My name is Raivis Hščanovičs

I was born in Riga in 1987, and I spent my childhood between Ķengarags and Jūrmala. I studied at Riga Secondary School No. 62, which I successfully completed.

My life story took a completely different turn very early on than one might expect from a "normal" childhood.

At the age of 7, I was diagnosed with an oncological illness.

Then, at the age of 9, I started training in football.

At that time, of course, I couldn't have known how much of my future life it would occupy. Football became my passion, later my profession, and ultimately one of the greatest teachers in my life.

⚽ FOOTBALL

My football career started from a child who watched his Dad play football and desperately wanted to become a professional footballer, playing in large stadiums in front of many spectators.

It happened.

It involved victories, losses, teams, coaches, games, travels, injuries, and a great many life lessons.

I have described part of this journey in my autobiographical book “Cancer and Victories”.

The book is not just about football. It is about a period of life from childhood and the struggle with illness to professional sports, successes, mistakes, and experiences that have made me the person I am today.

And with the first book, this story doesn't end yet.

My plans include a continuation of “Cancer and Victories”, and I also want to publish the book in English so that people outside of Latvia can read this story.

Therefore, by purchasing my book, you not only get to know my story but also support my future writing journey and the creation of subsequent books.

🎓 MY EDUCATIONAL PATH

My educational path has not been a straight line.

At 18, after secondary school, I enrolled at RSEBAA to study management sciences.

At the same time, I received an opportunity to join the Skonto main team. Before me was the opportunity I had dreamed of — professional football.

I quickly realized that at that stage of my life, I didn't have enough resources to fully combine higher education studies with a professional football career.

I chose football and discontinued my studies.

At 24, I returned to higher education again and enrolled at Alberta College to study law.

After about half a year, I realized something quite simple — this is not my path. Working with laws, documents, and paperwork was not what I wanted to associate my professional life with.

Later, I enrolled at the University of Latvia in a sports coach study program. These studies also had to be interrupted after a few months due to personal life circumstances.

However, this time the direction was right.

Sports, the training process, and working with people is the environment in which I want to develop professionally.

Therefore, I purposefully continued my professional education in sports.

I have obtained a Category C fitness trainer qualification at the Sports Education Agency, where I also obtained a Category C football trainer qualification.

Currently, I am also completing the process of obtaining the Latvian Football Federation UEFA C license — the theoretical part has been completed, and the last practical steps remain.

And I don't plan to stop here either.

For me, coaching education is not just a certificate on the wall. It is continuous learning — from formal education, other specialists, athletes, and the training practice itself.

🏃 WHAT AM I DOING TODAY?

Currently, I work as a football coach and fitness trainer, paying special attention to working with children and young people.

I am increasingly interested not only in what an athlete can do but also in how they move and on what physical foundations their athletic performance is built.

That is why in my work I pay great attention to general physical fitness, quality of movement, strength, mobility, foot and ankle function, and the athlete's body awareness.

At the same time, I have not left football myself.

I have resumed my football career and am currently participating in the development process of the Rēzekne first league team both as a coach and as a player.

This gives me an interesting perspective — I can still look at the training process from both sides of the field.

Both as a coach. And as an athlete.

WHY AM I DOING ALL THIS?

Because today I have knowledge and experience that would have been very useful to me at the age of 9, 15, 18, or 25.

I have experienced illness.

I have played professional football.

I have suffered severe injuries.

I have made mistakes.

I have started anew.

I have been an athlete and become a coach.

And now I want to use this experience to help future athletes shape their path more wisely.

No coach can run a sprint, perform an exercise, or make the right decision on the field for an athlete.

But we can give them knowledge, tools, and foundations on which to build their path.

That is exactly what I am trying to do today.