Beloved Terrace soccer coach Nick Kollias moved to the community in 1976 from Greece and has since helped build a community around enthusiasm for the sport.

As a child back in Greece, Kollias was gifted a soccer ball and the rest is history.

B次元官网网址淪occer is my religion, I can tell you. We have three symbols in Greece; country, family and religion B次元官网网址� and the fourth one is soccer,B次元官网网址� Kollias said.

B次元官网网址淚n each village you only have one soccer ball for the whole town. I was very lucky my godmother bought me a soccer ball, thatB次元官网网址檚 why I became a soccer player.B次元官网网址�

Since moving to Canada KolliasB次元官网网址� coaching has inspired the likes of Cam Hundal from Terrace who went on to become a five-time Canada West All-Star. He says he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be where he is now without Kollias, who heB次元官网网址檚 known since kindergarten.

Over the years Kollias coached the Caledonia Secondary High School boys and girls teams, various select teams, BC summer games teams and double A provincial teams.

HeB次元官网网址檚 worked with the BC Soccer AssociationB次元官网网址檚 summer soccer academy in Shawnigan Lake and developed soccer camps with other BC coaches.

Kollias ran private soccer clinics and worked with individual players and helped them develop their skills for tryouts.

HeB次元官网网址檚 coached soccer in First Nations communities through the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC).

For the past 13 years Kollias held indoor soccer clinics for boys and girls from 5 years old to 18 years old. He also ran clinics for the Terrace WomenB次元官网网址檚 Soccer League for beginners.

He has also refereed and played in the menB次元官网网址檚 league and old-timers league.

He was recently recognized by the Northwest Scholarship Foundation for his $40,000 in contributions to scholarships for more than 100 Caledonia students over the last 20 years.

Now 70-years old, Kollias is moving to Calgary where he plans to pass on his knowledge of the sport to his grandchildren.

B次元官网网址淭errace is a good community. Thank you Terrace,B次元官网网址� he said through tears when asked about moving on.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had a lot of support from my wife and my kids so without them I couldnB次元官网网址檛 have gone this far.B次元官网网址�

Kollias encouraged parents in the community to spend time with their children and to get them involved with sports as much as possible, promising the rewards always roll in later on.

B次元官网网址淚 feel so good when I walk in town and I meet those kids who I coached and they say B次元官网网址楬i, Mr. Kollias. Thank you for coaching me.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The health benefits to being involved in sports as an adult are also a big bonus.

B次元官网网址淎n important point for me was keeping fit, thatB次元官网网址檚 a key point for me, stay away from the couch. When you get older you have to watch yourself and not push the limit,B次元官网网址� Kollias said.

B次元官网网址淣ow that IB次元官网网址檓 retired, IB次元官网网址檓 spending time with old friends, having coffee and watching the game. While IB次元官网网址檓 watching the game every time my feet move as if IB次元官网网址檓 playing, like my dad used to do.B次元官网网址�