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russian CIRCLES U.S. contingency, including 12 Minnesotans, experienced Russian culture and hockey in an unforgettable 10-day trip 12 ing new people and learning the different hockey methods, teachings and lifestyles of another country. Star Struck It wasn't just security guards and secretaries greeting the players and coaches upon arrival at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. How about this guest list? Current NHL stars Alex Ovechkin and Pavel Datsyuk, along with former sniper Sergei Fedorov. Joining them was Russian Hockey Federation President Vladislav Tretiak, national goalie coach Vladimir Myshkin – two international legends – and Igor Tuzik, vice president of the Russian Hockey Federation. "I didn't expect that," said Ben Newman, a senior forward at Little Falls High School who embarked on the journey. "It was crazy. We were treated like VIPs." South St. Paul High School boys' hockey coach Scott Macho echoed Newman's reaction. minnesotahockeyjournal.com // december.2012 "It was unbelievable," he said. "They completely rolled out the red carpet for us." They'd eventually get to attend a few Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games and meet other NHL studs Ilya Kovalchuk and Ilya Bryzgalov. Not too shabby. The Russian Way The group stayed at the Russian Olympic training center in Novagorsk – where all the Olympians and national teams train – just outside of Moscow. The Americans hit the ice every day with some of the Russian national U17 players, the girls' national coach and one of the boys' national coaches, along with Tuzik, Myshkin and Tretiak, who helped explain the Russian style of coaching, player development and day-to-day activities. Emilie Brigham noticed a difference in their on-ice practices right away. "There were a lot of skating drills in the first photos courtesy of Jess Christopherson H erb Brooks was always a student of the game. He studied the many different styles of hockey and massaged them into a system that worked for his teams. The most notable example, of course, was the Miracle on Ice squad with their unheralded upset over the Soviet Union in 1980. This past October, a group of Americans took a page out of the late Brooks' book by participating in the Russian Exchange Program. A total of 24 players and coaches, including 12 Minnesotans, packed their bags for a 10-day trip to Moscow to get a taste of what Russian culture and hockey are like. The Russian Exchange Program was formed through an agreement between the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Russian Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy. Last year 24 Russian hockey players came to Washington, D.C. – and now it was the Americans' turn. The 12 Minnesotans were accompanied by 10 skaters and two coaches from California with the goal of experiencing a new culture, meet-