Turns out there is another website that is also from Dorrance, but is called RoseDog Books and that is where you can find Mr. Starchenko's book.
I first heard about this book when Ivan Pravilov, the coach of Druzhba-78, was arrested back in January 2012 for "alleged" sexual abuse of two boys on his team. I put "alleged" because Pravilov took the coward's way out and committed suicide in his jail cell before he could be put to trial. However, I personally have no doubt as to his guilt after reading this book and also seeing the comments on a website ran by one of the parents who billeted players for Pravilov. Warning: the site has some very annoying music, but don't let that stop you from visiting.
As per my agreement with Dorrance, I wrote a review for Amazon, which has not yet been published.
Here's the text from that review:
I am a huge hockey fan and learned of this book when Ivan Pravilov was arrested back in January for his abuse of the young boys under his care. I'm glad I did and was able to read it.
When I first started reading, I was quite naturally horrified at the abuse detailed by Mr. Starchenko. He was only 8 years old when he was noticed by Pravilov and came under his questionable tutelage. What follows are years of tyranny, abuse, and quite possibly sexual molestation of the junior hockey team Pravilov named Druzhba-78. Ironically, Druzhba means friendship and Pravilov was definitely no friend to these children.
The tales told in the book are horrific and far too reminiscent of the recent Penn State/Jerry Sandusky abuse. But any parent with a child in sports should read this book. Granted, most of these children and their monster of a coach originated from a Soviet bloc country which allowed the tyranny to prosper. However, too many parents, especially in poor families, look to sports as a way out and quite possibly do not realize that these abuses are happening.
Mr. Starchenko writes his tale well, especially considering that English is his second language. Despite it's chilling nature, I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to read it whenever I had a spare moment. What really captured me is the author's honesty. He stayed with Pravilov when perhaps we cannot understand why. Mr. Starchenko does not make excuses and wonders about his motives as well. He details his journey through his hockey career along with his decisions to attend college in the USA and his success despite his limited education since Pravilov did not believe in his players attending school.
I was truly inspired by Mr. Starchenko's outlook on life and perseverance in becoming a better person even though he had always been made to feel worthless by not only Pravilov, but his father as well. I appreciate Mr. Starchenko sharing his remarkable journey with the world.
I received a complimentary copy of Behind the Iron Curtain: Tears in the Perfect Hockey "GULAG" as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.
When I first started reading, I was quite naturally horrified at the abuse detailed by Mr. Starchenko. He was only 8 years old when he was noticed by Pravilov and came under his questionable tutelage. What follows are years of tyranny, abuse, and quite possibly sexual molestation of the junior hockey team Pravilov named Druzhba-78. Ironically, Druzhba means friendship and Pravilov was definitely no friend to these children.
The tales told in the book are horrific and far too reminiscent of the recent Penn State/Jerry Sandusky abuse. But any parent with a child in sports should read this book. Granted, most of these children and their monster of a coach originated from a Soviet bloc country which allowed the tyranny to prosper. However, too many parents, especially in poor families, look to sports as a way out and quite possibly do not realize that these abuses are happening.
Mr. Starchenko writes his tale well, especially considering that English is his second language. Despite it's chilling nature, I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to read it whenever I had a spare moment. What really captured me is the author's honesty. He stayed with Pravilov when perhaps we cannot understand why. Mr. Starchenko does not make excuses and wonders about his motives as well. He details his journey through his hockey career along with his decisions to attend college in the USA and his success despite his limited education since Pravilov did not believe in his players attending school.
I was truly inspired by Mr. Starchenko's outlook on life and perseverance in becoming a better person even though he had always been made to feel worthless by not only Pravilov, but his father as well. I appreciate Mr. Starchenko sharing his remarkable journey with the world.
I received a complimentary copy of Behind the Iron Curtain: Tears in the Perfect Hockey "GULAG" as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.
Interestingly, Mr. Starchenko's book was published right around the time that two young players from Pravilov's most current incarnation of Druzhba went to authorities and told them Pravilov had taken them to his apartment and fondled one of the boys during the night.
He was arrested and his reign of terror ended.
One very interesting note for me is that his most notable success story, Dainius Zubrus, was supportive of his coach up until almost the very end. His mother, who was supposedly very good friends with Pravilov DID support him even after his death, saying that the accusations were a result of enemies Pravilov had made in the Ukraine.
If you read the comments section of the website I listed above, Mr. Starchenko posted to call out Mr. Zubrus for denying the abuse. There are other players pictured (but not named directly in the tales told) in Mr. Starchenko's book who also left comments on the site as to the veracity of the stories told.
It's with complete dismay that I confess I do not understand why the billeting parents did not do more. I'm trying not to judge them at all. Apparently this monster was very good at convincing people that the visible injuries were the result of hockey.
I wish Mr. Walter Babiy's book "Reign of Terror" was still available as he was one billeting parent who did believe there was abuse of some sort going on. Mr. Babiy wrote a foreword for "Behind the Iron Curtain" and had previously used some of Mr. Starchenko's stories in his book.
Anyway, I could probably go on for awhile, but I'll stop here. If you would like to purchase this book, which I think is a worthwhile investment, you can find it here or of course on Amazon.
xoxo
