Jurmala, Latvia, August 18, 2017. Alexandra Moiseeva is a former European champion in Beach Volleyball – she made history in 2006 when standing on top of the podium together with Natalya Uryadova at the #EuroBeachVolley held in The Hague. Eleven years later, she is still competing with Europe’s Beach Volleyball elite in Jurmala – but in the meantime she has also become the mother to the now 8-year-old Platon, who calls himself the ‘coach’ of her mom and partner Ekaterina Syrtseva.
Moiseeva, previously known as Shiryaeva while competing under her maiden name, and Syrtseva lost on Friday in the second elimination round of the #EuroBeachVolley to Poland’s Kinga Kolosinska and Jagoda Gruszczynska. Platon, meeting her mom after taking a relaxing swim in the Baltic Sea, was immediately on top of things. “Everything is great here, but I am obviously not that happy with the performance of the team.”
Moiseeva admits that this is the first season her son is travelling with her and Syrtseva since he previously did not show any interest in Volleyball and Beach Volleyball. “He currently plays basketball, but this is only because there is a basketball school close to our home in Saint Petersburg and they have a very good coach working there.”
She admits being a mother and an athlete at the same time is not too much of a problem, especially now that Platon can travel with her. “He has been with us at all stops of the Russian national championship this summer and this is the first time he joins us when competing abroad. Sometimes he really surprises me. He is sitting almost all alone courtside and he reacts to every action – like a net violation, and he shuts out whether the ball is in or out, or calls for a double contact. I do not know where this extensive knowledge of the game comes from – he really knows a lot about it, much more than I would expect and could imagine.”
Moiseeva’s husband was a Volleyball player as well and now enjoys playing the game, even though just for fun. “I do not know at this stage whether one day Platon will be involved in this sport or not, especially since he seems to show now an interest in the game, which he did not have at all before. We will see. At this stage, we have fun together and that is what really matters to me.”
For the time being, Moiseeva enjoys the company of her little son as much as partner Syrtseva does. Platon likes throwing the balls for her mom – and those who understand a bit of Russian will realise from this video that he also knows how to motivate his ‘students’…
For the time being, Moiseeva enjoys the company of her little son as much as partner Syrtseva does. Platon likes throwing the balls for her mom – and those who understand a bit of Russian will realise from this video that he also knows how to motivate his ‘students’…
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