Hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov - a legend of Soviet sport

People like the hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov are part of the elite of Soviet sport. They became an example for many boys who literally clung to the TV screens during the broadcast of hockey fights. What was the path of the talented athlete and what is currently engaged in hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov? Biography and the way to ice will be discussed in this article.

The beginning of a difficult journey

Alexander Viktorovich Kozhevnikov - a famous Soviet hockey player. As part of the USSR national team, he was twice champion of the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988. He received the title of Honored Master of Sports at the age of 24 years.

Sasha Kozhevnikov was born in the most ordinary working Soviet family on September 21, 1958 in the city of Penza. His father was a driver, and his mother was a nurse. Of course, parents did not have much free time in connection with permanent work, and Alexander had already been trained to independence from childhood.

The athlete's earnings began to appear at a fairly early age. Like all Soviet boys, Kozhevnikov constantly played football. Even then it was possible to notice the talent of this guy for playing team sports. In the first grade of the school, Alexander heard about the hockey section and signed up for it.

Once, when he performed at the city championship and scored 5 goals, the coach of the Youth Vasily Yadrintsev approached him, praised the young talent and invited him to his training. So began the rapid rise of the unknown yet Sasha Kozhevnikov.

Fateful meeting

An industrious boy trained for eight hours a day, and this was more than compensated. At the age of 14, he is included in the junior national team of the Soviet Union, and from that moment one can start counting his professional career. The first club contract did not take long to wait, and in 1975 Alexander joined the ranks of the "Dieselman".

As the hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov remembers, his parents were not against his studies, on the contrary, they supported the young talent in every possible way and were happy, because he trained several times a day, so there was no time for stupidity. Of course, sometimes there were troubles, but, basically, our hero tried to take out all the energy in training.

Invitation to the capital club

For his first club hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov played until 1977. It was then that he won the European Championship in the "youth team", and he was invited to the grand Soviet hockey - the capital's "Spartak".

It is worth noting a rather curious case: according to Kozhevnikov himself, in the new club he survived only 7 days, after which he ran away with a friend. He was frightened by the big city and the new pace of life. But, fortunately, Kozhevnikov was persuaded to return back.

The debut in the top league took place on October 2, 1977 in the derby with CSKA. The first puck was able to throw a month later at the gates of Dynamo.

A game led by Boris Kulagin

According to many hockey historians and experts, and Kozhevnikov himself, a turning point in his career happened in 1977, with the arrival of a new coach, Boris Kulagin. This mentor has always been considered an excellent psychologist, and he managed to find the right words to make Alexander one of the best attackers of the USSR championship.

During the first meeting with Boris Kulagin, Kozhevnikov was sure that he would be kicked out of the team, as the coach immediately said it in direct text. Already later, Alexander realized that it was just a psychological trick of an experienced mentor.

Kozhevnikov repeatedly recalled that Kulagin's faith in his abilities and talent incredibly motivated the hockey player. Alexander began in everything that concerned the process of training and personal life, obey his mentor.

The results did not take long to wait, and in 1980 Kozhevnikov invited the head coach Tikhonov to the national team, who had long been attracted by a fast, strong striker.

Season 81/82 brought Alexander the first serious victories and results. As a result of the national championship, he scored 43 goals. Then I went to the World Championship, where I scored 6 more goals and won the world championship together with the team.

Olympic awards

In 1984, Kozhevnikov differs in the game with the Czechoslovak national team and brings the victory of the USSR at the Olympic Games.

In the life of athletes, ups are always alternating with falls, so you can explain the transition Kozhevnikova in the "Wings of the Soviets." As the hockey player later noted, the reason for these events was a misunderstanding with coach Boris Mayorov.

But in the new team he managed to play too. Hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov was constantly summoned to the national team, and in 1988 he again became an Olympic champion.

Losing motivation, Kozhevnikov decided to test his strength in the new championship and moved to Swedish "AIK". I played one season in the new team and returned to CS. And already in 1990 he hung up skates on a nail.

Alexander and after the completion of his career, he maintained an excellent sports form. In 1995, again returned to the ice in the "Wings" and in 1997, he put a fat point on the player's career. Alexander Kozhevnikov - hockey player, whose personal life did not work out well, because too much time and effort was given to a sports career.

In the USSR Championship (after 1991 in Russia) a total of 498 matches and threw 235 goals. The world champion - 1982. Olympic champion - 1984, 1988 year. Participating in one world championship and two Olympiads, Alexander Kozhevnikov took part in 19 games and celebrated 11 times.

Alexander Kozhevnikov (hockey player) - family

The daughter of the hockey player, Maria Kozhevnikova, is a popular actress (she immediately remembers the role of student Alla Grishko in the TV series "Univer") and a deputy of the State Duma.

At the age of 12 Masha stayed with her mother, as Alexander left the family. For years she could not forgive her father for this act. For a little girl hockey player Alexander Kozhevnikov - photo on the cover of the magazine, and only after many years the athlete managed to return the love and respect to her daughter.