D49 Coach Inspires Gold Medal Achievements

The Campus – Home of Springs Studio of Academic Excellence and Pikes Peak Early College – gave a champion’s welcome Monday to Vladislav "Izzy" Izboinikov, coordinator of D49’s High Performance Program. 

While managing and overseeing the HPP, Izzy is also actively involved in coaching Olympic wrestlers. One of his athletes, Sarah Hildebrant, just won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris. Izzy could be seen mat-side during Hildebrant’s championship match in which she defeated her competitor from Cuba. The Campus, along with many others across D49 cheered for Sara and Izzy throughout her gold-medal run. 

We caught up with Coach Izzy to ask a few questions about his trip:

1. Can you describe what it’s like to be ring-side when a competitor wins gold? What makes that experience so exciting? — the part that makes it exciting. Obviously the winning part is exciting, but I think along with the winning comes the memories of all the training all of the preparation all of the years that you spend with this person it’s nice when it all comes together, a lot of athletes deserve a lot of things, but you still have to earn it in athletics. When it all comes together, when people deserve things that also earn it, it makes it that much more exciting. Seeing the athlete's dream come true and realizing that you played some part in that makes everything great in the world.

2. How many olympics have you attended as a coach, and how do the Paris games stack up in your memory of previous games? — This was my fourth Olympic Games. I have participated as a coach in Beijing, London, Tokyo, and now the Paris Olympics. I also had a gold medalist in the Tokyo Olympics and I had a bronze medalist in the London Olympics. They are all special in their own way. I think it all depends on the makeup of the relationship with the athletes we have. It's really hard to compare them against each other. I think all of the unique experiences are priceless and last a lifetime. Memories last a lifetime. I still keep a very close relationship with all the athletes that competed in all of those Olympic games.

3. What from your experience with olympians can you bring back to your role at D49 and The Campus? — I think experience in itself teaches us several things. That’s what we’re trying to promote and instill in our students: find the passion, find something you love doing, set your goals high, surround yourself with good people who can help you achieve your goals and don’t give up. Stay strong and persevere. I think those are the qualities that help athletes to win Olympic gold medals and the same qualities that help students be successful.

4. The Campus, and plenty of D49, were watching the gold medal match and cheering with you from here in southern Colorado: What does it mean to have that kind of support and enthusiasm from your workforce family? — 

   It was incredible. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to know that my experience was being shared with my friends, my coworkers, people around the district and around Colorado. This experience and success is really an exciting event and knowing it was shared, and people were cheering and supporting me and my athlete from back home just made it that much more special." Izzy later added, "I was surprised by the amazing celebration at The Campus.  Students and staff got to relive the heart-pumping excitement of the Olympic performance through highlights of the Gold Medal performance, cheers, confetti, and dessert. It was exuberating!"
   "Thank you to The Campus and the iCZ staff, especially zone Superintendent Dr. Gutierrez, for an amazing and heartwarming welcome-back Olympic celebration. It was like winning the gold medal all over again. I really appreciate and treasure the opportunity to celebrate Olympic success with the iConnect Zone family. It was a great start to a new school year."

   D49’s High-Performance Program (HPP) serves student groups with various unique talents. Students have the opportunity to earn a high school diploma while developing specific athletic and creative skills at the highest levels.

   In partnership with the United States Olympic Committee, National Governing Bodies, and other high-performance organizations in Colorado Springs, the iConnect Zone has outlined a structure that allows athletes and participants to train and compete in the best possible environment while meeting their goals of earning a high school diploma. 

   Click the following link to read more – https://www.d49.org/domain/2739