INDIANAPOLIS - The Great Midwest Athletic Conference recently caught up with Christakis Agisilaou, former Kentucky Wesleyan Panther men’s soccer standout and current professional for Olympiakos B Team in Greece.
Agisilaou is entering his fourth year in the professional ranks. He was an offensive terror in just two seasons in the Great Midwest from 2013-14, ranking fourth all-time in points (61) and third all-time in goals (26) despite a much smaller career sample size.
Agisilaou’s entire career spanned 2011-2014 as he finished with 40 goals and 14 assists. KWC was a member institution in the Great Midwest officially starting in 2013.
His per-game averages in just two years also ranks among the best in league history. Agisilaou averaged 1.79 points per game (2nd) and 0.76 goals (2nd) per contest. In 2013-14, he ranked 13th in NCAA Division II in points per game.
The Great Midwest appreciates Agisilaou’s time in sharing some the answers below as he reflects back on his time in Owensboro and his professional adventures overseas.
What do you miss the most about the collegiate game?
The thing I miss most about college soccer is definitely the relationships I developed. Why? I was literally with these guys every single day for hours and hours. We practiced together, we lifted weights together, we were on buses together, we were in the classroom together, we were on the field together, we slept in the same dorms. It was just those relationships that I had with my teammates. Those were definitely some of the greatest moments of my life.
When did you know that going pro was a realistic possibility for your future?
I have dreamed of being a professional soccer player since I was seven years old. Many kids have those dreams at a young age, but realistically I just stayed low and was on the grind every single day to accomplish that lifelong dream. It became realistic in my freshman year.. We went to Missouri to play Rockhurst, ranked #7 in the nation at the time. We lost the game, 5-2, after giving up two late goals, but we played good and were in most of the game. There were four scouts there watching our game wit their eyes on Rockhurst because they had so many good players, some of the best in the nation. That day, I scored both our teams goals and opened some eyes. One of those agents contacted my coach to stay in touch with me and we continued speaking. I always wanted to play professional soccer but he put into my mind that I had what it takes to get there because I was only a freshman and if I continued to work hard then I could get to the top level.
Walk us through you one of your workout/fitness sessions (describe each activity, how many reps, etc.)
I lift legs at the gym one to two times per week. I always start off on the stationary bike for about 10-15 minutes to get a good warm up in and get my legs ready to go for the workout. I start off with front squats. I do five sets of 12, increasing weight each set. Next, I do leg press, five sets of 20 each leg. Next, I do seated leg curls and leg extensions as a superset, four sets of 10 on each leg. I always finish my workout with lunges, four sets of 12 each leg, before I stretch to finish off the day.
What is your favorite Greek food?
My favorite Greek food is definitely souvlaki (popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer.) inside a pita with tomatoes and cucumbers.
What is your favorite non-Greek food?
My favorite non-Greek food is baked lasagna, with ravioli coming in a close second.
How many times have you heard your name completely mispronounced?
There are not enough fingers and toes on 100 people combined to tell you the exact amount of times that my name has been mispronounced. It has been mispronounced thousands of times.
What is your avorite pro team to cheer for (other than yours)
My favorite pro team to cheer for is definitely Manchester United FC in England. I have liked them since I was a young boy. My dad definitely introduced me to them early and I fell in love with them.
Who are your top three players you would use in a game of FIFA.
The top 3 players I enjoy playing with on FIFA are Cristiano Ronaldo, Kyle Walker and Jamie Vardy.
What’s your jersey number – any special reasoning behind that choice?
My current jersey number is #4. I chose that because there are 4 kids in my family: myself, my brother, and 2 older sisters.
What is your favorite professional moment to this point in your career?
My favorite professional moment of my career to this point is definitely my debut match in my first season in Europe. I will never ever forget that moment, standing on the touchline, as a substitute getting ready to be introduced to a load roar from the crowd. It was definitely one of the greatest moments of my life.
What is the brand and model of cleats you wear on the field?
I am an Adidas man. My team is sponsored by Adidas, so I wear the original Copa Mundial black and white boots, I also have the all white Copas, and lastly for turf matches I wear the lime green and black Messi boots.
Who is the toughest opponent you have faced (collegiate or pro)
The toughest opponent I have ever faced was either the NY Red Bulls U-23 Team or Olympiakos B Team in Greece last season.
What is some advice you would give an aspiring pro athlete currently in college.
The best advice I can give to a collegiate athlete is practice and play like someone is watching. If you always have that mentality and mindset then you will NOT cheat yourself. Always train like a pro coach/scout is watching. In 100% honesty, I had no clue that there were scouts at that match my freshman year in Missouri. I knew nothing about them, but I always gave effort and my best because I came from nothing.
Which countries have you had an opportunity to play in?
I have played all over the United States, 2 years in Sweden, 9 months in Greece, and 6 months in Cyprus.
As an Owensboro High School graduate, what drew you to play at Kentucky Wesleyan?
Playing at Owensboro High School, I was less than 2 miles away from the campus of Kentucky Wesleyan College. I wanted my family to be able to watch me continue my lifelong dreams. I wanted to stay close to home so I could help my family with whatever they needed and also be able to get my degree with a full scholarship for 3 years, and leave school early to go play overseas. I also really loved the head coach Andy Donohoe at the time and he called me multiple times per week always asking me how I was. We had a great relationship.
How deep does the love of soccer run in your family?
My dad introduced me to the game at an early age. I can remember my dad always having soccer on the TV. It was either watch soccer or go to your room and do homework. His passion for the game made me fall in love with the sport. My brother was also a big influence because we were able to compete against each other and push ourselves to the limit. I never wanted to lose to my brother in anything that we did, so he challenged me to get better and compete. Soccer was my first passion, and it never has left me.
What is your current pregame hype song.
My current pregame hype song is definitely “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. I love the old school Eminem tunes.
Do you have any pregame or postgame superstitions?
I always put my left sock and cleat on first. ALWAYS.
When you’re not playing soccer, in your off time, you enjoy…
When I am not playing soccer, I enjoy being outside, traveling, playing other sports. I love the gym, I workout 4-5 times per week minimum. I love helping kids with their mental and physical struggles, believing in them and giving them hope.
In season, what are three meals you would typically eat in a day?
I am a huge pasta guy, so at least one meal per day contains pasta. I drink nothing but water. I have not had a soft drink in 9 years. I love water. Breakfast is usually, eggs or cereal or peanut butter and a banana. Post training is always chicken and rice with a salad.