The history of the domestic hockey player Anatoly Firsov has become an example for many sports stars. His name is shrouded in legends and a series of various myths. The athlete was one of the few who became a three-time Olympic champion.
Firsov Anatoly Vasilievich: biography
He began his life journey in Moscow on February 1, 1941. His father died at the front. Most of his friends grew up in the same families. The boys constantly played then popular ball hockey. Passion led Anatoly to the children's team of the factory "Red October". By the age of 13, he realized that the love of sports is strong enough. Anatoly Firsov decided to develop his talent in a sports school.
"Spartacus"
The choice of this sports school was primarily dictated by its convenient location. At the same time, Anatoly Vasilyevich Firsov was already a fan of the club, which allowed him to combine opportunities with desires. Here I had to completely forget about the ball and play real ice hockey. Training allowed him to play in the main team at the USSR Championship at the age of 17. Fans of the club immediately appreciated the promising young man. Anatoly Firsov played for the team for 3 years, but he did not succeed in becoming a star. The change of position came from an unexpected angle.
CSKA
In 1961, a young, promising hockey player Anatoly Firsov received a summons to the army. Thus, the transition from the native club to the army CSK was officially formalized. At the first moment, Anatoly Firsov was in a real panic, even tried to hide from his coach. But, having understood himself, he stopped resisting. All the necessary documents were completed in one day, immediately after that the young man left for Riga. Speaking for his new club, he managed to score 2 goals. As a result, CSKA won with a score of 4: 2.
The meeting with the club's coach Anatoly Tarasov left the latter an extremely unpleasant impression. The new player was so thin that a knowledgeable person could not believe in his ability as an attacker. Here Anatoly Firsov showed enormous restraint and showed how stubborn he can be. From the very first days he began to train hard. None of the team members could boast of such persistence. The coach sometimes had to force him out of the hall.
The mentor appreciated how quickly the guy was able to gain the necessary weight due to muscle building. For his perseverance and desire to study, he gained the favor of Tarasov. The athlete understood that he was treated with special benevolence, but he himself never tried to capitalize on this.
Alignment of forces
The first to change his role was Anatoly Firsov himself. Previously, he had to play as a center forward, now he had to take the left flank. Immediately, he began practicing his crown reception. After a few years, his kick will make fans tremble in anticipation, and goalkeepers - make him severely nervous. Already in 1965, very young Vikulov and Polupanov appeared next to Anatoly. The Trinity quickly converged in personal and professional terms, learning how to easily understand and support each other. The calculation of the coach turned out to be correct. These players in the shortest possible time were noticed not only in the country, but also abroad.
Duel with the Canadians
Since 1967, in the homeland of hockey , it was decided to form a national team, which will have to play with the USSR national team. Prior to this, according to tradition, the club that managed to win the Allan Cup rode. The national team needed not only to oppose a strong opponent, but also to defeat him in order to get the much-needed fifth victory in the championship.
The national team coaches were Anatoly Tarasov and Arkady Chernyshev. They sought full commitment and obligatory teamwork from the players. The first test of forces by both parties set the score 1: 1. Then for a long time it was not possible to change it thanks to the virtuoso game of the Canadian goalkeeper Seth Martin. The task of each was accurate passes. When Firsov took the initiative, carried away in excitement, he had to change. Already on the way to the resting bench, Anatoly saw the puck under his feet.
Then the player admitted that at that moment the first desire was to simply throw her away from anger. However, lengthy training and training did their job. Martin relaxed at that moment, opening the upper corner of the goal. This moment was enough to change the score in favor of his team. Until the end of the match, Canadians were unable to correct their situation.
Intrigues surround all successful people
The Soviet hockey player Anatoly Firsov became a three-time Olympic champion, playing in the USSR national team at the Olympics in Innsbruck in 1964, Grenoble in 1968 and Sapporo in 1972. Just a month after the third brilliant performance, he was expelled from the team. After the Olympics, a coach was replaced, who began strengthening his own positions in the team by eliminating the players closest to Tarasov. For Firsov himself, such an attitude was a blow. He did not want to look for a new club at 32. Despite numerous proposals from foreign teams, he was not going to leave his country. The career of the legendary hockey player on this ended. Already in the autumn of the same year, the team opposed the Canadian rival in the new composition, but could not win the victory.
Life after hockey
Immediately after leaving Firsov, Anatoly Vasilyevich Firsov, whose photo you see in the article, decided to try himself as a coach of the youth team, CSKA and even Legia. But he failed to achieve serious results in this field due to the lack of rigidity.
Demobilization from the army in 1987 opened up a new opportunity for him. From that moment on, the hockey player became a children's coach. The desire to share the experience, which was always gratefully noted by colleagues in the game, found its grateful listener. To his work, he constantly attracted other players who left the big sport. Together with Anatoly Tarasov, he prepared young talents for the Golden Puck tournament.
In 1988, he took the post of MP. People without hesitation went to him for help, and he sincerely tried to support everyone.
The International Hockey Federation included his name in the Hall of Fame in 1998, and the management of the major hockey league in 2014 organized the annual award of the Anatoly Firsov Prize to the best player.
Love
Without Nadezhda Sergeevna Firsova, the world might not have known about the legendary player. He married at the age of 18 and carried his love for this girl through the years. She taught him to be disciplined and strong. Her death in April 2000 was a real blow to Anatoly. No one could distract him from painful thoughts, he tried to spend most of the time at the grave of his beloved woman. Without her, his life lost all its colors, became too exorbitant burden. And already in July 2000, the world said goodbye to Anatoly Firsov himself.
Hockey player Anatoly Firsov, whose achievements and photos are presented to your attention in the article, was a wonderful person. His kindness, understanding, vitality was enough for everyone around him. These are the people to be proud of and set an example for them!