By Marcus Zouroudis
Billy Konstas, the eldest of three brothers, is establishing his own identity as a physiotherapist and cricket coach of young players.
I walk with the 24-year-old who exudes humility and calm, while possessing a maturity beyond his age. During our meeting, I notice his time spent in pensive thought meditating answers.
He was raised in Hurstville, Sydney with his brothers from childhood to his early twenties and values family most in life.
“Definitely, family is really important to me, I have a big family being Greek, so supporting each other in our endeavours is really important and supporting everyone in their goals in life,” he says.
As a Greek Australian who identifies proudly as an Aussie, he also acknowledges his rich Hellenic heritage as his grandparents migrated from the Peloponnese in the 1960s.
“My maternal grandfather is from Tripoli and my paternal grandparents are from Kalamata and Patras, and Greece holds a place in my heart. I really fell in love with the country for its landscape, food, weather and people and I’m glad to be a Greek Australian but feel most at home on Australian soil,” he says.
In his adolescent years he was a diligent student at Christian Brothers Lewisham and well-rounded with sporting ability in cricket and soccer.
As the older brother of Sam and Johnny Konstas, he sees himself as an example in friendship and in virtue guiding them to better meet life’s complexities.
“I went through school studious and playing sports, my brothers and I are close-knit, and we had a lot of tough love, and any differences were easily resolved. We always encouraged each other to be our best. If someone sets a goal, we will really motivate each other to hit the mark,” he says.
He works as a physiotherapist, treating people of all ages across numerous sports. Through his profession he has gained an insight into the work of care where he has gained a better appreciation for freedom of movement in himself.
“I am a physiotherapist by profession; I work with people of all demographics. I work with sports physio, as well as with NDIS and workers comp patients where I became more grateful for being functional and independent. I worked with the Wests Tigers for a season helping their Daley Cup under 18s side,” he says.
The Sutherland Shire Grade cricketer has recently started coaching with his brothers, combining a passion for the game he plays with an interest in helping people. The coaching has a strong focus on batting, passing on the experience he has gained as a junior and as a senior representative cricket player.
“Konstas Cricket Coaching has helped us build relationships with people on and off the field and we are blessed to call cricket a job because we love what we do,” he says.
He intends to travel to Greece to see how his grandparents lived, reconnect with the slower, sociable way of life and achieve his ambition to play cricket for the national team.
“I want to travel and see where my grandparents lived and it would be great to represent my fatherland, Greece in cricket,” he says.
He sees strengthening his faith as an important aim for the future and viewing himself as a leader who cares for his brothers, feels strongly about starting his own family.
“I would say my connection with Christ is always a work in progress, and to be more God-fearing is a goal of mine which I think entails starting a large family and having a companion by my side,” he says.
He has contemplated his years ahead, looking to prioritise spending time with family and growing as a physiotherapist and cricket coach.
“I would like to spend more time with my grandparents and cherishing the moments with them, and travelling with my brothers, going for coffees with my parents and going for beach walks as opposed to the more materialistic gestures. I really live for experiences with family and friends,” he says.
