University of Georgia Athletics
Kosta Vavlas Specializes In Special Teams
October 23, 2014 | Football
By Loran Smith
You need only glance at the name Kosta Vavlas to be immediately aware of the man's Greek heritage. All we need is a bouzouki, a few broken plates, and a tumbler of retsina to connect with the Agean Sea and the island of Kalymnos from which his forebears hailed.
For those who follow Georgia football, he is best known for the peculiar sound of his name on the public address system and his kamikaze style of play on all four of Georgia's special teams: kickoff, kickoff return, punt return, and punt block. He is best appreciated for his kickoff production. When Georgia kicks off for whatever reason, more often than not, you hear Brooke Whitmire singing out his name. "Tackle by Kosta Vavlas." Making tackles on kickoffs is not the safest football occupation, but it is one of the most important for the team. Disrupting any potential offensive threat is the mission of the defense, and few are more accomplished at maneuvering through the bodies of blockers and zeroing in on the ball carrier than is Vavlas.
You could liken his high-risk living to that of his father, Michael. If you have ever driven over Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg to Bradenton, crossed the Skyway Bridge on Interstate 275, and taken note of the plethora of yellow support cables of the bridge, you gain an appreciation for Kosta's attitude. His dad painted those cables.
Michael is old country and old school when it comes to the work ethic, support of family, and appreciation for the American Way. There are so many flawed and wrong-headed immigrant stores in our country today, but there are the many which are just as illuminating as they were in the late 19th and 20th centuries. The Vavlas family is one of those. They came to America for opportunity. They were happy to assimilate, roll up their sleeves, and go to work, underscoring family values and contributing to their communities.
Michael and his wife, Nomiki, can hardly believe that their son can play a sport and earn a free education in the process. This remarkable tradeoff constantly stimulates their pride in America.
Appreciation for their Greek heritage remains. Kosta, who speaks his native tongue, can't wait for the next summer trip when he can make it over to see his cousins on Kalymnos. To explore the culture of his family and to experience the environment of Pothia, the capital of the island.
In the meantime, his priorities remain intact: help Georgia win a championship and obtain a degree in biological science, which hopefully will lead to medical school. With respect to special teams play, Vavlas is living a dream of long standing. He not only enjoys the exhilaration that comes from being cheered lustily by more than 93,000 people, but it is uncommon for him not to make a tackle during a game. In 2013, he appeared in 13 games and made 11 tackles. To date, he has started every game and has four solo tackles and nine assists. His one game best was four tackles versus Vanderbilt in 2012. At 6-0, 214 pounds, he sometimes sees action on defense as an inside linebacker.
Vavlas is easily compatible with the pre Socratic Greek philosopher, Thales, who advanced the notion that there is nothing better in life than "a sound mind in a sound body." With an emphasis on being well-rounded, Kosta's life is akin to that of a Renaissance Man. He has deep adoration for the outdoors. He loves fishing and cooking. He can prepare a leg of lamb better than many upscale restaurants you might frequent. His fish dishes, especially from the bounty he brings in from the sea himself, resonate with any sophisticated palate. He has a passion for art, designing tee shirts for the student body of Tarpon Springs High, in Tarpon Springs, Fla.
As a kid growing up, he always "had affection for the University of Georgia" but is not sure why. "Maybe," he says, "it was the bulldog." One thing is certain in his view. "Divine providence was involved," he smiles confidently. He always invokes appreciation for his faith in God as the center of all that is good about life.
Ambition combined with humility and reverence are hallmarks in the life of Kosta Vavlas, a classic student-athlete.
