USA Armenian Life had a brief email conversation with Ethan Kazanjian, a mem- ber of the national team. Below is the text of the interview: QUESTION: When did you join the Armenia U16 national team? ETHAN KAZANJIAN: I joined the Ar- menia national team in early 2026. QUESTION: What was the process that helped you qualify for the National Team? ETHAN KAZANJIAN: The process that helped me join the national team involved a lot of hard work, disci-pline, and consistency. I focused on improving my skills daily, per- forming well with my coach, staying in top physical condition, and making the most of every opportunity. Then I went for the team tryouts and fortunately made it. QUESTION: What was your reaction when Armenia captured the title? ETHAN KAZANJIAN: It was an incredible feeling! I was super excited when we captured the title and brought back gold for our country. Seeing all of our hard work pay off and celebrating with my team-mates, coaches, and the Armenian fans was unforgettable. Winning the title while representing Armenia is something, I’ll always be proud of. It was a surreal feeling and a memory I will never forget. QUESTION: What role did you play in securing Armenia’s victory? ETHAN KAZANJIAN: My role was to do whatever the team needed to win. Whether that meant scoring, defending, rebounding, or bringing energy and leadership. I stayed focused on helping my teammates. Eve-ryone contributed, and our success came from playing together as one team. QUESTION: What are your future plans? ETHAN KAZANJIAN: My goal is to continue developing as a player, com- pete at the highest level possible, and keep representing Armenia with pride. Also, my plan is to hopefully continue to represent Armenia and bring a champi- onship back home for my school at AGBU. Then, eventually, I hope to continue playing bas-ketball at a college level. Ethan is the son of Yeznik and Christine Kazanjian; a grandson of Hrayer and Silva Chouchanian, and Kevork and Sona Kazanjian. Ethan’s mother Mrs. Chris- tine Chouchanian is a Kindergarten Teacher at A.G.B.U. Ma-noogian-Demirdji- a School in of Los Angeles.