Russia U18 forward Dmitry Zavgorodniy: "It's always important to be a good person"

Russia U18 forward Dmitry Zavgorodniy:

- I couldn't imagine my life without ice hockey. How did I start playing? My father, who loved the sport, introducted my brother and I to ice hockey.

- Does your mother get nervous when you play?

- Yes, she is always the first person to send me a message after a game. She is really nervous when she watches matches. On the other hand, my father understands the sport better and is calmer.

- My brother was born in 1993, and he played for the Omskie Yastreby team in Omsk. I watched Avangard's matches when they had great players like Jaromir Jagr and Dmitry Ryabykin. In the end, I spent five years in Omsk and played for Omskie Yastreby.

- Who is your ice hockey idol?

- I like watching Ilya Kovalchuk play. I keep up to date with the ongoings in the ice hockey world, I watch NHL matches. 

- In Omsk, I am the captain of my team. How do I feel being the team leader? It's not easy, because I have to lead by example and keep the guys in a positive mood. 

- Which qualities should a good captain possess?

- A desire to work hard.

- What has ice hockey given you?

- It has given me discipline. In any situation, it's always important to be a good person. On the ice, we all have to communicate and build up a mutual understanding. All of the players in my team are friends with each other.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation