BOY'S SOCCER: TO VIKTOR GO THE SPOILS RUSSIAN EXCHANGE STUDENT APPRECIATES CHANCES AT A.V.Byline: Heather Gripp Gripp talking raven, beloved pet of half-wit Barnaby Rudge. [Br. Lit.: Dickens Barnaby Rudge] See : Birds Staff Writer LANCASTER Lancaster, city, England Lancaster (lăng`kəstər), city (1991 pop. 43,902) and district, county seat of Lancashire, NW England, on the Lune River. - Viktor Derevyagin gives the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley boys' soccer team what it needs - scoring and optimism. And it's it's 1. Contraction of it is. 2. Contraction of it has. See Usage Note at its. it's it is or it has it's be ~have his positive attitude that means the most. Even on a team that opened the second half of Golden League play last week with a 10-0 loss that dropped the Antelopes to 0-6 in league, Derevyagin finds it easy to remain upbeat. The 16-year-old exchange student from Russia is playing a sport he's loved all his life and is having fun in a lifestyle he reminds his teammates they are fortunate to have. He knows when he returns to Russia for his final year of school, he will be back to attending classes six days a week, taking at least seven a day. ``It's really good,'' Derevyagin said of his stay in Lancaster, which began in August. ``I really like it here. It's really different, the culture, school, the people, everything is different. Life here is twice as easy. School is so easy for me here. I love it here.'' Derevyagin feels bad after losses but knows it's nothing compared to the misery he is expecting when he is required to join the Russian Russian associated in some way with Russia. Russian blue a breed of cats with short, dense, silver-tipped blue-colored coat and vivid green eyes. military next year. ``It's not bad, it's terrible,'' he said. ``You don't have to be in the military here and it's not even as bad as in Russia, so that's another thing you're lucky about here.'' Derevyagin misses his family. The homesickness wasn't helped by the news that he is about to become an uncle and he won't be there for his older sister, with whom he is close. But among all the girls who he says like his accent, his teammates and the family with which he is staying, he has plenty of friends. ``Everyone is so nice,'' he said. ``And our team, it's really close. It's one big warm family.'' Derevyagin wanted to come to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. to improve his English and improve his chances of getting into a Russian university. The opportunity to play soccer was a bonus. Soccer was one of the many sports he grew up playing, But because the level of competition was so high, he gave up the sport four years ago in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor basketball. ``It's funny. In Russia, I'm not a good soccer player,'' Derevyagin said. ``In Russia, I'm basketball. Here, I'm soccer. You know why - the basketball players here are a lot better. ``I love soccer, so I'm happy to get to play again. First place in my heart is soccer.'' As a center forward, Derevyagin also is thrilled thrill v. thrilled, thrill·ing, thrills v.tr. 1. To cause to feel a sudden intense sensation; excite greatly. 2. To give great pleasure to; delight. See Synonyms at enrapture. with the American style of play, which he said is more offensive-minded and features more passing. Although he'd rather talk about the potential of his teammates, Derevyagin's speed and ballhandling skills make him one of the Antelopes' top players and their leading scorer. ``He's been doing pretty well,'' Antelope Valley coach Peter Holt Peter M. Holt (born 1949 in Peoria, Illinois) is a businessman. He is the CEO of HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar dealership in the United States and chairman, CEO, and owner of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, which is made up by the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars, the AHL's San said. Derevyagin cares more about the team than his stats. ``I really wanted to help the A.V. team,'' he said. ``I heard they had some bad seasons the last few years. I wanted to do my best to help the team. They had the new coach and everything, but everyone said it takes a couple years together to be good. . . . ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. why we're losing all the time; we're not that bad. I think it's something with psychology. We did really well at the beginning of the season - we won five games - but then they got discouraged dis·cour·age tr.v. dis·cour·aged, dis·cour·ag·ing, dis·cour·ag·es 1. To deprive of confidence, hope, or spirit. 2. To hamper by discouraging; deter. 3. when we lost. I'm not happy to lose, but we should try to stay happy.'' DEREVYAGIN FILE Name: Viktor Derevyagin Team: Antelope Valley soccer Position: Forward Year: Senior Quote: ``Everybody plays soccer (in Russia). It's culture. As long as I can remember, I played. . . . I love it. It's a lot of fun for me to play soccer. When I come home from playing, I'm tired, but I feel so good. Soccer's more than something I do just for fun.'' CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Antelope Valley striker Viktor Derevyagin is loving every minute of his time with the boys' soccer team despite its poor season. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: Derevyagin File (see text) |
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