We made our name with victory
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that," a Scottish soccer coach, a legendary Liverpool manager, Bill Shankly, once said. Despite the very young age of the Shakhty soccer players, they already agree with the opinion of the Scottish coach and do their best to become champions. So, in June, our boys won the first place at the All-Russian tournament in Anapa and made their competitors question the correspondence between the age and playing skills...
Sixty four teams from different cities of Russia - from Kemerovo to Shakhty participated in the first Spartak Summer Cup. The youngest players have barely turned 8, and our Shakhty winners who play in the Artemovets Soccer Club are 12 and below. Chairman of the Parents' Committee, Yana Antonyeva, gave more details about the trip.
"Our age category (2006) included 12 teams from different cities. In total, we had five games and one final game, and in that hot game (all boys were real tigers), our boys won the cup. The score of the final game with a team from Anapa was 1:1, but according to penalty shootouts, our goalkeeper was better because, unlike his competitor, he returned a ball.
Such competitions are a new level for athletes. However, not all parents have an opportunity to pay for such trips, that's why parents of the young soccer players had to ask sponsors for help."
"The Unitile Group of Companies that presented our children with new outfits with its logos this February helped us again - the company covered all accommodation expenses in Anapa," Yana Evgenyevna says.
"As you know, it's pretty expensive. Besides, not all children have an opportunity to rest on the seashore every summer. Of course, boys had a sporting schedule, they woke up early and practiced every day. They came back home tan but tired.
It's worth noting that this All-Russian tournament gives children an opportunity to achieve ranking. That's why these achievements are very significant for athletes.
According to parents of our soccer players, boys practice at the Artemovets stadium every day. During summertime - in the morning, and during school time - from 3.30 to 6 pm. During winter and summertime. Under any weather conditions."
"We already have the backbone of hard-working children (18 boys) who sweat blood and tears, and that's why they participate in competitions and achieve success," Yana Antonyeva says. "Parents should understand that such insignificant things as weather conditions shouldn't influence the decision about practicing soccer. Such things build character. That's the only way to become a champion."
A team coach, Sergey Kondratyev, said that such competitions are very significant for the prestige of the city that is known for its athletic glory.
"We've participated in such All-Russian competitions for the first time," Sergey Andreyevich says. "Pretty strong teams participated in it. Some competitors even questioned the age of our athletes because they demonstrated a pretty high level of a game. What's next? Championship of the Rostov Region where our champions have already taken the second place after the first circle (among 32 teams), and this August they will participate in the second circle of other competitions, and the final game will take place in autumn."