Russian Native Thrives on Ice

Freshman Mikhail Vasilyev moved to America from Russia in preschool, and earned a name for himself as the fastest ice hockey player his age.

Vasilyev’s transition was not easy. He said, “When I was a little kid, I didn’t know any English. I was in preschool, and I had no idea what was going on. But half a year later, I could start speaking English. My first words were, ‘No, it’s mine!'”

Vasilyev said his inspiration to play hockey came from his father, who played when Vaselyev was “a little kid.”

Now Vaselyev participates actively in tournaments and other competitions. “I play 4 to 5 times a week, and at the end of the month I go to Los Angeles and play in a tournament,” he added.

Vasilyev has won awards for his prowess on the ice. “I’ve done a couple of skills competitions, and I was ranked the fastest skater last year in California,” he said. “A few teams from Colorado came, which was pretty cool.”

Vasilyev practices mostly in Vacaville and Dublin. He spends 2 days at each ice rink. “I’ve got 3 coaches, 1 of them being my dad,” he said.

His friend, freshman Jonah Kelsey, said, “He enjoys [hockey]. He’s played ever since he was a little kid.” Kelsey described Vasilyev as “insane, cool, and charismatic.”

Vasilyev said, “I like [hockey] because it keeps me fit and in shape. I actually don’t like football because you just stand around a lot of the time, unlike hockey, where you just keep on going.”