Alexei Volgin :"Every cloud has a silver lining"
29.03.2020
- I am very grateful to my grandfather for my hockey career. He spent a lot of time with me at the rink. We were at the rink at every holiday. In Samara, where I came from, at that time there was only one ice hockey palace, and it took a long time to move there. One day, the coach of the young team from minor league told to my grandfather and invited me to the practice. I was waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I agreed to visit the practice. From that time, I missed only one practice because I was sick.
For three years I played in the Nikolai Dobrynin’ young team. Then I was invited by. He is a wonderful coach and psychologist. Many of his players played in Togliatti, Yaroslavl, «CSKA», «Ak Bars». If I am not mistaken, Artem Galimov, who is now playing well in Kazan, is also his student.
Unfortunately, great “experts” of hockey came to lead hockey in Samara and fired Alexander Fedotov.
-You started to play hockey at the age of 7. Nowadays the boys have been skating at the age of 5. Do you think that it is not right?
I don't think so. I have two sons. Now we are waiting for the third child. I put my eldest son on skates at the age of six. The youngest son is playing and practicing in «Neftekhimik» from the age of five.
- How is it going?
- It’s okay.
- I remember that in the 1999 «CSK VVS» played in the Super League. Did you visit any hokey games?
- Yeah, sure I did. I visited one game against «Dynamo» Moscow. I remember how Peter Vorobyev send Sasha Chernikov, Yura Petrov, Alexei Emelin and Grigory Panin to the «army». «CSK VVS» team was like an army for them.
Four years later, I played in "Lada". Igor Nikitin (head coach) was an outstanding hockey player. It was very interesting to work with him. As a former hockey player, he perfectly knew what to do and what to say to us.
- Who was the coach when you started to play in «Lada»?
- Peter Vorobyov. In Togliatti there was a problem with money. Peter Vorobyov was a high-level professional. Therefore, he worked in «Atlant» and «Lokomotiv». Vorobyov had a clearly built hockey vertical system. It worked well. Good young players were moved to Lada-2 for 1 year. If he was interested in some player, then this player played in «CSK VVS».
- What was it like to play at home stands?
- It is like a dream have come true. There was a lot of showing off! We caught on us a lot of girls’ eyes. Cool!!!! My relatives and friends were there in Samara. Then we were sent to army.
- You served in the army?
- Yeah. After Alexei Cherepanov’ death («Avangard» team) unscheduled inspections took place in every team and we were moved to the barrack accommodation. We did morning exercises and clean up the territory. After this the bus drove us to the game. After the game we dressed in military uniforms and drove back to the barrack.
- What did you do there?
- We did some ordinary things like cleaning the territory. There was nothing more to do. We had a sports company - no weapons.
- In general, did the people visit hockey games in Samara?
- In Samara, people always visit hockey games. I played in Samara this season and season - I saw how people were cheering for the team. Even when the Samara team played in the first league, 1,500 people visited games in the old ice hockey palace.
By that time, you had an experience in playing in «CSK VVS». Do they remember you?
- As I said before, it is a great pleasure to play at home stands and you have to be more responsible. Yes, the fans know me, a certain fan sector has formed during this time. They remember me from the time when I came here to play for the army at the age of 18.
- Did Peter Vorobyov have a hard school? We heard something interesting ...
- It’s difficult in the first year, and then you get used to it. This is a good school. During the pre-season camp, it happened that you can barely crawl to the bed. Nevertheless, during the season you flew like a butterfly. I would also like to note that then our team was friendly and united and we all lived in the «Pentagon» - so called our sport complex when you can leave and exercise in Togliatti. About 80 people lived there: young children and who was in the first and in the second teams. We all talked to each other, we were friends. When the training camp started in the summer, literally five or six people in the first team were changed. In the hockey school or in Lada-2 team, the people didn’t change at all, we we lived with the same guys.
- How it was to study without parental control?
- I still do not understand that something happened when I was moved to Togliatti. Perhaps, I was crazy about hockey more than about school.
Nevertheless, I continued to study well. I remember graduating from the 9th grade with two or three C marks. In grades 10-11, I was only playing hockey, and studying was a pure formality.
- There was no time left or just ...
- I realized that I had to do one thing. Igor Nikitin did not scold us for our studies. It was important for him to see that we interested in hockey. He understood that if we become professional hockey players, we will be able not to worry about money.
- It turns out that you had to play in our old palace?
- Yeah, I played when I was in «Lada-2» team. I am pleased to come to the Old Ice hockey palace with my eldest son Ilya and spend there some time with him. I am always happy to helps to coaches there when I have a free time.
I could not even think that the time would come and I would spend here some time with my son. I dreamed to play in «Lada». When I moved there, to some extent my dream came true.
We cannot predict any scenario ... How it happened that you moved to Nizhnekamsk?
- This is a long story .... I am very grateful to Gennady Tsygurov. He is an outstanding coach and person. He gave me a lot in terms of hockey and in terms of life experience. He believed in me. Gennady Tsygurov let me play the season with good hockey players who had experience of playing in the KHL. For example, Alexei Akifiev, Sergei Shikhanov. It turned out to be a great season, after which Andrei Sidorenko invited me to Moscow «Spartak». Gennady Tsygurov told me that he would not let me go, that I would play with him in the KHL. He hoped that with “Lada” we will return to KHL. But then there were people who put a spoke in his wheel and he was fired.
After that I moved to Krasnoyarsk. There was unsuccessful season. I got a serious hand injury and started to build my personal life until the end of the season. As it says, every cloud has a silver lining.. There I met my future wife.
The next year, I could have been without work at all, but there were good people - Igor Averkin invited me to the «Sarov» hockey club. I played there for a half of a season, got many points, and talked with Peteris Skudra. Something went wrong and I did not get an offer to play in «Torpedo». Sergei Svetlov was a coach of «Lada». He signed me and I spent two seasons in Togliatti.
- Is it true, that Svetlov is a good motivator?
- Yes, he is a good coach and decent man. It is always pleasure to work with him.
After two seasons in «Lada», I received an invitation from Rail Yakupov (Director, General Manager of HC «Neftekhimik» 2017-2019) to arrive at the summer camp of «Neftekhimik». Andrei Nazarov was building a team. After the summer camp, I signed a try-out contract, and somewhere in early August 2017 I was offered to sign a contract.
- How is it to live in Nizhnekamsk?
- It is quite good. My family is here, the eldest son goes to school, the youngest goes to kindergarten, both are engaged in a hockey school. The city is small, everything is close. In «Neftekhimik», the team is friendly enough. It is like we at home. Yes, actually it’s not so far from home in Samara.
- Could you rate last season?
- I think that we had a very good season, during which there were ups and downs. We did the main job- we made playoffs. Somewhere in playoffs we didn’t have enough luck. Perhaps by this time we have reached the limit of luck. I admit that we spent a lot of strength and emotions on the final games of the season. We had a playoffs games before the beginning of playoffs.
- let’s speak about second game in Khabarovsk. We were lead 1-0, and Alexei Volgin got 5+20. What did you think at that moment in the locker room?
“I'll be honest, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.” I did not sit, I prayed. You can ask the massage therapist Pavel, I prayed. And after the game, my mother called me immediately and said that at that moment she also prayed in front of the icons. I have never had this before. The whole work of the team, coaches, the whole season could be ruined in one moment. It was disgusting. I got a penalty, then Berglund got a penalty, and «Amur» scored 2 pucks...
It was not right that the player of «Amur» did it. I hope that he knows what I am talking about.
- The goal of Ryasensky saved the game ...
- It was more than just a goal. This is a golden goal, we can say the most important goal of the season. On the other hand, as it says, the God saw everything and helped us.
- Did you say «My treat»?
- No. There were still important games ahead. We all thanked Eugene Ryasensky for this puck.
I will never forget this I will be grateful to Ryas ...
