Governor Met with Students-Winners of International Football Tournament and Awarded SSU Staff Members
On November 30, the Governor of Saratov Region Valerii Radayev and SSU Rector Aleksei Chumachenko met with the university athletes who have showed high results this year. First Deputy Minister of Youth Policy and Sports of Saratov Region Andrei Abrashin, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, SSU, Igor Malinskii, the staff of the Institute of Sports and Physical Training (ISPT) and the winners of the football tournament of the VI International University Championship.
At the meeting, the rector addressed the head of the region, ‘We know your attitude to sports, especially to student sports. Surely, everyone present here will perceive your visit as a kind of encouragement. There is a reason to encourage our students. Literally on Friday, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Russian Student Sports Union (RSSU) took place. Saratov University was included in the awardee list and was awarded in the Education and Sports category. Our athletes take part in the Spartakiads of Saratov Region and strive for victory for our university. As soon as they go abroad, they already represent the city, the region, and the country.’
Governor Valerii Radayev emphasised the high level of sports training of students. ‘If any foreign coaches were in my place, I am sure that now they would select international football players from your rank! And this is not surprising. The status of two-time champions of international university competitions, victories over Italy, France, Spain, and England speak for themselves! Guys, you are great!’
He reminded that the other day SSU 2nd-year students brought seven gold medals from the World Swimming Championships. A month ago, a university graduate – Vrezh Petrosyan – became a two-time world kickboxing champion.
‘Such results are the highest level of training provided by the university. There is a powerful sports core here. At the university, the formula is fully implemented: mens sana in corpore sano. And for this I would like to thank Aleksei Chumachenko! I would like to express my gratitude to the team. You haven't conceded a single goal in the entire championship! No wonder the goalkeeper Ivan Belyaev was recognised as the best player in the tournament. Those who are familiar with the intricacies of the game know that repelling a penalty twice in a decisive match is not only a technique but also colossal will. And brilliantly closing the finals with the third goal against the Czechs was stunning!’ Valerii Radayev concluded.
The Governor congratulated the students, the professor staff of the Institute of Sports and Physical Education, SSU, and personally the coach of the football team Mikhail Dmitriyev. At the solemn meeting, Valerii Radayev presented letters of gratitude from the Governor for their contribution to the development and popularisation of student sports in the region to the rector Aleksei Chumachenko, the coach of the football team, a sports instructor of the SSU Sports Club Mikhail Dmitriyev, and the captain of the football team, a sports instructor of the SSU Sports Club Alan Dryayev.
The football tournament was held from 11 to 13 November in Rome. In the competition, Russia was represented by two teams: Saratov State University and V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. In addition, the student teams from the Czech Republic, Great Britain, France, Slovakia, Italy, and Spain competed for the cup. As a result, the SSU team reached the finals, where they met with a Czech university. Saratov defeated rivals scoring three goals while the opposite team scored none.
Alan Dryaev was the captain of the university team. The team included: Ivan Belyaev, Dmitii Borisov, Vladislav Burdastykh, Alexander Dryaev, Mikhitar Zakharyan, Dmitrii Kotyukh, Yaroslav Krasnov, Ivan Mokshin, Renat Rakhmatulin, Eldar Rafikov, Maxim Savelyev, Alexander Slunitsyn, Dmitrii Solodkov, Georgii Sturki, Nikita Torgashov, Artem Kharlamov, and Daniil Kharkovets. The football players are coached by Mikhail Dmitriyev.
The participants watched a video with the best moments of the championship. The team captain Alan Dryayev noted that the university and Sokol football school has been productively cooperating recently. The athletes are helped to develop in education and sports.
The Governor pointed out the team spirit of the players can serve as an example for the main national teams of the country. The coach Mikhail Dmitriyev, in turn, invited the Governor to attend the match as soon as the situation with the coronavirus becomes stable. The governor replied that student sports is "the most intensive and the most spectacular." According to him, it is necessary to hold competitions between students in the region.
Vice-rector for Youth Policy and Organisational Work Anton Golovchenko said that at SSU the ISPT teaching staff train physical education teachers and coaches. Associate Professor of the Department of Sports Disciplines Vladimir Gordeyev spoke about the work of the SSU Sports Club, where attention is paid to both work on the highest achievements of athletes and amateur areas. The winner of the Russian Chess Cup Anastasia Protopopova and the world kickboxing champion Vrezh Petrosyan told the Governor about their achievements.
At the end of the meeting, the players presented the Governor a ball with the players' autographs and a photo of the team.