At the 2021 European Youth Championship (EYC) in the Netherlands, the Russian national team showed a great game, winning two medals: bronze in pairs and gold in team competition. We congratulate bowlers and express our gratitude to the coach of the national team Oksana Fanygina, because her contribution to the results of our players is impossible to evaluate!
We took a short interview with Oksana, in which she shared her impressions, summed up the results of the tournament and told us about her future plans.
How was preparation for the tournament? Were there any difficulties due to a 1.5-year break in major competitions?
Preparation was not easy. Just to say that we received the final information just a month before the start of EYC 2021 – in early August. All the athletes, and I, too, were on vacation. I had to urgently call all the athletes from vacation and set up training process remotely before I returned from vacation. In fact, most of the team got together only on September 7 at the pre-competition training camp in Moscow. And in full force – only in Tilburg on official practice. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my most sincere words of gratitude to Bowling Federation of Russia, personally to the President of the Federation Mr. Lisitsyn S. N. and, of course, to the staff of "Moreon" bowling center for organizing and conducting training camps on September 7-9
What emotions did you feel before the national team entered the first tournament after a long pause? How did the team feel?
Yes, indeed, the break was significant. Personally, I was very pleased to see my friends – colleagues, coaches of various national teams, ETBF management again after a long break. I can say that everyone was happy to plunge into the atmosphere of a major international tournament again. The team felt the same way, I think. And if all the girls already had experience of performing at EYC, then boys had two debutants: I. Sazonov and K. Kulikov from Moscow. And, of course, everything there was new for them!
Did the excitement of bowlers affect their game? What techniques were used to keep calm?
Of course, it affected. Especially among debutants, that is why they did not manage to show better results. Of course, they had a lack of experience of playing at such a large tournament. And even more experienced players could not always cope with excitement – after all, everyone really wanted to show highest possible result. The techniques of maintaining calm were different for everyone, taking into account their temperament, mental training, and competitive experience. It was necessary to shout at someone, so to speak: "bring them out of their stupor"; someone, on the contrary, can calmly point out features of game on this or that lane, with this or that ball.
How would you describe duet of Victoria Kashirskaya and Daria Nedoseeva? What helped them get bronze in pairs?
Vika and Dasha are quite experienced players-Masters of Sports, Champions and prize-winners of Russian Championships. They participated in previous EYC as well. Vika was the winner of EYC 2019 in individual competition. But together, as a single couple, they performed for the first time. I knew their potential and understood that if everything worked out, they would perform well and take very high places. As a matter of fact, it almost turned out that way. In qualifying, girls worked well and took 3rd place after strong pairs from Finland and Slovenia. We were ahead of very strong pairs from Sweden and the Netherlands. Well, the final round of one game is in many ways a lottery. In semifinals, we lost only 16 points to Slovenes. The price of one extra closed frame. But, despite losing in the semifinals, we were very pleased that the team managed to achieve medals in the first competition. And I think that these positive emotions helped us to perform even more successfully in team competition.
At what point did it become clear to you that our girls would take the gold? What emotions did you experience at the award ceremony?
I will start with the fact that it was very difficult for us to enter the final of team tournament. We played all 6 games together with a very strong Finnish team. And before the last two games, we were in 6th place! Ahead were the Swedes with a large margin, the Finns, the Danes, the Germans and the hosts of the tournament - team of the Netherlands. I must say that after the first three games, I changed placement of players, realizing that Vika Kashirskaya feels more confident playing number 1, and Dasha Nedoseeva was left number 4. This rearrangement, in my opinion, has fully justified itself. Girls felt more comfortable and in the last two games they gave out the best possible series, which allowed us to enter the finals from the 3rd place, ahead of the Danish, German and Dutch teams. This confidence in the last two games remained in the final games, and I think that the Finns, with whom we played the semifinal match, also felt our confidence and at some point wavered. And, of course, it is impossible not to mention Paul Shutov, who gave just an enchanting game in the semifinals-279!!! It was also a pleasant surprise that in the second semi-final the Danes knocked out the seemingly invincible Swedes. And before the final game, we all joined hands and agreed to give all our strength to win. Of course, our fans helped us a lot – the guys, parents, the entire management of the team, who were constantly cheering, shouting, cheering. Emotions were off the scale! And I realized that we probably won only before the final throws, when the whole team stood up and started clapping on Dasha Nedoseeva's last throw, congratulating us on our victory! At the award ceremony, of course, I experienced an incredible emotional lift! After all, only for the second time in history of our team managed to win gold in the team tournament! All the opponents, the coaches of other teams, the organizers congratulated our girls. And, of course, after the award ceremony, a lot of fatigue came over me…
What are your impressions of the tournament as a whole? What are wishes and instructions for the players?
In general, the tournament struck with an incredible level of results in the young men's standings! The average results in all the tests were simply off the scale. And, of course, the organizers tried very hard, despite covid restrictions, to organize a real bowling holiday. They succeeded. The rules of the tournament were observed to the smallest detail – there was not a single delay. An excellent non-standard opening ceremony with presentation of each team, a quiz, warm words of the organizers. Well, the final banquet simply exceeded all expectations. In my memory, there was no such abundance even at adult tournaments.
The players would like to wish the following: first of all, do not be afraid in advance – remember and know that the same boys and girls who know and are able to do the same things as you are playing nearby! And in order to learn how to win them, you need to treat the training process even more professionally, always follow instructions of your coaches and the coach of the national team at the tournament. And, of course, everyone needs to gain competitive experience – not to be afraid to participate in all tournaments, in which it is possible, especially international ones. There is a wonderful Youth Euro Trophy tournament, which consists of several stages during the season and takes place in different European countries. Almost all EYC participants take part in this tournament, competition there is sometimes even higher than at EYC. Among our athletes, Vika Kashirskaya, Dasha Nedoseeva, Vanya Sazonov participated in this tournament. Yes, of course, this is a costly event, but, unfortunately, it is impossible to grow a champion in any sport without expenses!
What are future plans?
There is no time to rest)) Since Monday, I have already started training process with my students in Sambo-70. In the near future, I hope, a trip to ECC 2021 in October to Greece (if there is no lockdown again, ugh-ugh). And at the end of January, the Russian Championship 2022 is due to take place, where there will be a selection for new EYC 2022 (France, April 2022) And Moscow national team needs to prepare qualitatively for Championship of Russia 2022. Well, then in February 2022 The European Women's Championship is in Denmark, where I also hope to go with a team that will include my student and daughter Dasha Kovaleva)) This Championship will be selection for 2022 World Games (USA, July 2022), and I would really like to try to qualify for the World Games for the third time in a row.
In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to once again express my sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Sports, Bowling Federation of Russia, and personally to the President of the Federation Mr. Lisitsyn, for the brilliant organization of the trip! For the first time in my memory since 2008, the national team received funding from Ministry of Sports of Russia and almost the entire trip of bowlers was funded. I would also like to thank the vice-president of the Federtion Mr. Giurgiu Zh. A. for organizing timely passage of medical tests by bowlers of the national team and for providing medicines to all bowlers. Thanks to the manager of the team mr. Kovalev for his help during the preparation and at the tournament itself. Many thanks for support of our fans, who every day, without looking up from the monitors, cheered for us and wrote warm words of support in social networks. And of course, big words of gratitude to the sponsor of the team: Russian Representative Office of "QubicaAMF Worldwide, LLC" for providing uniforms for the entire delegation.
QubicaAMF company expresses its gratitude to Oksana for answering questions and, of course, her personal contribution to the success of our national team and development of bowling in our country!
