Univ. School senior defenseman Vadim Sukhanov says hockey is his life

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Vadim Sukhanov is a senior hockey defenseman at University School of Milwaukee. He has a Russian name -- and says his parents were actually born in Russia.

Sukhanov says he started playing hockey when he was just five years old.

"My mom never got to skate. She was a gymnast -- and she wanted me to do it, and I started loving it. She didn't think it would turn out into hockey -- but my dad said 'go for it,'" Sukhanov said.

Sukhanov says his best moment in hockey was winning state with his Bantum hockey team (for players under 15 years of age).

"We didn't have the best team, but we pulled through state and made it to Central District," Sukhanov said.

Sukhanov says when he's not on the ice, he likes scuba diving when he's on vacation -- but he admits he doesn't have much free time.

"I don't have much time to do much because I go to UWM, so the amount of homework -- and then just hockey. Hockey is pretty much my life," Sukhanov said.

He says he does devote some of his free time to helping teach young people how to play hockey.

"I help coach, like for summer camps. I help the little kids. Sometimes they get a little rowdy and they don't always listen, but I feel like they really appreciate it. They know I play hockey and I play it pretty well. They get it once you get the message across," Sukhanov said.

As for his future, he says he wants to play hockey.

"College hockey would be really hard. I'd like to play juniors for a year or two and see where that goes, and then probably business or sports management," Sukhanov said.