ORLANDO, FL – Philip Mezitis, a student at the Bronx High School of Science in New York, was a key factor in his team’s gold medal win in the Silver Division of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Boys Volleyball Championships held in Orlando July 4-7.

Mezitis and his team, NYC Impact U17, led by their coach Edgar Castillo, captured the 2024 championship amid tough competition.

It should be noted that Philip’s father is Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Dr. Mezitis played volleyball at Athens College, for the Greek National Team, Heidelberg University, and at the University of Pennsylvania.

The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sports. During its early years, the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the U.S. in the international sports federations. The AAU worked closely with the Olympic movement to prepare athletes for the Olympic Games. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of “Sports for All, Forever,” is shared by more than 720,000 participants and over 150,000 volunteers.