By: Zach Miller
Victoria Drazdova is not a new name in the sports training industry. She is the mastermind behind the innovative Victory Sports Academy (VSA) platform, which provides feasible sports training to participants, both children and adults, from the comfort of their homes. Building on her years of experience as a high-level figure skating coach and a strong academic background in public relations and sports management, Victoria launched VSA in 2022 to connect athletes worldwide with world-class coaches. VSA is a goldmine for aspiring athletes, especially young ones, whose parents are too busy to provide a commute. The platform has become one of the global leaders in online sports training, with various coaches who are medalists and the best in their fields. In this interview, Victoria shares the inspiration behind VSA, her vision for the future, and much more.
Victoria, every visionary has a spark that drives them. What was the defining moment or experience in your life that led to the creation of Victory Sports Academy?
Before creating VSA, I spent many years working with children and coaches, and I was deeply inspired by witnessing the transformation of their skills. It was incredible to see how a young child could come in and, within a relatively short period, master complex jumps and spins. Watching the joy in the child’s eyes, the pride of the parents, and the amazement at how the child overcame challenges was truly rewarding. At the same time, seeing their enthusiasm to keep going despite hours of training and fatigue fueled my motivation and inspiration to continue.
I have always dreamed of scaling this experience so that more people, especially children, could engage in sports, particularly figure skating, and make it accessible to everyone. For example, even if a skater lives in Argentina, they could have the opportunity to train with one of the premier coaches in jumps or spins without ever leaving their country or even their home. I brought this vision to life and am incredibly proud and happy about it.
VSA is celebrated for revolutionizing training for young athletes. What gaps in traditional sports training did you aim to address, and how has your approach changed how athletes train today?
Professional sports are undoubtedly becoming more accessible to younger athletes. Achieving significant results is now possible at a much faster pace because coaches have mastered the art of building techniques. They understand the right exercises to assign and the optimal training loads to help ensure rapid progress. As a result, sports are evolving quickly.
Additionally, many tools now enhance preparation. For example, it’s possible to measure various performance parameters, identify gaps in training or recovery, and address them efficiently, accelerating progress even further. Moreover, the ability for athletes to choose and work with some of the premier specialists in the field, consulting, and training under their guidance also boosts success.
This is why many of our students across various sports see dramatic improvements. While results depend on the individual, most achieve premier positions in their city within six months of starting with us. From there, they advance to leading in their state; some even reach the national level, securing premier spots in their country. This success stems from having the right team behind them. Even if they don’t have access to local specialists in their sport, they can train with us at an affordable price, gaining the latest and premier insights from coaches in the field.
Your academy emphasizes world-class training from home. Can you elaborate on the technologies, methodologies, or philosophies that make this possible and how they have impacted athletes worldwide?
Our training philosophy is built around one core principle: Personalized Approach. This means that each student, whether a child or an adult, has their own unique goals. Not everyone aims to become an Olympic champion or train intensively for two hours daily. Goals are highly individual, and we focus on creating an environment where students don’t feel pressured or obligated.
Most of our students genuinely enjoy their training sessions with us. They aren’t forced into it—especially the kids. They are excited to train with us because, first and foremost, we provide motivation and energy. There’s no pressure or stress involved. This approach is why even busy or fatigued children are eager to attend sessions. They find joy in their progress and feel inspired to keep going.
When students, whether children or adults, see measurable results, it fuels their enthusiasm. They become inspired by the transformation, comparing where they started to where they’ve arrived. This positive reinforcement is at the heart of our philosophy: tailoring the program and coaching style to each student’s needs.
Our goal is to ensure that students don’t just improve their skills but also boost their self-esteem. With every session, their confidence grows. We strive to create an uplifting environment where potential is unlocked, progress is celebrated, and personal growth is prioritized.
Expanding VSA to a global platform must have come with challenges. How do you ensure that the quality of training and mentorship remains consistent across diverse cultures and regions?
Furthermore, we aim to make our training sessions accessible in multiple languages, not just English. We are actively working on this. Additionally, we constantly strive to lower the cost of lessons while improving our services. We are also expanding our range of offerings by introducing more diverse lessons and programs to meet various needs.
Of course, our greatest pride and strength lie in our specialists. This is why we continuously search for highly skilled coaches and sports experts to allow our students to learn from the best. By doing so, we ensure that every student can access high-quality expertise and guidance, helping them achieve their goals more effectively.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for VSA in the next five years? Additionally, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to make a global impact in their fields?
In the next five years, I aspire for the new VSA app to develop and unite more participants worldwide and for the pool of our coaches to grow with more expert trainers. I aim to make the VSA app as inclusive as possible, with multiple sports training in multiple languages so that our participants feel comfortable. Of course, we already offer most of it, but the VSA app is on its way to becoming the premier training app.
I advise aspiring entrepreneurs to identify and excel in their niche first and then develop a solution for a problem in that market. Start with one thing at a time and expand that. Of course, it is possible to get carried away with ideas, but success lies in identifying the ones relevant to the field and carrying them out.
Published by Charlie N.
