Vladimir Petrovich Kondrashin –

the greatest basketball tactician.

“Sometimes the circumstances which take us to the development of events in our life can be absolutely unexpected.” (my father)

Vladimir Petrovich Kondrashin was born on the 14th of January 1929

in Saint-Petersburg. During the seige he was only twelve, but he had to work at a plant to support his family and to make his contribution to the victory. After the Great Patriotic War Vladimir began playing in the basketball team “Spartak”.

Since 1952 he had beena basketball coach of the children's and youth’s teams of the sport society “Spartak”. Working with children he gained experience.Vladimir Petrovich was a permanent coach of

Leningrad’s“Spartak” from 1967 to 1995.

He also coached the team of the Soviet Union from 1970 to

1976.

The brightest victories of the national team in the world’s competitions are still associated with the name of V.P.Kondrashin.In 1972 in the Olimpic final game

they met the invincible team from the USA.

After that the Soviet basketball players had an unsuccessful attack.And the American team

began to celebrate its victory.

At the end of this game the score was 50:49 to the USA national team.There were only three seconds for the final whistle, but they had gone. At that very moment the referee remembered he must give the time-out for Kondrashin that he asked for earlier.

However, the head of the International Association of basketball William Jones ordered to replay those three seconds again as the timekeeper switched on a stopwatch at the moment the serving player threw the ball.

They had to replay those three seconds for the third time.Ivan Edeshko swung his arms. The player and the coach exchanged glances. Ivan took a hint. They’d learned to understand each other without words. Vladimir Petrovich nodded and cried “Go!” and the ball came into the hands of Aleksander Belov coast-to-coast. Belov’s reaction was immediate.Aleksander caught the ball and threw it

exactly into the basket.

It was a perfect throw. The score turned to 50:51.

We were the champions!!!

But how does this touch me?What's happened referred exactly to me.In 1972 my father watched that match on TV. He was only 7. He wasn’t able to understand all the details of the basketball rules, but he worried about our team greatly. He played basketball selflessly buthe hadn’t become a professional basketball player,so he wanted his sons to succeed in it.This way when I was four I came to the sports school named after Kondrashin-Belov. I am keen on playing basketball, taking part in different competitions.I’ll do my best to make my father’s dream true and I hope my greatest victories are still waiting for me.