Amalin Mikhail Yefimovich (18 April 1920 – 19 November 2007)

Honoured Coach of the USSR, Master of Sports in Volleyball, Fencing, and Football, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences

Mikhail Amalin was the father of Olga Mikhailovna Amalina, an Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.

He graduated from the State Central Institute of Physical Culture and Sports (GCOLIFK).

Sports Career

Football: Played for Krylia Sovetov Moscow in 1946.

1946 – Moved to Riga, where he became head of the Combatives Department at the Latvian State Institute of Physical Culture.

1949–1953 – Midfielder for the Daugava professional football team.

1949–1956 – Multiple Latvian champion in sabre fencing.

Coaching Career

1960–1962 – Head coach of the SKIF volleyball team, which twice won silver medals in the USSR Championship.

1962–1967 – Head coach of the Radiotekhnik volleyball team, leading them to four USSR Championship silver medals and two bronze medals.

1968–1988 – Head of the scientific group for the USSR national volleyball teams.

Notable Students

Among his trainees were world-class volleyball players:

Ivan Bugayenkov – Two-time Olympic champion (1964, 1968)
Stanislav Lyugailo – Olympic champion (1964)
Yanis Labuckas – World champion (1962)

Publications

Volleyball Tactics (1962)

Mikhail Amalin passed away on 19 November 2007.