As he skates from side to side in his corner of the rink, Vadim Zherenko is focused on one thing - keeping the puck away from the net, at all costs.
Zherenko, 25, is a goalie for the Thunderbirds hockey team in Springfield, Massachusetts. Originally from Russia, he has been part of the American Hockey League (AHL) for four years.
According to the official Thunderbirds website, Zherenko was originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 2019 National Hockey League (NHL) draft. But his debut with the Thunderbirds was on October 21, 2022 where he posted 30 saves for his first AHL win.
"... I just felt drawn to being a goalie.”
Zherenko, now married with a young son, was born in Moscow but grew up in the region not too far from the Russian capital. It was due to his poor health that his parents decided to get their four-year-old son into winter sports.
“I got sick a lot as a child,” said Zherenko, “and because of that, the doctors advised her [his mother] that maybe ice sports would strengthen my immune system.”
He said that originally his parents wanted to enroll him into figure skating but because there were no spots available, he ended up with hockey.
Zherenko could not remember his first day on the ice but he could vividly recall the feeling he had when he got onto the net.
“I was always the one who ended up standing in the net,” said Zherenko. “And that’s just how it happened — I became a goaltender. Somehow, ever since I was a kid, I just felt drawn to being a goalie.”
He smiled and added that according to his parents he became a goalie only because he did not have to move around or run as much, “out of laziness.”
“I suppose they were mostly just joking,” said Zherenko. “But in reality, a goalkeeper has far more work to do than an outfield player; the physical demands are exponentially higher.”
Training is key
According to Zherenko, being trained specifically by a goalie coach is vital for a goaltender, because there is a need to learn how to work on a multitude of aspects, especially those that are unique to the position.
“A dedicated goaltending coach essentially shapes the goalie's game—offering guidance, providing assistance, and refining those specific details and nuances,” said Zherenko.
Dan Stewart is Zherenko’s goalie coach and has been training him for six years now. Stewart started as a development coach for Zherenko while he was in Russia and has continued working with him in Springfield.
Stewart said to be a goalie means dealing with a massive amount of responsibilities that comes with the job. And that it is important to take things one step at a time.
“Hockey is... if not my entire life, then at least half of it. I devote a tremendous amount of attention to it—I put in the work. Essentially, I’m pursuing my dream, striving toward my goal.” — Vadim Zherenko
“I think it takes a lot of resilience. It takes hard work and perseverance, and it also takes an ability to quickly move on from things, both good and bad,” said Stewart. “And my recommendation to the goalies is that the only puck that matters is the next one that's coming your way.”
Stewart also highlighted some of Zherenko's best qualities like being extremely hard working, dedicated and always with a smile.
“The guys on the team really respect him,” said Stewart, “and that hard work is going to pay off for him.”
As a goalie, Zherenko feels the level of competition between goaltenders is significantly higher than among the skaters on the roster, because, typically, a team carries only two of them. Due to such intense competition between goalies there is always a constant pressure to perform well, to deliver results and to set an example, he said.
“It’s not without reason that people say the goaltender makes up half the team,” said Zherenko.
"...he gives us the feeling that we have a strong chance to win."
Beyond teamwork and the competitive nature of the sport, a big element of hockey is the support the teams get from the fans.
Nicole Podworski, a third grade teacher and a lifelong fan of the Springfield team along with her family, said Zherenko by far is the best goalie on the roster.
“When he [Zherenko] is in the net, he gives us the feeling that we have a strong chance to win,” said Podworski. “The Thunderbirds defense works harder when he is not on the ice. They have so much faith in his goaltending skills that they forget that he is not able to stop them all.”
Tomeka Ligon is another dedicated fan of the Thunderbirds and of goalies in particular, including Zherenko. She did not develop an interest in hockey until 2018 when she was battling depression and contemplating suicide.
“A friend of mine who had purchased season tickets had basically come to my apartment, kidnaped me, and brought me to a game,” said Ligon. “It was the energy of the crowd. It was also just being patted on the head by a six foot blue bird. I was sold. I became a season ticket holder the following week. It's been eight years since.”
"...keep working, and stay true to your own path."
While having that support from fans is a boost to the players Zherenko said that there are inevitable ups and downs especially for the goaltenders. Naturally there is always that desire to win, but, according to Zherenko, it is not always possible because the opposing team is training and working as hard and always striving to win as well.
“You have to find a way to accept that reality, keep working, and stay true to your own path,” he said.
For Zherenko, that path does not only include his training with the team or his coach Dan Stewart. While moving to a new country might be stressful for many, Zherenko balances his professional career as a hockey goalie with annual vacations in Russia visiting his parents or spending time with his wife and his son, watching sports or listening to music at home.
Zherenko also said that working directly with a psychologist also helped him to be more resilient and mentally tough to focus on doing the job to the very best of his ability.
“Hockey is... if not my entire life, then at least half of it,” said Zherenko. “I devote a tremendous amount of attention to it—I put in the work. Essentially, I’m pursuing my dream, striving toward my goal.”
