Our hockey team "Polytechnic" is fighting for victory in the semi-finals of the Regional Cup in Chebarkul with the local team "Zvezda". During the break between matches, we talked with the team's head coach Artyom Pletnev.
– You have so many hockey drills, it is hard to keep track of everything. You have probably already started psyching the guys up to win?
– Yes. We already have some experience. We train hard, but try to evenly distribute the load. We are starting to play more in friendly matches, with stronger teams, so that the guys feel the tension of the upcoming competition.
– Are there any pre-match rituals?
– Hmm... I think that every hockey player has his own. In any case, coaches "don’t pry into" these rituals. When we were hockey players at our time, we had some kind of our own things, now maybe they have different ones, because the generation is changing. You shouldn't impose your own.
– Well, what did you have then?
– We turned on a certain music during warm-ups... Team leaders charged players with their energy. Motivation, advice from guys who have already won.
– I would continue with the theme of generations. Has hockey changed in any way globally?
– Undoubtedly. The emphasis is on the speed of decision-making of a hockey player. I think before this sport was more academic, with beautiful combinations. The same thing happens now, but speed and puck retention are still paramount today.
– A winning hockey player, what is he like?
– Everyone wants to win. But hockey is a team sport. What are the components of success? It may sound trivial, but this is the very desire to win, the technical equipment of the player, his physical training (microtraumas should not interfere, the presence of resistance to high loads), tactical/game discipline − so that they try to follow the recommendations of the coaching staff on the ice. Often guys play around, want to do more and better, but break the rules. The opponent will definitely take advantage of this.
– This is a student team. How do the guys combine their studies with such a busy training schedule? Perhaps there are some allowances?
– Well, these are not exactly "allowances". The guys go to competitions according to orders. They make up for missed class time. Drills take place almost every day. Sometimes we arrange drills three times a week, in the morning and in the evening, to choose from, so that they can miss classes minimally. After all, many study in specialties where they can’t just read a book and write an essay; they also need to work in a laboratory. If they don’t have to go to the first class, we even arrange very late drills, at about eleven o’clock.
– We are talking about a sport that is generally considered masculine. But still, is there a place for girls in it?
– For me personally, this is more of a men’s sport. In fact, a lot of girls play it. Both in youth hockey and in professional sports. Even in Chelyabinsk there is a team that is becoming more and more successful year after year. I have already said that hockey is a team sport, and it is more difficult to recruit a team of female students so that everyone comes and does not get sick. Not all girls, who have trained in a hockey school, wish to continue doing this sport the future. By the way, last year we played a friendly match with the women's team.
The "Polytechnic" team will go to the Final Eight tournament, which will be held in Sochi.