It has almost been one week since CSKA coach Valeriy Tikhonenko left for the USA to work as an assistant at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He told the CSKA website about his first impressions.
“I am observing practices from the side and am not taking active part in them," says Tikhonenko. "Honestly speaking, I don’t see a place for the team’s other coaches. I have watched several practice games, and yesterday the NCAA season began. The coaching staff is very friendly toward me. If I have any questions, then they answer them for me very thoroughly."
- Have you seen anything new at the team’s practices?
Yes. For example, a half an hour before practice the head coach gathers his assistants together and gives them the entire practice plan. The practice itself is organized down to the second. If 10 minutes are allotted to stretch out, then the time is added onto the scoreboard. As soon as the time runs out, a new time is set for the next drill. Over the course of the practice the head coach has the main responsibility. The assistants have their roles also, but on the whole they are responsible for collecting information about opponents, or for different areas of the team strategy. There are several interesting drills in practice for specific areas. For example, a player can arrive a half an hour before practice begins and shoot around a little without the help of a partner to rebound his shots-they have a special machine for that.
- How does it work?
It’s the same principle of a ball-return machine in tennis. You have to set the machine in the right position for the shot you will be working on. The machine shoots’ the ball out with the regularity at which you set it. Four to five seconds, for example.
- What’s the most interesting thing for you in America?
For right now I’m just learning a lot of new things.
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