Andrey Chirkov: "We are preparing future champions"

Surgut youth team is not just a team of YUKIOR, acting in MVL, and a whole system of training young talents. What is it and how does it work? We talked about this with the head coach of YUKIOR Andrey Chirkov.

Andrey Alekseevich, what is “hidden” behind the YUKIOR sign?

A lot of everything! This is the club ideology., which is supported by the district authorities and the leadership of the Ugra Boarding College of the Olympic Reserve, and unique material and technical base, and all of our students...

Let's go in order. You have more pupils, than the players in the UKIOR team?

Sure! We are working for the future. Now we have a group of guys 2007 the year of birth, coming soon 2008. Two newcomers are included in the Russian national team according to their age, Gordey Kochurov and Nikita Vorobyov. Gordey recently became the MVP of the School Spartakiad. He is a binder - this is the question continuity of our traditions in the education of players of this role: Хабибуллин, Kobzar, Kirillov... A coach from Belarus Vitaly Milko was invited to work with the "recruits". This year we plan to declare a youth team for the championship of Russia in the first league, to have a springboard for getting into the main team of YUKIOR. And there the guys are already preparing for the Super League.

What is more important for YUKIOR - victory in international flights or preparation of a reserve for Gazprom-Ugra?

These are related things.. Without victories, without cultivating the appropriate mentality, it is impossible to move into adult volleyball, especially at Superleague level. We've set the bar pretty high over the past two seasons.: twice fourth in MVL, took "silver" at the last International Cup, what, probably, even more prestigious. We will strive to comply.

Today, the Gazprom-Yugra system has our central Pavel Tebenikhin and Konstantin Bessogonov, there is the same Maxim Kirillov. We count on them in MVL, but in the Super League they are already able to prove themselves.

And Ivan Skvortsov?

is he 2005 the year of birth, Too early for Superleague. In Ivan, in my opinion, the upcoming season will be decisive. He needs to prove and establish himself as a leader. Take on more responsibility on the court, and in the locker room, reach a new level, to prepare yourself for entering men's volleyball. He has good prospects, we believe in him.

Many have heard about the unique conditions, in which they live, children study and train in YUKIOR. What is the "trick"? When they say the common phrase "all conditions are created", what exactly is meant?

– YUKIOR is truly a unique place on an all-Russian scale. If specifically: pupils live in a comfortable hostel, in blocks with all amenities for two people in a room. Security at the highest level: protected area, security in the building, fingerprint pass.

Two steps from the educational and sports complex: the school is under the same roof, and sports halls, and dining room. For the north, this is relevant - no need to go out in the cold. We have two game rooms for training, in YUKIOR, and a new hall in the universal sports complex. It has a professional finish., professional equipment installed, there are sliding stands - you can hold any competition. There is a gym, swimming pool, sauna, excellent rehabilitation and medical center with very serious equipment for functional diagnostics. There are also cryochambers., physiotherapy, massage.

Sounds really impressive.

All, who is coming, excited. Such conditions in one place, perhaps, not found anywhere else in Russia. But what is especially valuable is the constant support from the district authorities, from the governor to the leadership of the department of physical culture and sports, boarding college. Oleg Viktorovich Vakhovsky pays great attention to us, General Director of Gazprom Transgaz Surgut. These are not common phrases., I see this care every day. No question is left unanswered.

Describe a typical day for UKIOR students.

Climb, breakfast, morning workout. FROM 10.30 school lessons, dinner, short break and continued study, then evening workout. Every day, in fact, painted from and to, there's just no time to do stupid things.

Frequent traveling does not interfere with studies?

College designed specifically for children, involved in sports, so frequent absences for competitions and training camps, what is called, included in the program. The course is structured like this, so that children have time to acquire knowledge in the required volume. One thing, when one or two people drop out of the class, it’s hard for them to catch up later. When the whole class leaves for the competition and the teachers know about it in advance - there is already, as they say, the mountain goes to Mohammed, the educational process adapts to the sports schedule without loss of quality.

Why are all these conditions created?? What is the end goal?

In the end we all work for the country, for Russian sports. We prepare future players of the national team, champions. clear, that not all of our pupils will reach the top, but only in this way can high-quality cutting of sports talents be carried out.

Now in children's volleyball there is a rather high competition for young talents, and i'm proud, that we can offer them the best conditions. We are not recruiting, and selection in UKIOR, it's a big difference. Sure, priority - to young residents of Ugra, but you have to look further. For the most part, it doesn't matter, where's everyone from, if in the end everything is done for the benefit of the region and the country. Our goal is to move forward, develop, grow with students. At the same time, one of the main conditions is that the children themselves want to come to us., for parents to see the future. Everything else we have.