Junior members of the Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Eastern Region came together from September 12 to 14 for the annual Junior Athletic Games (JAG), a weekend of spirited competition and camaraderie at AYF Camp Haiastan.
This year’s JAG was organized by the Central Athletic Council (CAC) and Central Junior Council (CJC) and hosted by the Providence “Varantian” Chapter. The event brought together 120 juniors from across the East Coast, with approximately 40 AYF seniors volunteering as counselors, kitchen staff and race timers to help ensure the weekend’s success.
After breakfast at camp, the Juniors made their way to Milford High School to kick off the day’s competitions. The swimming events came first, with athletes diving into a variety of races and relays. Meanwhile, those not in the water filled the stands, enthusiastically cheering on their fellow AYF members and showing their support.
Once the swimming events wrapped up, the Juniors headed outside to kick off the track and field portion of the day. Under the hot, sunny sky, they pushed through the heat and gave an outstanding effort for every event. Athletes proudly represented their chapters, parading around the track to applause from parents and supporters in attendance. Adding to the excitement, the AYF Providence “Varantian” Chapter introduced a new tradition this year by hosting the first-ever picnic at JAG. This community gathering welcomed parents, alumni, participants, friends and the wider Armenian community to cheer on the athletes while enjoying a picnic-style lunch. The new JAG picnic tradition will continue, with the hope that more families and alumni will join in on the festivities.
After a full day of competition, the athletes returned to AYF Camp Haiastan to get ready for an evening of dinner, dancing and awards. The Providence chapter prepared a fantastic dinner, for which everyone was deeply grateful. Soon after, the pavilion came alive with traditional music performed by AYF Seniors as the dance got underway. The night concluded with the Central Athletic Council presenting the awards, capping off a memorable day.
This year, five juniors were honored with High Scorer Awards, presented to athletes who demonstrated exceptional skill throughout their events and earned the highest number of individual points in their respective age groups. Following the high scorers, the 2025 Sportsmanship Award was presented to the Washington, D.C., “Sevan” Chapter for its outstanding sportsmanship and fraternal spirit throughout the games.
The weekend concluded with the announcement of the overall chapter standings, along with JAG’s traditional Saturday night dance. All participating chapters competed with true determination, respect and camaraderie. Emerging victorious by a narrow 10-point margin was the New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter, finishing with 110 points and edging out the Philadelphia “Papken Suni” Chapter at 100 points.
On Sunday morning, the juniors gathered for a quick breakfast, exchanged farewells with their friends from other chapters and departed from AYF Camp Haiastan — bringing to a close an unforgettable weekend of athletic competition, sportsmanship and fellowship.
High scorers:
Younger boys: Matthew Tarpinian (Boston)
Younger girls: Yeran Baronian (Philadelphia)
Older boys: Andrew Movsessian (North Andover) and Luke Charchaflian (Boston)
Older girls: Cameron Santerian (Philadelphia)
Chapter Sportsmanship award: AYF Washington, D.C., “Sevan” Chapter
Final chapter standings:
| Chapter | Total points |
| New Jersey “Arsen” | 110 |
| Philadelphia “Papken Suni” | 100 |
| Greater Boston “Nejdeh” | 52 |
| Providence “Varantian” | 51 |
| North Andover “Sassoun” | 44 |
| Worcester “Aram” | 17 |
| Washington DC “Sevan” | 15 |
| New York “Hyortik” | 14 |
| Albany “Shoushi” | 3 |
