Almost 100 people turned out for a rugby match in Sydney on Saturday and, unlike some other sporting events that day; nobody cared that there was no winner.
It shows that even in something so dark and sad we can celebrate the life of a person and turn it into a happy occasion.
Hellenic Society of NSW (HellSoc) President Anthony Markakis said the Vageli Siaflis Cup was more about having fun than awarding a winner.
“We gave the trophy to the cheerleading squad for being the most good-looking cheerleading squad in Sydney.”
Vageli Siaflis, a popular member of HellSoc, was killed last year in a car crash, aged 18.
HellSoc organized the second annual Vageli Siaflis Cup in honour of their friend.
As well as the touch rugby match, there was a barbecue and speeches were made by the two team captains, as well as Mr Markakis.
“I talked about how something so sad can bring people from the community together,” he said.
“It shows that even in something so dark and sad we can celebrate the life of a person and turn it into a happy occasion.”
And he said, despite the tragedy at its root, the second Vageli Siaflis Cup was, overall, a cheerful occasion.
“When we were saying the speeches there was some emotion, which is understandable, but the purpose of it was to be predominately happy.”
While last year’s event attracted 60 of Mr Siaflis’s close friends, this year attendance was nearly doubled, including up to 20 people who didn’t know Mr Siaflis at all, Mr Markakis said.
He said he hoped the Vageli Siaflis Cup would continue after people who knew Mr Siaflis had left the club.
“The idea is to make it into an annual event, but whether or not it is successful ongoingly, depends on how people respond,” he said.
“It’s an excuse to bring everyone together who knew him or didn’t, and form friendships and relationships,” he said.
“You maintain the memory.”
But he said he genuinely didn’t know who won the game.
“If you have to say a result, say it was a draw,” he said.
