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36th Navasartian Games Kick Off May 15

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  • 36th Navasartian Games Kick Off May 15

    36th Navasartian Games Kick Off May 15

    asbarez
    Friday, May 6th, 2011

    The Navasartian Games kick off on May 15

    As we welcome the month of May and the flowers that bloom under its
    gaze, a hype of sorts begins to develop in the Armenian Community in
    the shape of, `The Navasartian Games.' It begins with a hush and is
    quickly replaced by a loudness that causes the hype to escalate in
    anticipation to the kick-off of, the grandest and most successful
    tournament on offer to the Armenian community stateside. A tournament,
    which routinely and traditionally repeats itself year in and year out
    until its conclusion at a feverish pace on the Fourth of July weekend.
    The organizers of this event, and under the stewardship of
    Homenetmen's Western United States Regional Executive Committee, are a
    group of esteemed volunteers who have vast experience in putting
    together a tournament that runs uninterrupted for two months, all the
    while planning and executing several other events during this period
    of time that take us right up to the closing ceremonies weekend.

    The list of details to putting together a tournament of the size and
    magnitude of the Navasartian Games are, simply, endless. The
    organizers will tell you that this year's games will irrefutably be
    the biggest yet. The biggest in terms of athlete participation, the
    number of sports and teams that enter, organizers, volunteers,
    sponsors, sporting venues, committees, and details too numerous to
    mention. No one would attempt to doubt the enormity of this year's
    games because if the past is any indicator of how well the tournament
    fared, then the previous 35 tournaments should've served as a litmus
    test to the level of success Homenetmen will enjoy this year. You see,
    each Navasartian Games did better than the one before in terms of
    record participation and attendance, and this should serve as a
    warning that the outcome of this year's games will be no different
    success-wise, once again upholding the tradition that the 36th.
    Navasartian Games will match and surpass last year's record breaking
    tournament.

    Once the games are afoot, we'll invariably witness the tournament take
    on a life of its own in the form of the largest gathering of athletes
    and volunteers witnessed in the Armenian community. As a matter of
    pride recited for the past several years, it is by and large, the
    biggest amateur tournament in the state of California. An accolade
    previously held by the Inner City Youth Games. To achieve an honor as
    distinguished as this did not come without a price. The sheer increase
    in the number of teams that have been participating to reach this
    plateau is amplified, only, by the utter dedication of the hordes of
    volunteers that steer this huge ship that we so affectionately call,
    Homenetmen.

    It is these volunteers that bring about the kind of sustained success
    that the Navasartian Games have enjoyed for close to four decades. The
    litany of information, protocols and logistics that go into the
    Navasartian Games from start to finish is staggering, and is largely
    carried out by this army of volunteer workers. The fact that this has
    been at all possible is a testament to those whose heritage means so
    much that, non, give a second thought of not putting up with the
    physically and mentally exhausting, but fruitful work that goes into
    the tournament. Homenetmen has been able to evoke an ethos in the
    Armenian Community that has given a fundamental character to our
    culture. The volunteers that walk through its doors are encouraged to
    exude their best, and by incessantly challenging its members and
    volunteers to look ahead and evolve, Homenetmen has, thus, been able
    to constantly reinvent itself. As a result, it is a certainty that the
    youth of today and the future generations would enjoy the offerings of
    this truly esteemed organization.

    Sometimes it is hard to keep up with the times, considering there's no
    one out there to motivate you to become better than you already are. I
    am by no means writing these words to bestow superlatives at
    Homenetmen, nor by any means an attempt at casting aspersions in
    anyone's way, but the simple truth that no one in the largest Armenian
    Community in the diaspora today stands shoulder to shoulder with
    Homenetmen, is a crying shame, while at the same time a testament to
    Homenetmen's self-preserving formula that has given it the kind of
    self-belief, growth and longevity that has lasted unfettered for
    decades on end, and, the subject of envy from similar organizations
    looking from the outside in. The fact that the competition is severely
    lacking, or, dare I say, non-existent, lessens the variety of programs
    that would otherwise have been available to the youth who are not
    members of Homenetmen. Evidently, competition would've added
    additional creativity, and that would only have benefited the
    youngsters of today and at the same time contributed to the `greater
    good' of the community. I suppose we can safely ascertain that, any
    other organization's loss is Homenetmen's gain.

    On the forefront of gain, Homenetmen has gained the ability to run the
    Navasartian Games with a gamut of sports which will be taking place at
    its customary venue at Birmingham High School, in Van Nuys,
    California. With roughly 6,000 athletes participating and competing in
    many different sporting activities, the games are scheduled to open on
    Sunday, May 15th 2011, with plenty of culinary fare and competitions
    all day. The various sports and numerous events are to be scheduled
    and posted at the tournament's own dedicated website
    www.navasartiangames.com . For an in-depth look at everything that's
    the Navasartian Games, the Navasartian Committee which comprises of 10
    individuals whose cumulative experience in Homenetmen would add up to
    several hundred years, has prepared a website whose task is to keep
    the community literally informed on a daily basis. The site is
    currently active with a plethora of information for your viewing and
    reading pleasure. Once the games begin in earnest on May 15th, and
    until the conclusion of the games on the Fourth of July weekend, the
    site will be updated constantly as the days and weeks wear on. The
    diligent work of the committee will not go unnoticed, since they are
    the heartbeat of what is and what isn't at the Navasartian Games. The
    10 members of the Navasartian Games Committee are:

    Mher Tavidian - Chairman
    Salpi Jejeian - Vice-Chair / Public Relations
    Karineh Titizian -Opening and Closing Ceremonies
    Ari Boyajian -Advertising
    Cima Garabetian -Banquet
    Vahe Ohanessian -Festival
    Norayr Saghbazarian -Treasurer
    Sevag Garabetian -Facilities
    Ossig Movsessian -Door
    Fred Babajanians - Athletic Representative

    The above mentioned committee members will be orchestrating the
    Navasartian Games from start to finish.

    Opening Day: May 15, 2011.
    Location: Birmingham High School, 17000 Haynes St., Van Nuys, CA. 91406.
    Come and join us at Homenetmen for food, fun and competitive games.

    Kick-Off Party: The Games are not considered open without the kick-off
    banquet which will take place on Thursday, May 19th., at the Glendale
    Hilton.

    Victory Ball: No Navasartian Games will ever be deemed complete
    without the hip and customary Victory Ball. This year the Ball will
    revert back to the much praised CBS Studios and will take place on
    June 25th.

    Navasartian Closing Weekend Schedule:
    Thursday, June 30, 4 p.m. to Midnight.
    Friday, July 1, 4 p.m. to Midnight
    Saturday, July 2, 8 a.m. - Midnight
    Sunday, July 3, 8 a.m. - Midnight

    Entertainment:
    Karnig Sarkissian : Thursday, June 30 and Saturday, July 2.
    Harout Pamboukjian: Sunday, July 3.

    In addition, there will be a host of singers and entertainers whose
    names and appearance dates will be announced in the coming days and
    weeks.

    As a conclusion to the 36th Navasartian Games, the 35,000 or so guests
    and attendees are treated to the traditional and spectacular Fourth of
    July Fireworks, which have been a mainstay of these splendid games,
    and will feature this year again during the Festival Weekend.

    For everything that's the Navasartian Games visit here.




    From: A. Papazian
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