Over the New Year holidays, the Izosimov family from Zainsk recharges their batteries on the ski slopes.

      The coach of the Sports School of Olympic Reserve named after Olympic champion F. P. Simashev spoke about the benefits of family ski outings

      The New Year smells not only of tangerines and pine. For the family of Maksim and Yuliana Izosimov it smells of frosty air, freshly fallen snow, and the happiness born to the rhythm of skiing.

      “Skis have been in my life since childhood. In 2009, when I was in fourth grade, I saw other kids training and wanted to join them. Coach Svetlana Gennadyevna came over and asked if I wanted to try. I answered, ‘Yes, very much,’” Yuliana Izosimova recalls.

      The first tentative steps on the trail gained strength and speed over the years, turning into a confident run toward big goals. That path brought the Zainsk skier the title of prize-winner of the Republic of Tatarstan and, most importantly, helped her choose a beloved profession.

      “While I was still in the 11th grade, I was invited to the Volga Region Academy of Sport in Kazan during competitions. There I received higher education in the specialty ‘Sports Training in IVS.’ Later I also earned a master's degree in Management. I came to work at my native Sports School of Olympic Reserve named after Olympic champion F. P. Simashev, where I trained as a child myself. I have been coaching children for five years,” she shares.

      Today the young coach not only passes on her skills to her pupils but has also infected her family with a love of skiing. Her husband, Maksim Izosimov, swam as a child but happily took up the new sport.

      “When we met, I taught him skiing technique, and now he has become one of the best amateur skiers in our city,” Yuliana says proudly.

      The Izosimovs have developed their own New Year traditions filled with movement and joy.

      “We have a tradition: on January 1 we go into the woods with friends for a figure-eight loop in costumes and in a festive mood. Our daughter Valeria is growing up; she is three years old. This year Ded Moroz put a ski set under the tree for her. The three of us will now go out for ski walks together,” Yuliana Izosimova says.

      As a coach and a person who loves sport with all her heart, Yuliana Izosimova is confident that such moments are priceless for family relationships:

      “Doing sports together strengthens family bonds, just like any other shared leisure activity. And the New Year holidays are the perfect time for parents and children to go out together. Everyone has a little more time to get out into the winter woods and onto the trail. It’s the perfect moment to instill a love of movement in children. Dress warmer, take a thermos of tea, and walk through the woods, enjoying the winter season. This will remain in children’s hearts for a long time as a warm memory of New Year’s magic and their beloved parents. Children will see their parents’ involvement in the process, and for them that is more important than any gifts. Sharing the vivid emotions from ski outings together is a great treasure.”

      According to the coach, the benefits of such outings are manifold—from strengthening health to improving psychological well-being.

      “Ski walks are much more beneficial than they may seem at first glance. First of all, they are an excellent way to spend time together. They are also an accessible winter cardio workout that strengthens the cardiovascular system. With regular practice, the benefits multiply. Physical activity produces hormones of happiness and pleasure that positively affect our well-being and create new energy in us. A walk on skis in the winter forest also calms the nervous system, relieves stress, and improves sleep,” the coach says.

      Photo by the author

      Irina Smirnova

      More news about the event:

      The Izosimov family from Zainsk recharges with energy on the ski trail during the New Year holidays

      The coach of the Sports School of Olympic Reserve named after Olympic champion F. P. Simashev spoke about the benefits of family ski outings

      The New Year smells not only of tangerines and pine. 19:58 06.01.2026 News of Zainsk - Zainsk

      The Izosimov family from Zainsk recharges with energy on the ski trail during the New Year holidays

      The coach of the Sports School of Olympic Reserve named after Olympic champion F. P. Simashev spoke about the benefits of family ski outings

      The New Year smells not only of tangerines and pine. 19:51 06.01.2026 Zainsk-Inform - Zainsk