INTERVIEW: Coach Volodymyr Ryzhov on Ukraine's chances at Olympics

The Ukrainian national women's basketball team, most of which will become the Olympic team representing Ukraine at the Atlanta Games beginning in July, played an exhibition in Fort Mill, S. C., on March 28 against the powerful United States national team, the overwhelming favorite to win the gold in 1996. Ukraine, also a consensus medal contender, lost 93-69.

After the game, The Weekly Staff Editor Roman Woronowycz sat down with Ukraine's coach Volodymyr Ryzhov to discuss the game and Ukraine's chances at the Centennial Olympics.

Q: In today's game, Liudmila Nazarenko didn't seem to play to her capabilities. What was wrong?

A: The biggest reason is that we had a tough flight to the United States. It seems that taller athletes, in general, experience changes more severely than smaller ones. Also, we've had only one practice.

A second reason is that the American players have gotten to know Nazarenko's game. She has played well against them in our past meetings, so I think they prepared for her this time.

One more thing that has hampered our efforts is that the team is missing four of its leading players - some of the best players in the country.

Olena Zhyrkov, an Olympic champion and one of the team's best players, had a serious operation, but will return to train with the team in May. Two other starters, Olena Verhun and Viktoria Borynok, are also recuperating from injuries and will begin a full training schedule in April.

The last player, Viktoria Poradis, plays in England. Her club did not release her to take part in these games.

Q: Will they be ready for Atlanta?

A: Three will begin training full-time with the squad in April, and Olena Zhyrkov, we believe, will join us in May. She is very professional in her approach to the game, has a good work ethic. We think that she will be among the better players at the Olympics.

Q: Although the Americans undoubtedly prepared for Maryna Tkachenko as well, she had a very good evening.

A: Maryna Tkachenko, another gold medalist in Barcelona, is a talented player. Tonight she showed her stuff, especially in the first half. However, our team as a whole still has not developed the form needed to compete at this level.

Our national championship just finished three days ago, so we have not had any time to practice as a team. As a result many of our players are not playing to their potential.

The United States team has been preparing for seven-eight months. They understand each other's game, they are physically in very good shape. Our team has not had that opportunity.

Q: So, how many competed against the U.S. when that team toured Ukraine last year?

A: Tkachenko played against them twice. Zhyrkov did not play at all... what it comes down to is that not once have we dressed the team that will play basketball [at the Olympics]. This is because Ukraine lacks the finances to afford our players the opportunity to train and play together in Ukraine. Many players compete in other countries.

Q: In your opinion what are this team's chances for a gold medal in Atlanta, or simply for making the medal round?

A: Our countrymen and our fans expect that the Ukrainian team will capture some sort of medal. But as the head coach I do not want to guess because our team is in bad shape right now due to the many injuries we have experienced, it's like a virus. When I finally see the full squad in May and after a full slate of practice sessions and exhibitions, then I will be better able to figure out where we might finish. Right now it is tough.

I like this American team; they are very good. It is going to be tough to compete against them.

Q: Compare your Ukrainian squad with the Unified Team that won the gold in Barcelona.

A: They can be compared from one aspect: we have very good athletes like Olena Zhyrkov and Maryna Tkachenko. We have a player like Olena Verhun, who was one of the best in the former Soviet Union. We don't have the players that were in Barcelona, like Natalya Zasulska, Yelena Khudashova. But we expect that by the Olympics, players on our team like Nazarenko and (Diana) Sadovnikova will have developed to the point that they will help us win a medal.

Q: What does the Ukrainian team need to reach the level of competition of the United States team?

A: It bothers me that we do not have the ability to train together.

Q: But the talent is there?

A: The talent is there. We have plenty of good and talented players. But we do not have the chance to train together and play at the most competitive levels for six to eight months a year. The national championships of Ukraine are not particularly high caliber competitions. The players on our team who compete in the championships are tested at probably half of their ability. It does nothing to help them become the best.

We do not have the facilities and the equipment that others have. We do not have a material base that would give the athletes the chance to do all they can.

But as in years past, we are always very enthusiastic, we are always thinking, innovating.

That is not the way we want to continue. We would love to have a beautiful arena, plenty of financial backing to be able to prepare for six to eight months by playing the best teams in the world. Unfortunately, Ukraine does not as yet have this. I must say, however, that lately our administration has spent much time and money on preparation for the Olympics.

Q: You are European champions of 1995. Many were surprised by the team's accomplishment.

A: Yes, this was unexpected and a surprise to many Europeans. But we prepared for the European championships as a path to the Olympics. We had a fine squad. The toughest game, undoubtedly, was the finals against the Italians. But our girls were flying high and put on a basketball exhibition.

Q: Two short items. First, what were the souvenirs you exchanged with the American team?

A: Whenever we play against other national teams we only give gifts of Ukrainian origin. These were small, carved wooden cases embellished with Ukrainian ornamentation. We want to underscore that we are from Ukraine. When the Americans were in Ukraine we gave them similar gifts with Ukrainian ornamentation and they really liked them.

Q: Finally, tell us about yourself.

A: I was born in Tulia, in Russia. From the age of 4 I lived with my mother and father in Luhanske, where I learned to play basketball. I played professional basketball for 17 years, for more than 13 of them for the Budivelna Kyiv team, one of the best in the former Soviet Union. It was also one of the best teams of Europe, usually finishing first, second or third.

I was a player-coach for two years and then a coach of the Budivelna team. Dynamo Kyiv proposed that I coach the women's team, which had finished last in the championships of the Soviet Union. I liked the idea of building a new team from the ground up and became the head coach on January 1, 1990. In 1991 we won the championship of the Soviet Union, a year later (1992-1993 season) the Dynamo team finished second in Europe, and third in the world among professional sports clubs.

I have a large family, a wife and three children. My daughter, Lilia, is here. She is the club manager, and head of the international relations department of Dynamo. She knows English well.

My son is 18, and I expect that he will be a good basketball player. He is 6 feet 5 inches tall. He hopes and dreams to go to school in the United States and test his abilities there. He is persistent and I expect that he will do it.

I also have a 7-year-old daughter who is preparing to enter school next year.

Q: I want to ask you one more time, would you like to make a prognosis about the Olympic basketball competitions? Who is going to take the gold, the silver...?

A: Right now I have seen only five or six teams. Ok, I'll give the gold to the Ameri-cans. But I reiterate that the Ukrainian team has not played a single game with its full squad intact, so I cannot predict and I do not want to. This is not my role as a coach. I would surmise that after we have played tournaments in Australia in May, where the Americans will also compete, then we will be able to begin planning our strategy.

Right now we are here on a, let's call it a scouting mission, to see what our opponent has. We will also play against China, and we expect they will put their best team on the floor. Then we will better be able to decide how to win at the Olympics.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 14, 1996, No. 15, Vol. LXIV

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