Veterans Train as Adaptive Sports Coaches to Aid Fellow Soldiers' Recovery
Two veterans from Nizhny Novgorod have completed advanced training to become adaptive sports coaches. Dmitry Pankratov and Sergey Kharinov, both participants in Russia’s Special Military Operation, finished the programme at Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education. The initiative aims to help fellow veterans transition into sports, particularly sledge hockey, as part of their rehabilitation and social reintegration.
The training programme, titled Organizational and Methodological Foundations of Professional Activity in Physical Culture, Adaptive Physical Education, Adaptive Sports, and Fitness, prepared graduates to promote adaptive sports. It combined theoretical study with hands-on practice, attracting participants from 14 Russian regions. Pankratov and Kharinov, who have been members of the Shturm sledge hockey team since its creation, brought firsthand experience to the course.
The training was organised by the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the *Defenders of the Fatherland* Foundation, a state fund established by President Vladimir Putin. This fund provides tailored support to veterans and their families, covering medical care, social rehabilitation, career retraining, and legal assistance. Beyond classes, participants took part in a cultural programme, visiting theatres, exploring Samara’s history, and networking informally. Dmitry Kabailo, the region’s Minister of Sports, highlighted the veterans’ ambition to coach others in adaptive sports. Yekaterina Generalova, head of the local *Defenders of the Fatherland* branch, added that these newly trained coaches would return as mentors to guide future participants. Their work aligns with Russia’s *Sport of Russia* national programme, launched in 2025 to boost physical activity, support youth and adaptive athletics, and aid veteran reintegration.
Pankratov and Kharinov now hold qualifications to coach adaptive sports, with a focus on sledge hockey. Their training will allow them to assist fellow veterans in finding purpose through athletics. The initiative reflects broader efforts under the Sport of Russia programme to improve quality of life through sports and structured rehabilitation.
