Narva coach teaches women’s boxing: there are sports results, and there are fruits of education
The name of Andrei Kostenkov is well known in our editorial office, since we regularly publish sports news. And some of us managed to get acquainted with him, of course, at the awarding ceremony of successful Narva athletes. Because Kostenkov is a coach in love with his profession, and this brings decent results.
Andrei Kostenkov is one of the Narva coaches, thanks to which boxing is still among the most popular Narvytsy sports. But … He managed to add the charm of novelty to the power of tradition: Kostenkov became one of the first coaches to learn the boxing girls. As you know, in 1990, women’s boxing was recognized as the International Boxing Association, and world competitions began to be held.
It is curious that the first pupil of the coach Kostenkov was his own daughter Sophia (now a successful video). Having seen enough how the father is engaged in the boys, once she, not taking into account his counter -artists, began to engage in boxing.
So in the 2000s, “Girl Boxing” arose in Narva. The girls predisposed to this sport arose to realize their abilities, and the sports school of Paemurra, where Andrei Kostenkov works, open another direction.
Andrei Kostenkov himself with boxing was passionate in his school years, but he did not become a superbibser, by his own admission. And real love was imbued with eastern martial arts that entered his life later.
Now the worldview baggage that Andrei Kostenkov has acquired, engaged in eastern martial arts, helps him as a teacher. After all, he considers his main mission to participate in the formation of the personality of the pupils and their understanding of life, and the achievement of sports results, even high ones, is only a “cherry on the cake” for him.
High results, which, of course, are important for coaches and most athletes, are also available in this interaction. The name of the Krenholm PSK sports club and the Paemurra sports school, which is trained by Andrei Kostenkov, sounded loudly at competitions of various levels – thanks to Ksenia Veselova, Alexandra Meelis, Polina Golubeva. Now the sports club and the sports school are worthily represented by Alisa Gerasimovich, who became a winner of the European Championship among schoolchildren in 2024.
Some can be on the podium
“Women’s Boxing” – it seems that the incompatible is combined here. “It seems not only to you,” Andrei Kostenkov smiles. – Hence the problems periodically arising in our club: we prepare, for example, an athlete, she reaches a serious level, you can go to title competitions. But the girl fell in love and comes to me with her boyfriend to say goodbye: “My young man is against. He says that it is gentle. ” I’m trying to dissuade her: “But your young man himself managed to achieve something?” So we lose a promising athlete, and a year later she returns in great repentance, regrets that she had abandoned classes. There are a lot of emotional things that are difficult to get used to, ”the coach concludes.
And commenting on the causes of female boxing, he says that this sport is due to nature itself.
– At all times, there were not only housewives among women, the brave warriors also met. They exist now. Boxing helps them to prove themselves, drop the accumulated tension. There is even such an expression in our environment – « to get away. » This is not about a fight, but about a physical lesson. In our club, a peace-loving environment is always preserved, although someone may not be quite close to someone humanly, ”Andrei Kostenkov answers our question.
Also, according to him, girls go to boxing to get a sports figure: not just its pleasant outlines, but muscles, thanks to which the harmony of the body remains for many years.
Indeed, Andrei Kostenkov notes, there are many beauties among women-boxers. Italians and French women are especially famous for this. “During the competition, I sometimes wonder: what are you doing here, girl? You need to go to the model business! ”
– Boxing is a sport that develops almost everything. By the way, brain activity too: being in the ring, you must quickly think about how to act. I must process so much information! – explains the coach.
And, of course, boxing attracts to himself by arming a person with the ability to protect himself. And applicants facilitates the entered universities; There are former pupils of Andrei Kostenkov both at the University of Tartu and the Academy of Internal Affairs.
Go to Tallinn and further
According to approximate estimates, more than a hundred people are engaged in boxing in Narva, they are prepared by six coaches, including three on the basis of the Paemurra sports school. The Kreenholm PSK club accepts children from 7 years old, the maximum age of pupils is 25 years old.
“Younger age groups begin with general physical training with us,” the coach says. – So their parents may not be afraid: we have no broken noses, nor knocked out teeth.
And in general, such consequences, during the conversation, he notes, is mainly characteristic of professional sports. Andrei Kostenkov mentions the Narvityans who built a professional career with great sympathy, but notes that there are still units. Most boxes do this for their hardening, useful leisure, to achieve results in amateur boxing.
The Girl’s Coach is a little sympathetic to Estonian women-boxers: there is still no real competition in the country, he said. At the same time, incentives for development and experience are acquired precisely in meetings with a stronger opponent. Therefore, the coaches try to take their pupils to competitions of a serious level, as often as possible. Such trips are valued not only by fights and results, but also with sparring – training battles that take place throughout all competitions and where you can get an indispensable experience with rivals of a higher level.
No further than in March, Narva girls performed at the international tournament « Riga Ladies Boxing Cup 2025 », in which 120 participants from 14 countries participated. The Estonian national team was represented by 6 pupils of Andrei Kostenkov. The result – 5 medals, first place, three second, third and fourth place.
Coach, as well as teacher
Andrei Kostenkov admits to the coaching work, he did not have a desire to choose a life path. He graduated from the Narva School No. 22, received the specialty of an electrician. But when he came after military service for production, he realized that he would not find himself here: too boring and monotonous. Then Andrei decided to direct his efforts to receive higher education, it remained only to choose a university.
And then the young man fell into the hands of the directory of the higher educational institutions of Leningrad. And the institute itself was chosen by him from the light hand of a friend. Not in a joke, or seriously, the girl advised him to try his luck in the pedagogical institute. Herzena: « And you will receive a profession, and you will find your wife there. » Kostenkov found his wife there really, in the first year. His wife Marina still teaches in the elementary grades of one of the Narva schools. And he did not lose his specialty: he studied with his enthusiasm, he graduated from the institute almost a “five -handed man”.
“Having made sure of your experience-how important it is, not to dwell at some point on what you already have, I say to my guys constantly: study, while there is a desire and opportunity. Over time, either one or the other disappears, do not miss the moment! » – Our interlocutor is frank.
His professions, like his wife, Andrei Kostenkov turned out to be faithful for life, together they raised three children. Only once he almost got off the service path when a very difficult period related to health was completed for him. At that moment I wanted to move away from the hustle and bustle and take care of spiritual concerns. But I heard in Pyuhtits the following words: « reap the fruits of your work where you are. » And he again entered the coaching watch.
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