BAGHDASARYAN

    Last month, I was fortunate to have attended the South American
    Homenetmen Navasartian Games in Argentina. I was part of a group
    representing the Homenetmen Sipan - Burbank Chapter at the games. I am
    sure every person, who knows anything about soccer, would be wondering
    about the sanity of taking a Homenetmen Soccer team from the USA to
    Argentina to play in a tournament with players from Brazil, Argentina,
    Uruguay, Peru and Chile. These countries are soccer powerhouses. For
    many kids growing up in these countries, soccer is second to none.

    Realizing that winning on the court, however, is not the lone objective
    of these games, and that all athletes attending the Navasartian Games
    are winners, on October 8, 2014, thanks to the generosity of Timmy
    Mardirossian, the Homenetmen Sipan - Burbank Chapter's soccer team
    became the first Homenetmen team from Northern America to participate
    in the South American Homenetmen Navasartian Games.

    Our team made up of the following players; Christian Der Gregorian,
    Ara Margoosian, Vardan Adzemian, Gurgen Adzemian, Argin Haghoubian,
    Varaga Zeinali, Eric Hartoonian, Tomik Baghoomian, Ishkhan Setagayan.

    Our team was coached by Albert Eskandari, assistant coach was Shahen
    Hartoonian, Robik Khodadadian was assisting the coaching staff with
    their needs and Timmy Mardirosian as the team sponsor.

    At the airport we were greeted by true Homenetmen-akans. It is amazing
    how an organization can instill in its members from throughout the
    world such an intimate feeling towards a fellow Homenetmen-akan and
    towards Homenetmen. It was as if Eduardo, the head of the Regional
    Homenetmen Committee, was one of the members of the Massis Chapter
    in the San Fernando Valley, or the Ararat Chapter in Glendale.

    Homenetmen provided lunch for all the attendees in the restaurant of
    the center

    The experience of our players dealing with other athletes was no
    different than the one experienced at the airport. As it happens with
    all Homenetmen games, athletes start talking, laughing, and forming
    friendships that will certainly last for many decades. On their part,
    our team players made us proud since, as true Homenetmen-akans, their
    demeanor was exemplary on and off of the court. Our athletes grew
    fond of their South American counterparts asking to take pictures
    with them, cheering them during the games, and exchanging gifts as
    a reminder of their friendship. Their popularity was boosted by the
    fact that, from the very first game, they proved themselves to be
    worthy opponents to the teams with which they competed. In fact,
    they became the team to beat for the championship. I may be biased,
    but I believe they were the best soccer team at the South American
    Navasartian Games, and, as such, they were able to beat every team
    they played, and proudly brought the Championship Cup back to the
    Homenetemen - Sipan Chapter. In addition, Vardan Adzemian, one of
    our players, was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

    The hotel where our chapter members stayed was about 30 minutes from
    the Homenetmen Agoump. Our team was transported to the center every
    morning by bus, where we spent our time in between games, enjoying the
    Homenetmen Center's facilities. The Homenetmen Center in Argentina is
    the largest that I have seen since the Ararat Center in Tehran. It
    includes two full-size swimming pools, indoor and outdoor soccer
    fields, tennis courts, many other playing fields, indoor and outdoor
    restaurants, and a number of meeting and conference rooms. I was told
    that Armenians of all ages come to the center to play backgammon,
    chess and rummy with friends, or simply sit at the cafeteria or an
    outside seating area to chat and enjoy one another's company. Of
    course, as fellow Homenetmen-akans, and, especially, as first time
    visitors to the South American Homenetmen games from the USA, we were
    always treated kindly by all Armenians from different participating
    countries. Everyone was pleasant and courteous, and spent time chatting
    with us about our community in Los Angeles, and shared information
    with us about their own communities.

    At the closing ceremony

    The most memorable events were the Opening and Closing Ceremonies,
    when each country's participants entered the gym carrying their
    respective flags, while singing and marching to patriotic songs. These
    are the times that you appreciate the true power of the Armenian
    Diaspora. You appreciate the hard work of the Armenian leaders
    that have kept these communities alive since the 1920s and 1930s
    in geographically distant South American countries. These are the
    leaders, who work hard to organize the Navasartian Games, and bring
    Armenians together to share in their common heritage, and learn about
    our rich culture and treasured values. It is at such well-organized and
    joyous celebrations that one cannot help but remember the part of the
    William Saroyan's famous saying "... then see if they will not laugh,
    sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world,
    see if they will not create a New Armenia."

    Bravo to Argentina's Armenian community, which has thrived for so many
    decades as successful citizens of their country, while remaining true
    to their Armenian heritage, and keeping an undying love towards Armenia
    in their hearts. Of course, the Argentinian-Armenian community is no
    different than any other Armenian community when facing challenges
    such as assimilation and acculturation. No challenge is more apparent
    than the youth's inability to speak in the Armenian language. I wish
    the leadership of the Argentinian-Armenian community all the best in
    addressing their challenges. I am confident in their abilities, knowing
    that they are hard at work looking for ways to address all challenges,
    in order to keep their community alive, while ensuring that the youth
    remain engaged with the local Armenian community and our homeland.

    This article will not be complete without mentioning that the trip was
    made possible thanks to the kind sponsorship of Timmy Mardirossian. In
    fact, the Homenetmen Burbank-Sipan Chapter is named after this
    benefactor's family. Timmy has sponsored other trips for chapter
    members in the past. He is a true community leader and a successful
    business person, who, along with his wife Seda, always finds the time
    to help Armenians of all ages, but especially Armenian youth. Timmy's
    interest during these games was not the score of the game, but rather
    the importance of the youth bonding with one another, in addition to
    having a chance to learn about each player's plans for their future
    education and careers.

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