Penza Football Amateur League is one of the largest non-professional organizations in Russia. We decided to communicate with the organizer of League Igor Gerusov and the captain of the team of "Hurricane" Gleb Frigushkin.

Penza Football Amateur League: Yesterday, today, tomorrow

Penza Football Amateur League is one of the largest non-professional organizations in Russia. We decided to communicate with the organizer of League Igor Gerusov and the captain of the team of "Hurricane" Gleb Frigushkin.

– Igor, how did you decide to create such a large-scale project?

– The idea of ​​creating an amateur league matured a long time ago in my head. In the period from 2005 to 2010, I studied and lived in Moscow. The metropolitan league already existed, and there I was safely played. In 2010, he returned to Penza and there were no tournaments in our city. I thought and decided to organize them. We started to collect first teams, the first teams, just to play somewhere, have fun. Familiar was a lot – they gathered four teams on the first tournament, but could not complete it due to lack of teams. A full-fledged tournament started in the winter of the same year.

– What difficulties arose in the initial stages?

– There were three main problems: finding platforms for matches, arbitrators that could adequately judge, and find the guys themselves who were ready to play.

– How many teams at the moment do you have in the league?

"At the moment in a mini-football tournament, which takes place from November to April, take part 135 teams, they are divided into 13 leagues. In the summer we spend football 8×8. There is a separate division for age 35 + for the third year in a row. These are football veterans who are already hard with young people. All leagues are broadcast matches, commentators work. I will add that we play on the best fields of the Penza region.

– What is the age limit of players?

– No restrictions can take part of football players aged 16 years. We can take the guys to 16 years old only if there is a receipt from the parents, in which it will be indicated that they allowed their child to take part in a particular team and are responsible for his state of health during the matches. In general, any boy at the age of 16 can declare his team.

– How can I get to the league?

– There are no difficulties for this. There is a basic source of information – this is a group of VKontakte. Several times a year, the beginning of the registration of teams on tournaments and the offer to everyone will unsubscribe. We invite the team to the organizational meeting, where questions about the upcoming tournament are discussed. It is worth noting that participation in competitions is not free.The amount of contributions for the season is approved before the championship. We always enter into a position of absolutely all teams and often offer to take contributions for participating in several stages. Bringing amounts by 3-4, and sometimes even 5 parts, and the teams pass money in accordance with certain charts 1-2 months per sum.

This is not very expensive to come out for the players themselves for such high-quality leisure and its weekend for 7-8 months. For example, football 8x 8 lasts 7 months. This is a long time, and for many people sport becomes lifestyle. People who are drawn to live in the future can not live without football. They know that every weekend they will have an important game, prepare, train.

Good alternative to shared family leisure. Family players, friends, colleagues, relatives come to the game and all actively support the team. It is very cool to observe when families come and are sick for their relatives.

– Are the agents of other clubs appear?

– The Agency of other clubs was not observed, but, for example, the coach of the Penza Zenit Vladimir Radkevich himself regularly takes part in the team of the Division 35+. He offers many promising guys to come to watching Zenit. Young guys look after the trainer of the Roadwoman football club, which now plays in KFK. The coach of the largest Penza universities follow football players, invite to enter their university and help them in their studies.

Therefore, good young football players are always in price, and they have prospects. Scouts of other clubs have not yet been noticed, but Hermann Anuk got from the beginning of 1 amateur league team and later left. This is an example for imitation. No wonder they say: "If one did one, then others will be able to

– Tell me about the division system.

– We have a lot of them and, accordingly, in each division, teams who deserved a place to speak at this level are determined by the sporting principle: the weakest teams are dropped into the division lower, strong – go upstairs. Now in each of the divisions are teams that match the level of the game. The whole league and the entire system of work in the league is built for maximum comfort and interest.

– Do you think Penza football has hope?

– Hope for the fact that we will ever have a professional club at least the FNL level? I have big doubts – the Penza region has a rather poor region, we have no large enterprises that could sponsor the team, and the budget of the Penza region does not allow for a professional club with great tasks, ambitions. Regarding mini-football, we have a mini-football team "Laguna", which is the most titled female club. Girls regularly win the championship of Russia, the Russian Cup.

– Hello Gleb, tell us about yourself and about your team.

"I am 19 years old, a student, studying on a journalist in PGPU.Football began to study from 7 years in the school section, then he played in the "Zenith" and Sports School. A lot of time paid football, watched all the matches, was constantly playing in the yard and participated in school competitions. When I entered the institute, I was invited to play for the team of the faculty, so I met the Penza football amateur league.

– How did you get to the league?

"When you by several teams, and realizing that I don't like as a training process, and what role I occupy there, in the spring of 2019 I decided to create my team. Initially, we called "Cheetah". Then they decided to change the name to the "Hurricane". Actually, so we are called to this day. As part of the team, my friends with whom I play since childhood, in which I am confident both on the field and beyond. We pass a big way from the newcomers of the championship to the peaks.

– How do you need a league level?

– The level of Penza football is quite high, our teams successfully submit to the region at the All-Russian level. All teams against whom I had a chance to play were very strong, no "passing rivals".

– What are the achievements of your team?

– Our team is pretty young, in April will celebrate the year since the foundation. While we do not have significant achievements, but we strive for high results. In the current season, we plan to get into the first eight championship to qualify for high awards.

– What gives you football?

– Football gives me a lot: a good physical form, new acquaintances, most of your comrades and friends I found in football. Plus – I forget about the problems on the field, I get a charge of positive emotions. Playing in the amateur league, I can feel myself a real football player, as I have a personal profile on the site where all my statistics are being done: how many heads scored, how much I gave the gear. All games are removed, you can see your actions in the entry, keep track of flights.