The Soviet Union was a very athletic country and always strove to be the first in all sports. Hockey was no exception. A country with a population of almost 300 million people each year gave the world new stars. And even the collapse of the USSR did not affect the skill of these wonderful people. Hockey players who played in the 80s continued to maintain the quality of Russian hockey even in the most difficult years for the country. One of such wonderful players was Alexander Viktorovich Kozhevnikov.
Childhood
September 21, 1958 was marked for the Penza couple of the Kozhevnikovs as a joyful event - their son Sasha was born. The family of Alexander Kozhevnikov was an ordinary working Soviet family. Dad is a driver, mom worked in a hospital as a nurse. Alexander grew up as a sports child and began to play hockey in the school section. His talent was noticeable from an early age. In hockey, the young athlete in training surrendered completely.
Children and youth career
The first glimmers of talent Kozhevnikov (hockey player) showed at the championship of Penza. The young player scored 5 goals. Such high performance attracted the attention of the coach of the Youth School Vasily Ivanovich Yadrintsev. After the championship, he called Kozhevnikov to train at home.
A serious hobby for hockey pleased Alexander's parents, because the boy did not have time for hooliganism. Even then, the complex character of Alexander began to manifest.
The eight-hour training session did not go unnoticed. At age 14, Sasha receives a call to the youth team of the USSR. So began his professional career, Alexander Kozhevnikov. The hockey player is growing, and a new stage in his life begins.
"Dieselist"
In 1964, a new team began to play in the championship of the USSR. It was a “Dieselist” (Penza). Penza team consisted mainly of local players. In 1975, coach Alexander Vautin liked a young and promising hockey player from the Sports School - Kozhevnikov. Invitation to the club Sasha accepts. Playing as an adult team, Alexander Kozhevnikov began to turn into a professional. His biography in 1977, thanks to perseverance and skill, was replenished with a new record: he became the European champion in the youth team of the USSR.
"Spartak Moscow)
In 1977, the head coach of Dizelist Alexander Vautin transferred to Moscow Spartak. He leads his Penza wards to the team: Alexander Kozhevnikov and Alexander Gerasimov. Life in the big city seemed very difficult for the Penza people. The guys who grew up in small Penza could not accept the noise and bustle of Moscow. The patience of the hockey players came to an end, and they fled home to Penza. After much persuasion, Kozhevnikov returned to Spartak, and Gerasimov remained in his hometown.
October 2, 1977 was the first match of Kozhevnikov in the Moscow “Spartak”. He became the first athlete in the championship of the USSR. And a few weeks later the Moscow derby Spartak - Dynamo took place. In that match, Alexander Viktorovich Kozhevnikov scored his first professional goal.
1979 was remembered by the fans of the Moscow “Spartak” change of coach. The new coach was Boris Pavlovich Kulagin. Before Kulagin, Kozhevnikov believed that his career as a whole was going well. He regularly played for Spartak, entered the double team of the USSR. They wrote about him in the newspapers, and many knew his name.
Kulagin, having come to the team, began preventive work. The turn came to Alexander Kozhevnikov. The new coach threatened the young hockey player to kick him out. And he advised taking training and the regime more seriously. Since then, as Kozhevnikov himself noted, he has become more disciplined and serious. Alexander began to strictly follow the instructions of Kulagin and began to realize his potential to a greater extent.
Debut for the USSR national team
After working for a year with Alexander, Boris Pavlovich advised Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov - the coach of the first team - to call Kozhevnikov to the training camp of the national team. Tikhonov listened and called Kozhevnikov to the team.
43 goals were scored by Alexander Kozhevnikov in the 1981-1982 season. This was one of the best results of the Union. And Tikhonov, without hesitation, took Kozhevnikov to the World Cup in Finland. Alexander, in gratitude to the coach, hit the opponents' goal 6 times per tournament. The USSR team then became the honored world champion.
Two years later, the Winter Olympic Games were held in Yugoslavia. The USSR team played confidently throughout the tournament and in the final met with the Czechoslovak team. The match ended 2-0 in favor of the Soviet Union, and Spartak Alexander Kozhevnikov scored the decisive goal. Hockey player brought the Soviet team the gold of the Olympics.
"Wings of the Soviets" and the completion of a career
In 1986, Moscow Spartak was headed by Boris Alexandrovich Mayorov. Emotional Kozhevnikov, who, moreover, could decide for himself whether to train him or to walk, aroused mixed feelings in Mayorov. The coach and hockey player could not work out, and Kozhevnikov had to leave for “Wings of the Soviets”.
In 1988, Alexander Kozhevnikov, a Krylia Sovetov hockey player, became the Olympic champion for the second time.
In the season 1989-1990, at the dawn of perestroika, Kozhevnikov again changes the club. The new home of the famous hockey player is the Swedish AIK. After spending 16 matches and gaining 14 points, in the middle of the season he leaves for Britain. There he stands for the hockey club Durham Wasps. However, Alexander Viktorovich could not stay abroad for a long time and in 1991 he returned to the former team. For the “Wings of the Soviets” in the 1990-1991 season, Alexander Kozhevnikov played 4 matches and ended his career.
Return to sport
In 1995, “Wings” experienced difficult times. The team did not have enough players to participate in the championship of the International Hockey League. And the leadership invited the veteran Kozhevnikov again to go on the ice. In the 1995-1996 season, Alexander Viktorovich spent 23 matches and scored 8 goals and 12 assists. The 1996-1997 season ended with 12 matches and 9 points in the goal + pass system. The 1996-1997 season was the last in the career of the great Soviet-Russian hockey player Alexander Viktorovich Kozhevnikov. Thus ends the professional career of a beloved athlete.
Personal life and life after retirement
The personal life of Alexander Kozhevnikov was not rich in bright events. The hockey player devoted all his time to training and competition. In 1984, the wife of Alexander Kozhevnikov Margarita gave birth to a daughter, Maria. When she was still small, Alexander left the family. Maria Kozhevnikova became a famous actress. The athlete also has a son Andrei.
Today, Alexander Kozhevnikov is a sports expert and television commentator. Even after completing a career, he does not say goodbye to his beloved business. Alexander is devoted to him. Sport and Kozhevnikov are a single whole. It is hard to imagine Soviet and Russian hockey without it. Today, it is a pleasure to watch matches with his comments, as his presence gives the game a lively and dynamic spirit.