Athlete Spotlight: Akatarinha Papagiorgio
Akatarinha Papagiorgio is not afraid to take a chance. The Corinth, Greece native came to the United States after a random conversation during a volleyball match and found her way to Eastern Florida State College this season in hopes of excelling both in the classroom and on the soccer field.
She has done both.
Papagiorgio, who was invited to a tryout at Eckerd College after her mother met someone during a volleyball match who knew the Eckerd women’s soccer coach, took another chance leaving Eckerd College after her freshman season to play at Eastern Florida State College this season.
She played in 11 games this season with the Titans, helping the team reach the semifinals of the NJCAA Division I National Championship.
“I really like the team here, coming from an (NCAA) Division II program to here, people think junior college is not as good but I feel, especially our level, was very good and I could not tell the difference between D2 and our team. I think this year was good for me,” Papagiorgio said.
She has been playing soccer since she was a young child, following in her father’s footsteps and has known since she was young that she was going to be a soccer player.
“I have never really played any other sport but soccer. My father was playing and it was the only sport I was really involved with. I would go to my dad’s games, even the ones that were three or four hours away on the bus and always loved watching the interactions around the players. It has always been something I liked,” Papagiorgio said.
She started seven games this season for the Titans and had a goal and an assist from the defender position. Her play this season has earned her a scholarship with Saint Leo University next season.
Papagiorgio has also excelled in the classroom and recently won a Women’s History Speech Competition at the college.
“Honestly, I was thinking how many people were going to do this, three or four, and I will be third and third place got headphones. I am good with headphones,” Papagiorgio said. “So, I went to Canvas and I saw there were 12 people signed up, so I thought I was going to be the least prepared of the group. I didn’t expect to win it at all. I did not think I had a chance to win.”
But she put together a speech talking about Body Positivity and talking about one of her inspirations, Ashley Graham, a plus-sized model who is a proponent of the body positivity and the Health at Every Size movements.
“I feel like we all experience it,” Papagiorgio said. “I talked about how we love ourselves, it isn’t always something that somebody says that will make you feel bad, sometimes we just are not confidant and we don’t accept ourselves.”
Papagiorgio was surprised by the number of people who came to support her during the speech.
“I was sitting up front and I was thinking about my speech and I saw one of my teammates came in and I was so happy because at least I had one person here, then a few more came and before long the team was there. I started getting emotional,” Papagiorgio said. “I did not expect the team to come because I just told a couple of my close friends and then everyone came, it meant so much to me that they would come and support me.”
And that support has been key to Papagiorgio’s experience here at Eastern Florida State College.
“Especially as an international, the first thought is that I am going to be all by myself in a foreign place, but as an athlete you know automatically you are going to meet a group of people. If I was just a student here it would be so hard for me to connect,” Papagiorgio said.
But much like she has all of her life, Papagiorgio took a chance and has a whole new group of friends and stories that will last a lifetime.
- Athlete Spotlight: Akatarinha Papagiorgio - April 26, 2023
