Team Formation

Sledge hockey began its development in Ugra in 2009. By this time there had been already three teams in Russia – the team of Udmurtia, Moscow and Moscow Region. Sergey Samoylov, Head Coach of the national team of Russia, turned to Eduard Isakov, Director of the Sports Centre for the Disabled of Ugra and said that he knew that there were Ice Stadiums in Ugra and offered to begin the development of this sport. And owing to the support of the Department of Physical Training and Sports of the Autonomous Okrug sledge hockey began its development in Ugra. In a relatively short time the Sports Centre for the Disabled of Ugra bought the equipment. Autonomous institution of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra “UgraMegaSport” reequipped the Ice Stadium for sledge hockey. On the website www.csi-ugra.ru the vacancies were announced, some sportsmen, who were engaged in powerlifting and athletics, were offered to try new sport.

The company was formed and took part in the championship of Russia. The sportsmen were sent to the competitions in order to gain experience, no objectives were set. But in the first game of the first sledge hockey championship of Russia our athlete Andrey Myakishev kicked the first goal to the opponents. According to the results of the competition “Ugra” became the third.

The team had been systematically developing for three years; it came difficult process of formation. Initially the main problem was the absence of a qualified coach. Moreover, there were no wage-rates for a doctor, a coach for a goaltender, athletes-hockey instructors; there was no financing for purchase of equipment, hockey gear.

The team followed the policy not to invite trained sledge hockey players, not to poach outsider athletes but to train its own players.

At the first training meeting Eduard Isakov set on sledge on his own together with sledge hockey players in order to experience all difficulties of sledge technique and stick handling. For two months Eduard Vladimirovich had been learning sledge hockey tree times a week.

In April of 2011 an experienced coach Aleksandr Zykov - Candidate Master of Sports of Russia appeared in the team. He had been playing hockey for 17 years, finished sports school for children and youth. During his study he was capped for the team of Siberia and the Far East. Then he played as a professional in the team “Kedr” (Tomsk city) and “Shakhter” (Prokopyevsk city).

From Outsiders to Leaders

Participating in the championships of Russia in 2010 and 2011 sledge hockey players of Ugra achieved last places. However the experience gained by the athletes of Ugra was invaluable.

In December of 2011 in Elblag (Poland) the sledge hockey team of Ugra became the second. The sportsmen of Ugra who had been playing sledge hockey for two years, beat European teams which had been training for 10-15 years.

In February of 2012 sledge hockey club “Ugra” was officially established; Eduard Isakov became its President. The Government of Ugra devoted additional funds for the development of sledge hockey.

In October of 2012 the club “Ugra” played successfully at the 1^st stage of the sledge hockey championship of Russia and gained the victory deservedly. In the words of Sergey Samoylov, head sledge hockey coach of Russia, the team won because of the activity of the management of the Sports Centre for the Disabled of Ugra which created fovourable conditions for effective work of the team, “In Ugra good selective work for engagement of promising guys in the team is being performed, the coaches work professionally, they allowed develop the skills of the athletes, a friendly team striving for win in each game has been created. And certainly, the victory of the team is thanks largely to the leaders of Ugra – Konstantin Shikhov, Vasiliy Varlakov and Sergey Badaev whose masterful playing has energized other sledge hockey players.”

Our guys played worthily not having enough competition experience in games with opponents from other countries as the national team of Russia represented mainly by the athletes from Moscow, Moscow Region and Udmurtia had. Today the team of Ugra includes only two natives of Ugra – forward Konstantin Shikhov and defender Vasiliy Varlakov.

At the present time for the purpose of gaining competition experience a calendar of competitions of sledge hockey club “Ugra” was made, participation of Ugra’s athletes in friendly matches with the best European teams was financed. Moreover, in December of 2012 for the first time in Khanty-Mansiysk sledge hockey competition between club teams took place. Six teams from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ugra, Moscow and Udmurtia took part in it. Members of the Government of Ugra visited the matches which our team took part in and supported our sledge hockey club together with other fans.

According to the results of the competition “Ugra” became the third. It is planned to hold such competition annually.

In November of 2012 sledge hockey players of Ugra Konstantin Shikhov and Vasiliy Varlakov participated in world championship which took place in Serbia as members of the national team of Russia and won “gold’ medals leaving five leading teams behind them.

Today sledge hockey club “Ugra” includes 13 competent players and two goaltenders. There are leaders among the athletes. They are team captain Konstantin Shikhov, defender Vasiliy Varlakov, Andrey Sokolov, forwards Aleksandr Chalin, Nikolay Chukhontsev, Mikhail Mokretsov, goalkeeper Sergey Badaev who has been the best sledge hockey goalkeeper of Russia for two years.

In March of 2013 in the final of the championship of Russia sledge hockey club “Ugra” confirmed its leading position and became the champion of Russia in season of 2012-2013.

At the airport colleagues, relatives and local people who are partial to hockey met the winners with flowers, bright posters and balloons.

The Governor of Ugra Natalya Komarova sent to the sledge hockey club “Ugra” a telegram in which she congratulated all coaches and fans on the win of our club at the sledge championship of Russia, “A high level of skills, moral courage and team spirit became the components of your sports excellence. For a long time you have been marching confidently towards your goal and now you are the best not only in Ugra but also in Russia! Your win will take a rightful place in the history of sports in Ugra and become an example for growing athletes of the Autonomous Okrug …”

From April 12 to April 20, 2013 the sledge hockey players of "Yugra" Konstanin Shikhov, Vasily Varlakov and Andrey Sokolov as a part of a national team of Russia was won bronze medals of the World Cup 2013 IPC on the sledge to hockey of League "A", which took place in Koyan (South Korea).