Russia U18 defenseman Danila Zhuravlyov: "I used to play as a forward"

Russia U18 defenseman Danila Zhuravlyov:

- When I was three years old, my father introduced me to ice hockey. We went skating every day after nursery.

- Why did your father tell you to play ice hockey?

- To be honest, I don't know. He was a football coach, but he wanted me to participate in ice hockey. However, at the same time, I played football too. Later on when I was ten, I made the decision to stick to ice hockey. It's more of a dynamic, physical sport. 

- Do your family watch your matches?

- Yes, of course. I always wait for them to phone me after a game for them to tell me their opinion. It's really important what people close to me think.

- In which ice hockey academy did you start playing?

- I started with Torpedo in Nizhny Novgorod, a place where I spent five years. Following that, we moved to Kazan when I was twelve and I joined their ice hockey school.

- Have you always been a defenseman?

- No, I used to be a forward. When I started playing the sport, I couldn't skate backawards at all. A figure skater taught me how to skate properly. 

- Do you have a lot of friends?

- In my opinion, we can all only have about two real close friends. I have one close friend in Nizhny Novgorod.

- How do you spend your free time?

- I love going to the cinema, going bowling and playing snooker.

- What films do you like?

- I prefer comedies. Scary films aren't really for me. I like to have a laugh, I'm a happy person.

- Describe your best qualities in three words.

- Responsibile, kind and ginger.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation