Vasily Koshechkin is a well-known Russian hockey player, acting as a goalkeeper. In 2010 he was awarded the title of ZMS of Russia. Now he defends the colors of the KHL club Metallurg from Magnitogorsk. In this article, we will talk more about the sports career of a talented goalkeeper.
Athlete Biography
Vasily Koshechkin was born on March 27, 1983 in the Soviet city of Togliatti in a simple working family. Father, Vladimir Alexandrovich, was an ordinary repairman, and his mother, Elena Vasilievna, was a cook. Parents named their son in honor of the grandfather who went through the Great Patriotic War. From childhood, Vasily was distinguished from his peers by his incredible craving for sports and high growth.
Hockey lessons began to attend as early as 6 years old. The coach immediately told the boy that at the gate he could do much more than in the field. This coach was the Honored Coach of Russia Nikolai Nikolaev, who helped the boy take his first steps in hockey as a goalkeeper for the Lada children and youth team.
First success on ice
The start of a professional career can be considered the year 2002, when Vasily joined the ranks of the team of the Higher League Olympia. For half the season at the club, the young goalkeeper spent 10 matches in which he conceded 14 goals.
The next half season, Vasily Koshechkin played for the Oilman. It is worth noting that at the end of the same season, the young player took part in the NHL draft, where he was chosen by Tampa Bay, but Vasily did not play overseas. The next four seasons the player spent as part of his native Lada, in which he twice became the winner of the championship.
In the 2007/2008 season, the hockey player moved to AK BARS, as part of which he took part in 40 games and missed 45 goals. However, the next one and a half championship, Vasily again played for Lada.
KHL clubs
At the beginning of 2010, Koshechkin signed a contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, but played only half a season with the new club, after which he joined the ranks of Severstal. The goalkeeper played for the Cherepovets club for three seasons and during this time he took part in 139 games in which he missed 317 goals. Since the 2013/2014 season, Vasily Koshechkin is a hockey player who again defends the colors of Metallurg, where he plays one of the key roles in the club.
Team appearances
As the goalkeeper of the Russian national team, Koshechkin participated in five world championships and collected a complete set of medals - 2007 World Cup (bronze), 2009 World Cup (gold) and 2010 World Cup (silver). He has the award of the President of the Russian Federation, which he received in 2009 for his contribution to the victory of the Russian team at the World Cup.
Statistics and personal achievements
Despite the fact that Vasily Koshechkin did not play in the overseas league, in his homeland his career can be considered quite successful:
- Olimpia - 10 matches, 14 goals conceded.
- Neftyanik - 19 matches and 38 PS.
- Lada - 218 games, 354 missed goals.
- AK BARS - 40 matches and 45 PS.
- Metallurg - 237 games and 442 goals.
- Severstal - 139 matches and 317 PS.
- National team - 7 matches and 13 goals conceded.
Athlete's personal achievements:
- Champion KK 2006 and 2008.
- Champion of the Gagarin Cup 2014 and 2016.
- World Champion 2009
Interesting facts from the life of an athlete
The player stands out among other hockey players - his height is 1.98 m. Friends and teammates note the athlete’s calm and laconic character. The wife of Vasily Koshechkin, Irina, gave birth to three children: Maxim is the eldest son, and more recently twins, Lisa and Nikita, appeared in the family. Vasily is a wonderful husband and father, whom you can rely on in any situation.
Repeatedly at the end of the season, Vasily Koshechkin was recognized as the best player in the club, according to fans. He is considered a very effective goalkeeper. Despite the high growth, he knows how to group well, and due to this closes most of the gate. Over the course of his career, he spent 78 “dry” matches and became the third on the list of the most reliable goalkeepers of Russian hockey.