One Year Anniversary Of The New Rising Stars Athletic Complex Comes With A Very Special Meaning For Rising Stars Founder Paul Savramis

It's been one year since the ribbon-cutting ceremony that signaled the grand opening of Rising Stars’ new athletic complex and we asked Founder Paul Savramis what that meant to him.

Q. It's been one year since the ribbon-cutting ceremony. What are you feeling and how has this year been different from the ones before?

Paul Savramis: After 28 years, this one year stands alone in a very significant way: we now have something to call home. The ribbon-cutting was a ceremony to celebrate that but it took a year for it to really sink in.

Q: October has always been a huge month for Rising Stars; how has this October been different with your having that home?

Paul Savramis: In every way possible. October is the beginning of Rising Stars’ fall season and that means fall tryouts. This year we were able to host those ourselves and families got to see the future. In addition to that, we hosted our middle school showcase at the complex and we were able to schedule our training and other activities all under one roof.

Q: How important was having that option as opposed to what you needed to do in the past?

Paul Savramis: Aside from always waiting for other sites to confirm availability and not having the ability to really promote our fall programs, knowing this was all set was a huge lift for all our coaches and administrators after all those years struggling to put things together on someone else's timeline.

Q: You have been quoted using the statement "It takes a village to raise a child." Does that reference your definition of Rising Stars’ expanding role in the community?

Paul Savramis: Absolutely! Rising Stars has always used community service requirements as one of the pillars of its scholar-athlete programs. Having the ability to now bring together those community programs under our roof enabled us to become a hub for others and allowed us to give back.

Q: How did you capitalize on that?

Paul Savramis: We began by offering one of our partners, the Long Island Alzheimer’s and Dementia Foundation, space to hold tryouts for their fundraising events. But we now have so much more to offer than a gymnasium. The complex has a separate community meeting room and classroom, which holds financial literacy sessions offered by another partnership with Jovia Bank.

Q: You mention Jovia Bank. That's a new addition to the Rising Stars programs. Has the athletic complex helped bring in other community partners?

Paul Savramis: The athletic complex certainly helped, but our partner organizations have become involved with Rising Stars through our yearly academic and community programs and being able to connect with those families. That said, having everything under one roof makes it all a great deal more attractive.

Q: What other partnerships have come about over the past years as a result of having a home?

Paul Savramis: Orlin and Cohen have been a great addition for us. They have offered concussion awareness programs, free injury assessment, recovery sites, and so much more to help our families. This one program has been an incredible experience for our athletes and greatly appreciated by parents.

Q: Year one sounds like it could be the beginning of many more for Rising Stars and signal a new purpose for the foundation.

Paul Savramis: Without a doubt. Rising Stars has always tried to keep true to its original mission statement which remains “To Promote Education.” With the addition of financial literacy, injury prevention, concussion awareness and so many other updates, we are using the complex to develop both mind and body. This is something we have always tried to do.

Q: One last question. As October ends are there any new partnerships or activities in the mix?

Paul Savramis: We are excited to be in a position where we have organizations looking to come in to help us do more. Both existing ones, like Wilson Basketball, that now helps support our new Little Stars for K-3 and newly added for October, GOAT brand Active Wear which will be the fall apparel line for our families.

Paul Savramis: Summer 2024 Heats Up for Rising Stars Girls Programs

Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis says the Rising Stars girls’ program has a fever, which is a really good thing.

"This summer has seen a huge uptick in interest from our younger girls looking to play basketball, and some part of that has to be because of Caitlin Clark and the Fever team this year," Paul Savramis explained. "Caitlin has transformed girls' basketball and sports in general, beginning at Iowa and ending as WNBA's 2024 Rookie of the Year."

Paul Savramis has long been a strong advocate for his foundation's girls programs, and his advocacy has only gotten stronger this year. "Our girls have taken center stage this summer in both national and local competition, and that has a great deal to do with the program's leadership," said Paul Savramis.

Basketball Legend Dave Hopla's Magic Inspires Rising Stars Families

Tuesday, August 20th, was a very special day for over 100 Rising Stars players, families, and guests at the new Rising Stars Athletic Complex. Basketball Legend Dave Hopla returned to thrill everyone in the room with a timeless show that has inspired and amazed his audience for decades.

One person in the audience knew exactly what to expect and was Dave's greatest fan: Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis. Having known Hopla since their days on the summer clinic circuit, Savramis had developed a strong friendship and mutual respect for what each does to convey a positive message about basketball and life.

For Rising Stars Founder Paul Savramis, Basketball Remains a Language Everyone Understands

June 2024 marked two significant events for the Rising Stars Youth Foundation, reports founder Paul Savramis. The first was the foundation's hosting of five visiting teams, grades 5-12, from Ireland's National Youth Programs. The teams made a stop to scrimmage against Rising Stars teams at the Rising Stars Athletic Complex in Freeport. 

 

This event was particularly special for Paul Savramis. Savramis has been a strong advocate for continuing the Rising Stars Foundation travel programs across the country and around the world since he first began the program 28 years ago. 

 

"I can't think of a single thing Rising Stars has offered that impacts coaches, players, and families more than traveling together as a team," stated Paul Savramis. "We have been blessed with opportunities to see the world, and every trip has been a game-changer for our players." 

Rising Stars College Signing Day Reinforces the Foundation's Emphasis on Education

Isiah Dickens, signed for Williams College

Isiah Dickens, signed for Williams College
Wednesday, June 5, 2024, was a special day for Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis. It was the day Rising Stars hosted its student-athletes at the new Rising Stars Athletic Complex to celebrate their official signing with the colleges they will be attending in the fall. 

 

For Paul Savramis, the date was a fond reminder of the Rising Stars mission established 28 years ago when the program began. "It was a simple mission then, and it remains a simple mission today," Paul Savramis said. "To promote education!" 

 

"You can read all about how we expected to do that," Paul Savramis continued. "Our pillars of Play, Learn, and Grow, utilizing the power of teams to bring our players to the path they need to follow, and so on, but," Savramis concluded, "it still all comes down to promoting education." 

Rising Star Material: Carter Wilson and a Family Legacy

Carter Wilson

Paul Savramis, founder of Rising Stars, knew Carter Wilson was special from the moment he saw him play. Two things struck him: Carter's talent and his natural point guard instincts. Years later, those early impressions proved true. Carter, named Suffolk Player of the Year in 2024, has led his Rising Stars teams to numerous victories. 

 

"Carter has always been a special player and person, both on and off the court," said Paul Savramis. "Even as a 4th grader, he wasn't your typical point guard. He was bigger and stronger, playing all over the court. But he had that point guard vision and court sense, something truly rare at that age." 

 

Carter Wilson and Coach Jamaal Wilson

The Wilson family history with Rising Stars is equally unique. Carter's father, Jamaal Wilson, was a prominent figure in the Long Island basketball scene. Paul Savramis remembers Jamaal's strong desire to be part of Rising Stars. Eight years later, adding Jamaal as a coach became one of Savramis' proudest achievements. 

 

"Jamaal has done wonders for Rising Stars," said a thrilled Paul Savramis. "Of course, his son Carter brought attention to the program. But Carter and Jamaal also attracted other standout players who wanted to play with him. This has built one of the best teams in New York State." 

Beyond Carter, Jamaal brought outstanding coaches and trainers to Rising Stars. These included A.J. Price, a UConn standout and NBA veteran who played with LeBron James, along with Nick Carter and Prentice Small, two of Long Island's finest and former European professionals. This influx of talent created a buzz at Rising Stars, especially with the opening of their new Athletic Complex in Freeport. 

 

"I've always believed in offering exceptional talent with exceptional opportunities," explained Paul Savramis. "This has been the cornerstone of how I present our programs, and how I presented it to Jamaal when we first met." 

 

Kingsley Rogers

With his junior season complete, Carter will soon choose from several Division 1 offers. Both Jamaal and Savramis are incredibly proud. Savramis emphasizes that the opportunity he presented all those years ago has lived up to his promises. 

 

Jamaal's commitment extends beyond coaching. He has made Rising Stars his extended family, bringing his sister, Baylor All-American and Olympic standout Danielle Wilson, into the program. Paul Savramis admires the entire Wilson family. He points out that Danielle's son, H.S. freshman Kingsley Rogers, will be the next star for both the Wilsons and Rising Stars. 

 

"Kingsley keeps growing like a weed!" exclaimed Paul Savramis. Similar to Carter, Kingsley is a versatile guard. With his cousin Carter pushing him and coaches Price and Small demanding excellence, the next Wilson at Rising Stars is poised for greatness."

Paul Savramis | Rising Stars Works With Dementia Centers

Rising Stars and its founder, Paul Savramis, proudly continue to support the Long Island Alzheimer's and Dementia center. Rising Stars has been a proud sponsor of the Long Island Alzheimer's and Dementia center for the past decade. This cause is dear to the heart of founder Paul Savramis, and he wants more people to get behind it. 

 

"Alzheimer's and dementia should be something we are all very much concerned with," begins Paul Savramis. "I personally have gotten more involved as a result of a direct connection with Gordon Thomas," continued Savramis. 

 

Savramis explained that his connection began when Gordon introduced him to the Bayshore YMCA and other community programs that helped to build Rising Stars' outreach and grassroots presence in the Great South Bay areas of Long Island. It was then that Paul Savramis learned about Gordon's passion for creating awareness for Alzheimer's and that he and Thomas shared a common vehicle that could help with that awareness. 

 

That vehicle for Thomas was the Alzheimer's All-Star Classic and the annual Slam Dunk and 3-point contest. The second event is coming this May, and Savramis was first in line to offer his and Rising Stars' continued support.