[gvitaly]

01:01 Hockey through tears

- Yegor, as soon as you got here, you told me that this place in which we are filming. It is a very special place for you, in which you spent a big part of your childhood. Tell me which memories do you have from this place?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I only have positive memories from this place. That's the first rink where I started. A rink where my parents brought me. I won't ever forget that moment, we entered the ice through the entrance on the left, and I remember the first practice. I really didn't like the first practice, you can say that I started playing hockey through tears. I won't ever forget it. I was either scared because there were so many guys on the ice, or something like that. My mom forced me to get on the ice, and have my first practice through tears. That only applies to the very first practice.

- So it was your mom that insisted that you become a hockey player? Not your dad?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. My mom, because my mom, was the one that drove me to practice. I wanted to leave the ice, but my mom told me that I have to stick with it. After the first practice it was over, I absolutely loved hockey from the 2nd practice forward. It's just that my introduction to hockey happened through fear.

- Did your mom ever tell you why hockey? Or why did she bring you here?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I don't know. My parents tried to introduce my brother to hockey before me, but my brother didn't like it, and they decided not to force him into it, the way they did with me. I'm very thankful to my parents that they made me finish that first practice, especially with the way things worked out.

- Now 20 years later, we're talking in the same spot in which you were crying, and right now you're probably Belarus' biggest hockey star. I think that your mother probably thinks that way, she's ecstatic that she didn't let you off the hook. For those that don't understand where we are - This place is nicknamed Prisoska(sucker), was that what they called it before too?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yep, Prisoska.

- It's located behind the sports palace, it's a pretty small place. Every person that lives in Minsk knows about it, and probably walked by it. Now it has the Dynamo school of hockey, before it was Minsk's sports school.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yep, Sports school number 12.

4:07 Family
- Let's talk a bit about your family. From what you just told me, I understand that your mom loves hockey. That said, your dad is also working for Raubichi, which is a pretty large organization in Belarusian hockey. Tells us a bit about your family. Where did your parents use to work from your childhood? What's happening in their lives now. Later we'll talk about your own family.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

During my childhood, I remember when I was very small. My dad was working as a truck driver. He used to do it for a very long time. Initially, my mom was mostly a stay at home mom, trying to raise my brother and I. Then she started working in a gift shop, on Yakub Kolas' street, she probably worked there for about 10 years, maybe more. After my dad's work as a truck driver, he decided that he wanted to spend more time around his family, because leaving for 2 months at a time, is hard for everyone. I can relate to that because when we have a 2-week road trip I really start missing my family. Not seeing your children for 2 months at a time must be very difficult. So after working as a truck driver, my parents even sold their car and bought a 5 ton truck, so he worked as a freelancer across Belarus. After that he got the opportunity to work in Raubichi. It was right around the time I joined the Raubichi team in 98. At that moment we moved there, and my dad joined the organization as wells as the Administrator(rink and equipment manager). To make sure I wasn't getting into any trouble. He was with Raubichi from that time on. There was even a time when I was playing in Raubichi, and he was the Administrator(rink and equipment manager) so he ended up sharpening my and everyone's skates. He'd fix our equipment as well.

- So he was near, for several years?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, when we were playing in the MHL. One year before the MHL, and one year in the MHL he went with me to all the away games.

- That's great, so a couple of years he was always away, and then he got to make it up to you by spending a bunch of time with you. I think that a father's support is always important, especially when you're taking steps in the forming of your hockey career. Do you remember any souvenirs that your dad would bring you from his truck driving work?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I remember it very well. He'd always bring us Pin Gold chocolates. My brother and I would go scouring our parents' bedroom looking for chocolates after every time he'd come home.

- Then you can bring them to school.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

He'd always bring us things from abroad. He'd bring us bikes and clothes. So that was one of the benefits of him being a truck driver. We'd always get something out of every trip.

- Now you can be the one bringing the gifts from abroad

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, we're doing that now.

7:55 Childhood and youth in Raubichi

- Raubichi was a big part of your life. You were there for several years. Now guys come to play there for a year or two, get there at 17 or 18 and leave. You spent about 4 years there?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, I spent a long time there. We were playing there for 4 years. When you're a 14-year-old kid, hockey equipment is expansive, so if your parents aren't wealthy it's very difficult to afford. At the time in Raubichi we would get all the equipment and hockey sticks free. They supported the players in everything. They'd pay for the hotel for players that came out of town. The players that were from Minsk lived at home, and they would pick us up by bus. The bus would pick everyone up from Nemiga, but because I lived along the way from Nemiga to Raubichi they would pick me up last from right in front of my house. I'd get to an early practice in the morning, then school, then a second practice after school, then go to the hotel to relax.

- The school was in Ostroshnitsek city? So you would leave for the entire day? Leave in the morning and only get back home in the evening, like going to work.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes.

- Let's talk a bit more in depth about Raubichi. It's a closed territory, right? The city boys get to live in the forest for the entire season, far away from their family, staying in a hotel, going to practice and school. Many are worried to leave the city for such a strict program. A program in which you have to stay the entire time instead of just going to school and practice. What do you think, is it a good opportunity to concentrate on hockey, or does it limit things for a teenager?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I can't speak for everyone, but for me, Raubichi was a great time. We had everything we needed to succeed. Even after we moved to live in the hotel, I was probably 16 or 17, It was a bunch of fun. At the time we didn't have a practice in the morning, we only had one practice a day. I'd wake up at 9:30–10 and go to school. That's because most schools start from the 1st period, but ours started only from the 4th. We always had only 4 classes. In grade 11, we just had 4 classes, 5 times a week.

- You just made an argument for those that think that athletes are uneducated. What do you get from only 4 classes a day?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

So you understand, my class consistent of 6 people. In my last two years, for grades 10-11, we never had 6 people show up for the same lesson.

- In Raubichi couldn't the school teacher call your coach, and tell him that you didn't make it to class?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It happened from time to time. Things were slightly more relaxed for us because we weren't new there at the time. That said, we treated the teachers with respect, and didn't push things too much. So yeah, the teachers were extra nice to our year, they let a lot of things slide. It was pretty rare for the coach to get a call, because of the respect we've shown to the teachers.

- Did your coach make sure you were doing well in school?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

We started there from grade 7 or 8. Usually the parents sign the agenda[In ex-soviet countries usually all the grades, and homework checkmarks are in there, the parents need to sign those daily.], our coach would sign our agenda in their stead.

- What if you'd get a bad grade? Could he scratch a player?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No, we'd play for a championship, so it wasn't the same as U17, or U18. Everyone got to play. We'd get hockey tasks for bad grades, like pick up and carry the pucks. Scratches were not a punishment. We'd still get chewed up for bad grades, or if a teacher called. Usually the teachers didn't call the coach though, but Vicheslav Yushkevich, he was the team's director, and he would talk to the coach.

- Would they lock you up in a hotel room? What was the worst punishment? Say someone got an F.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It was more during practice. Force us to run. Belov was the coach at the time, with Orolenko, and they treated us nicely. They were never too harsh with us. They'd never lock us anywhere.