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Early in November there were held a number of master classes for the trainees of the Sports School for Children and Youth of the Academy in the cities of Kazan and Almetyevsk; the speaker was Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vasilyev, the Olympic Champion, the World Champion, the European Champion, Ex-Coach of Russian Junior Team and Youth Team of CSKA "Red Army".

First, we discussed how it is important for the Academy to develop its own system of training of young hockey players.   

- I was brought up back in Soviet times. Some people consider that the Soviet system was effective, other people are eager to criticize it with foam at the mouth... But what matters is that it existed. Within this system the boys living on the outskirts began their career in sports schools, became players of the country's national team and gained the Champion titles and awards.

I would like to note that the Academy's approach to development of the player as a personality appeals to me. We all know that not every trainee will become a professional hockey player, but he could become an expert in any other sphere. What matters is that this trainee of the Academy should become strong-willed, persevering and decent man.

It was evident that the trainees and their coaches take a strong interest in the results. The children burst to go into action. I even had to stop them: "Ok, guys, time out..." Obviously, they are highly motivated. I believe that the coaches deserve the credit for this.

- You touched on a topic of motivation. Could you, please, tell us the story about how Aleksandr Nikolayevich Maltsev, being your partner in the National Team, motivated you before the Izvestiya Newspaper Trophy Tournament.

- I was under 20 years of age. At that time, I and Vyacheslav Arkadyevich Bykov joined the National Team. It was our first international tournament. Bykov played in the centre, I – on the left, and Maltsev – on the right. Can you imagine what kind of school it was... Only 5 years ago we were skating with the stick in the yard pretending to be Kharlamov and Maltsev. And suddenly I was on the ice rink with them, in one team...

To tell the truth, I felt very nervous before the game. And in order to calm down I suggested childishly that a draw is possible... Believe me, even if Maltsev had just looked at me, I would have understood that I had put my foot in my mouth. But Aleksandr Nikolayevich did not just give a look. He made it clear that no one in the team do not even mention about the draw: "Now we go on the rink and win..." It was not a philosophy; it was a lifestyle, victory mindset.

- And as a coach how do you wind your players up to win?

- I started in coaching abroad. It left its mark on my entire future career. What I am trying to say is that abroad there was no need to motivate the players. The children always hung upon my lips. My motivation concerned mainly human values. Before the match I assured the players that I ultimately believe in them and that they will go to the extra mile. If the sportsman failed to perform well, I would approach him and say that I would not have stepped up to him, if I had known that he could not perform better.

How should I motivate them otherwise? To draw them up in line or make them run until they fall down – that is not motivation at all. The person should not be brought to his knees. Indeed, sometimes I had to react very strongly. I explained the player once or twice... But if the player did mistakes again and again, I took measures... However, from my experience I know that if you state not even your requirements, but your complaints, one player will do his best gritting his teeth. And other player will go into his shell; and in any case you will have to put even more effort in order to bring back his winning mindset.

I worked abroad not only with children, but with premier league and professional hockey players, as well. Every player needs individual approach. There is no way around it.

- You became a player of CSKA, when almost every player of this team had already been a legend or a cult figure. How did you adapt? Was it difficult to play side-by-side with the stars?

- I joined the team in 1980. It just so happened, that in February of this year our all-star team yielded the palm to the Americans at the Olympic Games in Lake Placid. Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov had always been heading for rejuvenating the team, and never more so than after getting a silver medal at the Olympic Games. At that time I was playing in the youth team together with Andrey Khomutov and Vladimir Korzhenko. Vladimir played in the Premier League at times. Andrey had already played there...

Once Aleksandr Pavlovich Ragulin, the Coach of Youth Team of CSKA, came to me after the training. By the way, this is another example of continuity: three-time Olympic Champion, ten-time World Champion became a Coach of CSKA Sports School for Children and Youth at the end of his career; he trained the youth team... "Look, the Premier League is coming onto the rink, you train with them and then go to the training camp". I was taken aback: "Aleksandr Pavlovich, I would like to go home and do my packing". And I got a terse Ragulin-style reply: "You know, opportunities such as this are rare..." I had no more questions to be asked. I went to the camp as is.

By a twist of fate, my roommate at the training camp was Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov. We lived together in one room for half a year. Can you imagine what experience I gained: not only on the rink, but in everyday life, as well. The players did not suffer stardom disease. You ask me about motivation. Only the fact that I joined this team, made me to knock myself out. At that time, the most important thing for me was not to fail. And, for their part, they accepted me as if I had played with them for five years already. Great players! Turning back to the question of system – the system functioned well. All rests on continuity.

- You played in one team with legendary players and you were trained by the great coaches as well... 

- Indeed, I was fortunate in that respect. My first coach was Vladimir Anatolyevich Brezhnev. Honoured Master of Sports, CSKA Player to his fingertips. Having called time on career of CSKA Player, he started coaching and became a senior coach of the junior team. Can you imagine how delighted we were: only yesterday we watched the matches with him on TV, and today he is our coach.

I had a chance to play under the guidance of Aleksandr Nikolayevich Vinogradov, the World Champion, the USSR Champion. I have already mentioned Aleksandr Pavloovich Ragulin. One of my coaches was Yury Ivanovich Moiseev as well. At the end of his playing career he was appointed as the Director of CSKA Sports School for Children. By that time, I was a player of junior team; and I remember well how he came quite often during the training session, put on his skates, ran with us, hurried us, and gave us clues. And then we met in Premier League. At that time, the coaching staff of CSKA was as follows: Tikhonov Viktor Vasilyevich, Moiseev Yury Ivanovich and Kuzkin Viktor Grigoryevich.

I have such fond memories of Yury Ivanovich, although, in truth, his extracurricular activities were even tougher than Tikhonov's ones. Young players always got it in the neck. Andrey Khomutov, Slavka Bykov as well... Ostensibly, we had two training sessions a day. Yury Ivanovich could approach us in the evening: "And now, young people, take your skates and follow me..." And all of us went to Arkhangelskoe (there is a good open rink in winter) where we had an extra hour of intensive training. One may discourse on whether it was right or not, but, by all means, it is Yury Ivanovich who deserves the credit for my achievements. Above all, he schooled our temper.

- Why you moved to Italy in 1990? In fact, you were invited to Finland and Sweden where hockey is very popular.

- For no good reason, people think that Italians do not play hockey. They have interesting teams and good players... It was back in 1982 when I came to Italy for the first time. We arrived there to take part in the European Champions Cup. The tournament took place in Bolzano, where my family lives now. I was fascinated by this city. People smile at you, try to talk with you. Everything is so beautiful, kept in order, a lot of greenery... There was a final of the European Champions Cup in the same season. And it was also held in Italy, in Val Gardena. We arrived in August; here at home it was quite cold already and there in Italy it was warm and sunny... And I would like to note that Italians are very similar to us – Russians – when it comes to their temperament and attitude towards life.

Of course, any hockey player wishes to play in NHL and I am not an exception. But by that time it was impossible for certain reasons. And when I got an offer from Italy, I made my choice...

- Are there any other hockey players in your family?

- My son Mikhail has also played hockey. But living in Italy I became obsessed with court tennis; and I took my son with me to the court. For some time he played both hockey and tennis, but consequently he chose tennis. As a tennis player he performed well enough: he won prestigious tournaments as a junior player. He has graduated from the Tennis Academy in Rome. Now, he has gone to Switzerland, where he and his partner try to establish their own Tennis Academy.

Do I feel sorry that my son did not follow me? Of course, I do not. As parents we can suggest our children the way to follow, but I believe that it is pointless to obligate them to do something.

- One way or another we came down to the point of bringing up a sportsman...

- I must say this is a very serious question. It is a question of developing relations between "the parent and the athlete", "the parent and the coach", "the parent and the club".

Nowadays, the contribution of parents to formation of a sportsman, especially a hockey player, is really great. No argument there. When the training session begins at seven o'clock, the parents have to get up at four, wake the child at five, feed him and drive the child, who is half asleep, across the town to the training session. The financial issue should not be disregarded as well... Sure thing, when investing so much money, the parents begin to make plans concerning future career of their child; they have their own dreams. But I would like to note two things which are worth paying attention to:

Firstly: the child's education should not be passed on to the sports school or general education school. I mean not a sportsman, but a personality, first of all. Human values are educated in the family. The school could not address this issue, and should not do it. Education is its main task.

Secondly: everyone knows that parents like to give the coach advices. But before doing it, you should answer a question: how proficient you are in training. Think, for instance, of me. When I tell my son about his tennis training sessions, he reasonably responds: "Dad, you know nothing about tennis..." I have to explain: "Yes, I know nothing about tennis. I just like this sport. I run after every ball and enjoy it... When you copy my game, you make me laugh. But I am not teaching you how to strike the ball... I give advice of another order. I touch upon the questions of will and commitment..."

- In 2016 you quitted as a Head Coach of CSKA Youth Team. Please, tell us, what you are doing now?

- I left the Club, but I am still playing hockey. I do not lose contact with those who had influenced me. We meet regularly with Viktor Ivanovich Shalimov and Aleksandr Sergeyevich Yakushev. They had already been renowned hockey players, when I started out as a player of the national team... We meet twice a week and play hockey at own pace. We watch games and discuss them. I am very pleased to meet and talk with my ex-teammates. We rub shoulders with them during hockey matches and events.

I am frequently asked to give consultations. I have never rejected such proposals, because I enjoy them as well. I have accepted the invitation of Igor Vladimirovich Zakharkin without hesitation. I have heard a lot about the Academy, and I wanted to see this project with my own eyes.

Not long ago I became a citizen of honour in my native city of Elektrogorsk. It is a small town. Its population numbers 23,000. But, people there are fond of sports. That's why I am trying to enlist municipal government's help to initiate construction of indoor ice rink... Since in days past we used to skate on the outside ice rink from November to March, now it is not possible due to climate change.

As you see, there is still a lot to be done. Thus, hockey is once and forever...