By Matthew Daldalian
Members of Team Greece celebrate with the Men’s Champion trophy after capturing the title at the international ball hockey tournament (Matthew Daldalian, Laval News)
The Hellenic Ball Hockey Association’s street and ball team took a moment of hard-earned respite after pulling off an unexpected victory as champions of the international ball hockey title.
The ball hockey team shared a meal at Casa Grecque on Daniel-Johnson street on Dec. 3. Their aptly named “miracle on dek” came only a few weeks ago as this group of mostly Laval residents traveled across the world to bring home the championship.
Not a puck
Ball hockey is considered a hybrid of ice hockey and street hockey, played with a plastic ball instead of a puck, and often without the padding and contact regulations familiar to the ice game.
For the local team, the sport took on a new level of intensity thousands of kilometres away, where international teams approached the game with a level of physicality and speed many of the players had never encountered.
“It started as an idea which became a reality,” said head coach Peter Chiotis. “We gathered up a couple of friends… and finally we decided to go there and give it our all and hopefully medal.”
Head Coach Peter Chiotis points to his championship medal after guiding Team Greece to a first-place finish at the international tournament (Matthew Daldalian, Laval News)
Chiotis described the turning point of the tournament not as a win, but as a loss — when the team dropped a game, they believed they had controlled.
The setback forced a reassessment as they slipped into a lower seed early on. Chiotis said he spent the night planning quietly while players reconsidered the stakes. The next morning’s discussion, he said, became a reset for the team that shifted their mindset for the rest of the tournament.
The games
The team went on to defeat powerful opponents and regain momentum. Wins against North America and Canada secured the confidence they needed and positioned them to advance.
Chiotis said the challenge wasn’t simply skill, but composure and belief. “Our chances of winning were very slim,” he said. “And when we beat North America 4-0 and then win against Canada 2-0, we got that spark again.”
The roster did not come together through formal tryouts or months of preparation. It formed through familiarity, players who had been adversaries in leagues across Montreal now stood together on the same line.
That process, according to team president Emmanuel Mavroudis, was both the risk and the payoff.
“It’s one of the greatest achievements that I’ve ever done in my life,” Mavroudis said. He described a tournament that was rougher and more unpredictable than expected, with opponents who treated each game as a statement.
Team Greece president Emmanuel Mavroudis holds the Men’s Champion trophy after leading the national side to victory in Puerto Plata (Matthew Daldalian, Laval News)
After early injuries and frustrations, adjustments were made on the fly, including shifts in player positions and approach.
He said the athletes needed to adapt quickly when the reality of the tournament set in. Teams from countries where ball hockey is professionally funded were playing with intensity from the opening minutes.
Mavroudis said the team had no choice but to respond in kind, and that willingness to endure helped steer their path to the final.
“Like a family”
The team’s unity became a defining advantage as the competition progressed. Veteran defenseman Nicko Kokovidis, who has played alongside members of the team for two decades, said trust shaped how they handled pressure. “We were always together like a family,” Kokovidis said.
He credited the tone set on the bench: calm direction, private guidance, and a focus on contributing without blame. Kokovidis said that atmosphere translated to more confident play in a demanding setting where small errors could end a run.
The group relied on one another to stay grounded and composed, especially in the closing matches where the stakes were highest.
Player Niko Kokovidis displays the Men’s Champion trophy and gold medal following the squad’s historic win at the international ball hockey tournament.
That confidence helped the team withstand the physicality that defined the tournament. Kokovidis said respect among teammates was key to staying focused and performance-ready as they faced experienced opponents.
As stories were exchanged around the table at Casa Grecque, players reflected not on scores or statistics but on moments where the team held together under strain. The challenge of the tournament, the travel, and the pressure of representing both Greek heritage and the local community framed the achievement.
“Being down in both games […] and finding ways to win shows us how much character this team has,” Chiotis said.
