Vasily Glotov: “My Hockey Obsession Goes Back to Childhood”

— Do you have a favorite goal you`ve scored?

— It`s hard to pick just one (smiles). Every goal brings a special feeling that`s impossible to describe in words. For an athlete, it`s pure joy. But, I would probably highlight the puck I scored in the series against Dynamo. We were leading 3-1 in the series, playing at home, and were down 0-1 in that particular game. We had a strong offensive surge, and I managed to tie the score. At that moment, we all felt that we wouldn`t let this game slip away. We scored again on the very next shift, and it became clear that reaching the final was ours.

— In a past interview, you mentioned having “hockey brain disease.” How does this manifest?

— It all goes back to childhood. Back then, there were no social media, gadgets, or other distractions. The main interest was solely hockey: practice sessions, games in the yard, and broadcasts on TV. My entire family watched games with me. I remember my grandmother from Barnaul sometimes calling in the middle of the night, exclaiming, “Kuznetsov scored a goal at the World Championship!” From a young age, I collected hockey cards, magazines, and watched matches for hours. I owe immense gratitude to my father: when I was about 11, he acquired training DVDs on stickhandling by Sean Skinner from Canada. He even carved a wooden ball for me for drills. In the summer, we`d go out on the asphalt, he`d draw “N” and “L” letters, and I`d practice the exercises. For that time, it was very advanced. My parents always believed in me and tried to give me everything they could. We didn`t live lavishly: we traveled by subway or walked, but I always had new skates. That`s invaluable. And it`s important to say that my parents were never the type to force a child to do push-ups or squats at 6 AM. They created conditions that made me want to play hockey. They supported, helped, but never pressured. For example, I couldn`t do pull-ups. Dad didn`t say “you must,” but simply suggested: “Let`s start together. Today we`ll try once, tomorrow twice.” That`s how we got to ten. These things leave a strong impression. Because if you constantly push a child too hard, the love for the sport dies. They start wanting to avoid it, to find excuses to show they can`t do it. My parents understood this and always strived for me to have the desire to play.

— So, that approach worked.

— Yes, I might have done my homework late at night, but I always ran to practice with shining eyes. Even the trolleybus ride was a joy: you`d ride for 50 minutes with your bag, headphones on, thinking about the new tape you`d use, wrapping your stick, and the upcoming practice. I looked forward to it like a holiday. Over time, it evolved into something else: in youth hockey, I developed an interest in tactics and the finer details of preparation. But even now, I absolutely love talking about hockey. I can endlessly discuss equipment, physical conditioning, ice quality, tactical nuances. It`s always fascinating to me.

— Where do you see yourself in hockey at 65 – in the stands or perhaps as a coach?

— It`s hard to say for sure, but one thing I know for certain – I can`t live without hockey. It`s my drive, my life. Of course, managerial activity appeals to me: building a team, managing it. And I also really want to pass on my experience to children – my own and generally to kids who are getting into hockey. Skills, knowledge, love for the game. Hockey for me is for life.

— Is it true you have a button phone and a cassette player?

— Yes, I actually have the player with me! Of course, I also have a regular smartphone, but for music, I use an iPod and wired headphones. And I always carry a button phone – a Nokia 8800. A funny story: Vitaly Kravtsov and I bought these phones together. The salesman sent us video reviews of the models and said: “Look at that insane click!” Now it`s become our thing – we sometimes call each other specifically on the Nokia, deliberately drop the call, and repeat that “insane click” sound to each other.

— You`re a young guy, only 27. Where does this love for the past come from?

— Again, it`s all from childhood. When I visited my grandparents, there were always tape recorders in their house. My grandfather in Barnaul first had a working “Volga” with a manual transmission, then a “Honda CR-V” – also manual. By about 16, I was already trying to do things with it. I was always drawn to technology. I didn`t have a computer for a long time – probably until 4th or 5th grade. My first phone was also a button phone, the simplest kind, just to call Mom or Dad and say, “I`m coming home, everything`s fine.” All of this shaped my love for old things.

— We heard you own a “Zhiguli.”

— Yes, a VAZ-2106, from 1987. The car was running, but this summer I sent it for restoration. The process takes 8-10 months. I plan to use the “six” as a weekend car.

— Last year, you were traded from SKA to Traktor. Do you think this trade benefited you?

— Absolutely. We reached the final and were very close to our cherished goal. I wouldn`t say there were no prospects at SKA; it just so happened that with the new team, I was able to go far. A new atmosphere, coaching staff, teammates – it was a kind of reset for me.

— How do you like it in Chelyabinsk?

— It`s a city where everyone loves hockey. In St. Petersburg, I could calmly go to a restaurant, and no one would approach me. But in Chelyabinsk, people recognize me 10-20 times a day – on the street when I`m walking my dog, or even in line at a delivery point. And I find it pleasant that many children approach me. Since childhood, I dreamed of being in such a role. Back then, there were no social media – at most, you might see a rare TV segment, like Sergei Fedorov shooting pucks in his garage or driving a Ferrari. For a child, that was a huge “Wow!” Now, children have access to athletes` lives through social media, but back then, we only dreamed. And when I see kids in Chelyabinsk who come up for a photo or autograph, I understand – I was once in their shoes.