Ice hockey, ball hockey and other kinds of sports...
23.04.2020
The interview with Valery Balabanov can be read below:
- Could you tell us about your first steps in hockey?
- I spent my childhood on the outskirts of Moscow, in the Tushino district. My parents liked sports, and supported me in my sports hobbies. In 1964, when I was 6 years old, I was interested in swimming. My parents and I often took a part in different competitions in Moscow. I liked a lot of kinds of sport : football, athletics, gymnastics, volleyball, cycling, boxing, weightlifting. My favorite one was football. Nevertheless, I made my first steps in hockey in ball hockey.
I really liked this game, it was very popular. As I remember, we came there with my father. I did not have a hockey stick, but I had skates. The coach asked me if I want to be a goalie? I agreed, and then 4 years playing on goal. The first hockey game I visited “Krylya Sovetov” and “Spartak” Moscow in 1966.
- After this did you decide to play ice hockey?
- No. Me and my family moved to Zelenograd. In 1970s there were a lot of kinds of sports: Greco-Roman wrestling, skiing, volleyball and basketball. For two years I practiced Greco-Roman wrestling, then I tried skiing, but it wasn’t mine, I wanted to be on ice...
- ... And you decided to go to speed skating?
- Yes. In 1973, Me and my friend visited sports school "Elion" in Zelenograd. There was outstanding coach - Oskin Victor. I was impressed by his attitude to the guys and to his work. I was engaged in speed skating until the 1981. I retired after coaching career.
- Where did you make debut as a coach?
- I made debut as a coach in the sports school "Elion".
After this, I worked in sports school "Novator" in Khimki. The school had great traditions and had a large number of graduates - masters of sports, international-class masters of sports in cycling and speed skating. In 1991, Viktor Fedorov, the father of Sergei Fedorov, became the head coach of the hockey division of the sports school.
-Could you name some of your students who achieved a success?
- Dmitri Yeremeyev. He is a champion of the Moscow Region. Many of my students have constantly become champions and winners of various levels of competition.
- How did you get to know about hockey?
- In 1991, we heard bad rumors about our "Novator" sports school. There were difficult times in the country and we lost our sponsors. I got a job at a fitness center in Zelenograd.
In 1998, I accidentally met the famous hockey player of "CSKA" Leonid Trukhno. Leonid asked me to help him with summer training camp.
A little bit later, I got a job at a fitness club in Kurkino. I was a massage therapist. At that time, this fitness club became a famous place where a large number of hockey players independently prepared for the season. I had the idea to help hockey players with the preparation for upcoming season. After some time, the owner of the club, Mikhail Slutsky, and I decided to create a hockey center for prepaying hockey players. The hockey player Sergei Brylin, who won three Stanley Cups as player of "New Jersey Devils", helped us.
- You worked with "FHR"…
- Yes, I worked for two seasons in "FHR". By 2008, our fitness club was already known in the hockey world of Moscow. And soon we had several invites from "FHR" to help to prepare the Russian junior and youth national hockey teams for the World Championships.
- You managed to stay both in the role of a hockey player and in the role of a speed skater. What kind of common things do these sports have ?
- I thought that speed skating and hockey had a lot of coming things. Nevertheless, I was wrong.
- What is the difference?
- The difference is in many ways.
- During such a long career, you managed to work with youth teams and with first teams. Is the job different?
- Yes, the job is different.
By the way, the Russian Hockey Federation has developed and released a program for the development of young hockey players called “Red Machine”.
You said about future stars. What did you mean?
- This program is for youth sports schools, for children's coaches and players. There are lesson plans for practicing sessions. The program has so far been presented for beginner hockey players from the age of 5 to 10.
- How did you get acquainted with Vyacheslav Butsayev?
- We met with Vyacheslav in 2009. We were in the the coaching staff of Sergei Nemchinov.
Vyacheslav Butsayev was a head coach of "Krasnaya Armiya" and "CSKA". Vyacheslav Butsayev invited me to work with "Sochi".
- Last summer, during the preseason camp, our hockey players noticed that you did not have repeated exercises during the training…
- Everything is changing every day. We should be able to change everything in order to achieve a success.
- What in your opinion, is the most difficult thing in your work?
- The most difficult thing is the creation of a team of like-minded people, when the players and the coaching staff are ger together in order to achieve the same goal. It’s also difficult, for 5 years, to live without your family.
- You are a coach on the ice and off the ice. Your son is also playing hockey…
- My son was skating from 2.5 years old. At the age of 4.5, he started to play in "Orbita" hockey school in Zelenograd.
- What are you doing the quarantine?
We are staying at home. I am preparing plans for the new season.I am writing individual programs for the guys.
- What advice can you give to our fans during covid-19 ...
- We must be patient. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and stay at home!
