When Russian Iouri Rytchkov stepped off the plane from Moscow he spoke barely a word of Japanese, or English for that matter. That did not stop the 48-year-old ice-hockey veteran from taking a group of high school boys from Aomori Prefecture and making winners out of them.
The task was not easy. In Japanese ice hockey, teams from Hokkaido have been unrivaled since 1952, when the national high school competitions were first held. Their strength lies in the popularity of the sport on the northern island, where it generates intense competition. The intensity of play is unmatched by any other part of Japan.
That was until 21/2 years ago, when Rytchkov arrived. The seasoned Russian coach brought with him methods of training and techniques never before seen in Japanese ice hockey, which has traditionally followed a Canadian or Scandinavian style of play.