How Belarusian got into the Hall of Fame of George Washington University: the story of Yegor Mishcheryakov

In early February, Yegor Meshcheryakov was introduced to the Hall of Fame of George Washington University. In the first entry of the club blog, the sports director "Tsmoki-Minsk" tells the publication Opinion how he ended up in America, how he lived and studied there, and how his team participated in the March madness.

Photos from personal archive

The Olympic reserve coach calls and says: “Come to my house, today there will be a call from the USA”. And I ask: "Right from the USA?". At that moment, you do not believe that everything is the same and they will take you to the university, where there are Belarusians.

I come. The trainer is calling. Worried. And he says: “How are you?” And so on ... I answer that everything is fine.

- Will you be glad to play for the team of George Washington?

- It would be nice.

- Then get ready.

Photos from personal archive

Mom said: learn English, son!

I was lucky. In my speech at the ceremony, I mentioned Sasha Kul and thanked him for the fact that such a talented player drew attention to the Belarusian basketball players. At the dawn of 90, when the Union collapsed, the scouts looked to grab from the former Union space. Just then Belarus was the champion of the CIS among youth teams. And scouts were actively interested in such players as Sasha Kul and Andrei Sviridov (an actor who became widely known after filming in the TV series Univer).

In 93, the national team was invited to tour US colleges. I did not get into the squad, which strongly prompted: how did it not go to America? Around 3 weeks, 12 matches against good universities, a lot of relocations. One of the meetings was with George Washington University (hereinafter GW). Our junior team, although it lost GW, but was remembered by unyielding temper and players with potential.

Later, both GW coaches - Jarvis and Beethen - came to Slovenia for the European Championship, which we won. Then they took the high, growth per 2 meter players. Then they saw me and Andrei Krivonos. We were the second wave of Belarusians who came to GW. It was easier - the path was already trodden.

I knew about the departure for 6-7 months, so that the last six months, when I was studying at RUOR, I had a head in America. He practiced English, slept with a tutorial. I tried to prepare for American life. And after 8 months, this American life hit me on the head with a hammer ... All the knowledge of English broke about the American accent: how quickly people say how to grasp everything. It was like from the Soviet film: "Mama said: learn English, son."

Photos from personal archive

Cramming, cramming, cramming

I had a picture of my parents with me. That time is difficult to understand for the modern generation: there is no vibera or internet connection. The room had a telephone, but a call to Belarus cost 2 dollars 60 cents per minute. Rarely I could call, so communication with parents was worth its weight in gold. Only letters every 2-3 of the week. Now life is much easier in this regard.

At first, we had a hard time in the States. Americans even talk about it at school: all foreigners first come to the euphoria of the 2-3 week, then the culture shock - the 2-3 of the month. People fall into a mild depression, they understand that in this country everything is a little different from home. But then, somewhere around the new year, after 4-5 months, you get so used to living in the USA that you sometimes even dream in English.

It was very difficult. On the buildup, when you go only in the English class, do not give time. From the first day sent to study. Thank God, we had such a Gena with a cheerful surname Bratishko, our translator, academic assistant. He helped to study, explained the main points. And the rest - cramming, cramming, cramming. The first year was very hard. I probably went off campus 3 times, take a walk around Washington. And we are still grateful to Gena - he has become for us a true friend and elder brother.

In the autumn preseason, the coach came up with the practice of karate - to raise the strength of the spirit. The brain was in full swing: the English class for foreign students started in 8.15, and before that in the morning at 6 we got up and spent an hour on the mats. And so 3 times a week. The schedule was such that you have 15 minutes to buy a hot dog with Coca-Cola and run from one class to another.

Then a three-hour workout, and in the evening it was mandatory study hall - 2,5 hours. In 7-8 hours of the evening, sometimes there could be additional classes with tutors in English or in a class where you are lagging behind. We practiced well. However, when we finished the first two semesters with one of the best points among all student-athletes - the coach was surprised: “Well done, Belarusians! Keep it up!".

To be honest, the program is simple, but the language barrier is very much in the way. You are loaded 4, maximum 5 subjects per semester, which is an order of magnitude less than in Belarus. Americans generally clutching their heads, how much they give you and how you can know all this. And we - in the order of things.

When you get to an American university, you see a student sitting who pays a lot of money: legs on a desk, chips. He begins to 2 meters from the professor brazenly crunching, opening the effervescent soda. You understand that everything is a little different: whoever pays the money orders music. Professors rarely suppress such negative behavior. We would say “sit down normally,” and there they observe “political correctness”: a person is a student - he pays money, what to touch him, which means he should sit like that now. It was discouraging.

In general, brotherhoods and sisterhoods, all this is “Greek” student life, there are parties, holidays, debates, elections of their president. The campus is bustling with life. But you need to understand that GW is part of the city of Washington, and not some campus located in fields and meadows, where there is room to roam. There were no such parties in the big house as they show in the movies. But something happened. The first thing I saw was beerBQ instead of BBQ. But this is all within reason, because there are a lot of training sessions and a lot of games. Probably the first time we celebrated a normal holiday was New Year.

Photos from personal archive

Real Belarusians

We had fun trips to tournaments around the US. We played in Sacramento and Florida. After one of the matches, we climbed into the pool - and the coach realized that he had taken real Belarusians to the team. It was +18 outside, and none of the hotel guests swam, only us. They looked at us like, “Where are you going, it’s a cold pool, it’s winter.” We also managed to see Hawaii, namely the island of Maui on the eve of Thanksgiving - how can we forget the festive dinner with torches on the beach, it was a real paradise!

My coach Jarvis sent an email to the ceremony, and the person who introduced me read the message. It was written there that “you and I have won many times, there were many victories and a lot of food.” He remembers that we ate a lot. We were such thin, always hungry students. He is generally a unique coach, because very often he invited the team to his home, throwing parties like Thanksgiving or New Year. Everyone joined hands, he said a prayer like “bless our team for victories.” It was important to him to make us feel at home. I knew that we were far from home, thousands of kilometers away, and could not be with our loved ones. We always appreciated this opportunity to visit him and feel the festive atmosphere.

Life on credit

Everyone thinks it's manna from heaven to get to the States. But Washington is an expensive city now and in 90. We were given 300 dollars for a sports scholarship on our hands. All your money. It should be noted that the university does not feed you. There was one place, like a canteen, where it cost about 8 dollars to eat, but it was not always possible to get there. And so a soup sandwich cost 8-10 dollars. At that time, it was very expensive, but I still had to buy clothes for a scholarship. Therefore, we very quickly learned what 2 weeks are all about to eat and stay penniless. Learned credit card system and almost lived in debt. But when the season began, the team was already fed on the day and after the game. And the coach always fed.

One evening, the hungry come to McDonalds, all four Belarusians. As now, I remember, the Pakistani manager was at the cash register. He also saw us like this: “Boys, will you eat?”. And here the first of us borrows a dollar from the second, the second from the third, and the fourth lacks a dollar to buy a combo for 4.50 - a drink and two hamburgers. And we stand, we do not have this extra dollar. I had to share what they bought.

The coolest time began in the summer when they gave a bigger scholarship because there were fewer students. Up to 1000 dollars. May and June is the time when you could buy something home, feel free.

About friendship

We continued to call "Rassens." 5 years know, but "Rashens" and all. Close friends, of course, knew. By the way, one more of the funny moments: the first month, we go to the hall, and not far a little boy, of modest growth, turns after us: “Do you guys speak Russian?”. We are looking at him like this: “Yes, but who are you?” - “And I am Sasha Ivanov” - “Enough to make fun, Sasha Ivanov” - “No, no, seriously, I am Sasha Ivanov from Riga.” So met. Still friends.

There were a couple of students from the Union: one Kazakh and one Muscovite. American student life, albeit in Washington, is very far from politics. There we were always warmly treated. You are the first person for them. Communists are not called. Although once there was a speech by Gorbachev, then for the first time I saw him live. He gave a lecture about his organization "Green Cross". A large audience, many people ... Then an article appeared in the student newspaper that struck me - our university presented a commemorative medal to the “red butcher”. I thought: “Wow, so warmly we met, thousands and a half came to the lectures, and then the“ red butcher ”. That is something slipped, but not in relation to us.

After four Belarusians, foreigners were added to the team: a guy from Israel, a Canadian, a Brazilian, two Spaniards. Over time, the Dutchman and the Portuguese came. There were 10 foreigners, and at one point the Americans became a minority. Well, since we spent a lot of time together, all friends were basketball players.

Student basketball

Our university hall is on the 5,5 of thousands, and when I talk about it, all such “wow, class!”. And this is less than the average, because usually the halls are somewhere on 6-7 thousands. University basketball is probably watched more during the year than the NBA matches. In the NBA, cool games start in the playoffs, and in the regular season they are more boring.

And when you arrive there and you realize that the parquet, like a mirror, is perfect, and you are given as many sneakers as you need, there are no restrictions. Attention to basketball players is huge. When 15-20 of thousands of spectators come to the game, you understand what kind of basketball you play.

Basketball in the USA is a mature business product. They do shows around the match. Many activities, and sponsors are interested. While in Washington, universities are hard to compete with. There and the Wizards, and the Redskins American football, and the hockey Capitals with Ovechkin.

Hall of Fame

This is nice and some sort of summing up. That everything was not in vain. Immediately I recall the hard times when I wanted to climb on the wall from anguish. But you understand that everything that he did on his way was not just like that. That your contribution to the history of that team was appreciated. She won a total of 80 120 matches in 4 of the year. Getting 3 times in March 4 into March insanity is very cool even by today's standards. In the first division more 350 teams. And when you find yourself in the top 64 - this is a great achievement for the university.

March madness is when all of America stops working and looks at basketball, makes bets, wonders who goes where. It all causes a stir: from the president to the handyman. This is a global phenomenon.

Student basketball is a crazy ending, scored with 10 meters of balls. Teams draw matches, which, like, deliberately lost. So many different wonders happen in the playoffs, because really all the guys understand that this is their chance to show themselves in front of the NBA, in front of future employers.

When we got into the March madness - we were accompanied by an orchestra, cheerleaders, gymnasts, a group of 30-40 people from the university administration. A large “chariot” was put forward for those who are involved in the team. This is a holiday. And I played my last match near Disneyland in Orlando. We lost to Indiana in the first round - such a bitter pill. But the next day we went to Disney World, and it was already a pleasant point in my basketball career in the USA.

Ceremony

Photos from personal archive

The hall for the ceremony was rented near the university. 8 people who were inducted into the hall of fame, plus their guests - about 200 in total. The president of the university and the entire athletic department came. The names and merits of a certain athlete were mentioned and then he was given 5-10 minutes to speak and thank him... Almost like an Oscar. It was fun. The ceremony itself is part of the open house weekend program. Everyone who graduated from university can come back and spend time like students. Various workshops, events... Before the basketball match there was free tailgate. This is something like a barbecue: you can chat and eat. In general, the ceremony was moderately pompous, but democratic and made from the heart. I was pleasantly flattered.

The Hall of Fame itself is the lobby of the Smith Center's gymnasium, where there is a wall with the names of outstanding athletes. And hanging the monitor, where you can see who did what.

The ceremony takes place every year in February. My teammate, Shante Rogers, who is 158 cm tall, had his ceremony in 2012. He was just finishing his graduate studies and invited me as a guest. He said: “Listen, I haven’t spoken to anyone like this for a long time, you can take me to the podium and stand next to me.” Shante began his speech with the words: “I decided to come out here with my former teammate to feel more confident. We supported each other on the court and it’s important to me that Egor is here.”

I made him “alaverdi” and also called to the ceremony. Shante is a unique person. He graduated from the classroom university and proved that growth is not so important. He was the best player in the conference, where 16 clubs play. He scored an average of 20 points, made 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game. With such growth, it was amazing. And when we played with us, Belarusians, we were called “Kul and the Gang”. There was such a group in 80-90. And here it is like Sanya Kul and the basketball players around him. And after Shante, I realized that these are all stereotypes, they say, if you are 170, see height, you will never play. Shante played because he had speed, a throw, a lion heart. It is very important. It was nice to see him.

Young basketball players

There are always difficult moments in sports and you need to have unshakable faith in yourself and in what you are doing. Every day, all over the planet, athletes try to be better. And you need to become better today than you were yesterday. Invest in yourself, in your basketball knowledge, in your technique. Many people refer to external factors and say: “I have no luck with teams or coaches.” There have been about 40 coaches in my career. You can't be lucky or unlucky. It is important how a professional athlete poses and behaves. How to motivate yourself. Can he ignite himself for daily painstaking, sometimes thankless, work? In training that no one sees.

As a little boy, I never thought that I would go to the USA to play basketball. I didn’t think that I would be at a tryout for the Chicago Bulls, where the great Jordan worked every day in training. I didn't think I would play in the NBA Summer League for the New Jersey Nets. I didn’t think that I would have a successful and long career in Europe. I just did what depended on me, every day. My love for the game helped me go through a rather long and thorny path in basketball. To this day I live with great love and passion for this game, only in the role of sports director and coach.

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