Playing soccer in Greece might be on the cards one day for 17-year-old Marc Petheriotis but for now he’s focused on his year 12 studies and playing for Melbourne Victory.
The Trinity Grammar student is so focused that he got a 41-study score in a year 12 subject last year in year 11.
“At the moment my goals are finishing off year 12, getting a really good ATAR and pursuing soccer in Australia and doing really well with Melbourne Victory,” Marc told Neos Kosmos.
“I’m really happy at Melbourne Victory, so I obviously want to pursue it there as long as I can and hopefully break into the A-League.
“I’m going to see how my ATAR goes but I definitely want to go to university. I’ll see how soccer’s going and decide what I’m going to do, but I’m really hoping to study law.”
He said if the opportunity to play in Greece or overseas ever comes about, he’ll definitely consider it alongside representing Australia with the Socceroos.
Excelling on the field
Currently playing for Victory’s senior NPL team, Marc moved up from the 21s but not after spending some time at Melbourne City in the eighteens.
His junior soccer was played at Box Hill United.
While balancing soccer at Victory with school at Trinity Grammar, the young Greek Aussie is also playing for the school team.
Marc moved to Trinity in year 10 when he was offered a soccer and general excellence scholarship.
The school’s Head of Football Michael Moreira keen to bring him across having known him already.
“Four-years-ago we had an eye on Marc and through a mutual contact he was able to contact me and we had the wheels in motion to get Marc across to Trinity,” Moreira told Neos Kosmos.
“The school Marc was at was not a football school so I guess in order for his football to improve and for him to be playing more, it was a good move for Marc.
“It’s probably come to fruition now because he’s being invited to train with the Melbourne Victory A-League team.”
Petheriotis was instrumental in Trinity making the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria (AGSV) grand final last year.
He scored in every single game of the season including finals, which was a league first.
The apple, or ball in this case, doesn’t fall far from the tree
Soccer is a big part Marc’s family, which has roots in Tripoli, Sparta, Agrinio and Karpensisi.
“I got into soccer when I was a kid, just from watching all my family playing and I always wanting to be like them,” Marc said.
“No one in my family has been a big soccer player before I made it but dad did play when he was a junior, so did a lot of my uncles and so did my brother who was my main inspiration of getting into it.
“I remember going to all of his training sessions and just couldn’t wait until I was able to start playing.”
His father George is the current president of Box Hill United and played juniors at Heidelberg United.
Playing for Victory has been huge for Marc, with support coming from everywhere.
“Being in a few match reports and getting on the scoresheets, it gets seen a lot and then I get a lot of support from the Greek community.”
“A lot of people mention my name and when I talk to family or relative or people I’m not close with, they’ve seen me in the media or just around lately which is really nice.”
Keeping it Greek
Marc maintains a strong connection to his Greek heritage and it is only further strengthened while at Trinity.
Coach Moreira says there are quite a few Greek teachers at the school so when a Greek student like Marc comes along there is an instant connection.
This story coming to fruition was due to Marc’s connection with a Greek teacher.
Year 10 form and maths teacher Jim Garas reached out and when speaking about Marc, you could hear it on his voice how proud he is of the student.
And while Moreira isn’t Greek, he feels like an honorary Greek.
He has worked for Greek based club Northcote City, has a Greek sister-in-law and has been to Greece a few times, including for his brother’s wedding.
“It’s nice to say ‘kalimera and kalispera’ and all the other sort of little words and lingos that I know and it’s great for the boys to be able to have that with some of the staff here,” he said.
As mentioned earlier, Marc would love to play in Greece one day but he also hopes to visit the country again having been once when he was in grade six.
“It’s obviously very hard to travel to Greece now with soccer being very intense with school, but I really do want to return as soon as I can.”
“I’ve also recently got my Greek citizenship as well.”
Perhaps that time will come for Marc, maybe it will be after year 12 or maybe he’ll make the A-League first and Europe will come through soccer, but that is for tomorrow’s Marc to think about.
Today’s Marc has to worry about impressing the coaches at Melbourne Victory in the NPL and studying for his next SAC.
