January 2024 saw great excitement and events that added meaning to the term "New" in the New Year. Topping that list was the grand opening of the new Rising Stars Athletic Complex.
Talking to Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis, we asked what specific changes were created for Rising Stars in January and what remained the same after 27 years.
Q: January 2024 saw the opening of your new and long-awaited Rising Stars Athletic Complex. What were some changes and events that the New Year rang in?
Paul Savramis: The Complex already hosted its first Holiday Camp event in January and began a new training program every Saturday run by Executive Director Dan Gimpel. The Complex is now the new home for Rising Stars "Little Stars" and was the site for the Rising Stars team tryouts for the Spring season. The Athletic Complex runs 24/7 and is a hub for many other area programs.
Q: Was that the original plan for the Athletic Complex?
Paul Savramis: It was not, but the new plan we now have begun to develop that way organically. It was like inviting neighbors over to see your new house. It's really been a great way for Rising Stars to get more in tune with the community, make new friends, and bring in new areas where we had never been before.
Q: With all the buzz about the Complex, you keep talking about the Rising Stars 6th grade Elite Team. What singles them out with everything else happening this January?
Paul Savramis: It is rare that you will hear me or any other coach from Rising Stars single out any group, as every group is special for us. But this team is beyond unique. First, it has been together since the second grade, which is very unusual for the level of basketball this group maintains. The team also has competed in and won championships in just about every major event in the tri-state area.
Q: What was the most recent event that everyone is excited about this January?
Paul Savramis: On January 30th, 2024, the team got to play at the halftime of the New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. This was all possible by an earlier championship they won in the prestigious City Is Mine tournament.
A special shout out to these boys, and an equal one to coach Sidney Barrington, the Rising Stars Grassroots director, for keeping the faith and this team together.
