A game that inspires: Astana supports children from a local care centre

On 29 December 2025, Basketball Club Astana organised a special community event for children from the Akmola Region Centre for Children in Need of Special Social Support, continuing the club’s tradition of supporting youth development through sport.

The initiative was held in partnership with Astana’s long-time supporter, the Tourism and Sports Industry Support Foundation, and aimed to give children a positive, inspiring basketball experience.

Taking part in the event were assistant head coach Anton Ponomaryov, strength and conditioning coach Vladimir Kucherenko, first-team players Alizhan Ydyrysjan, Vadim Shcherbak, and Ruslan Aitkali, as well as Astana-Zhastar players Roman Baibolov, Arsen Talgatov, and Ilya Pestov.

The session began with a warm-up and basic fitness exercises, followed by basketball drills focused on fundamentals. Coaches and players worked closely with the children, paying attention to individual skills and helping everyone better understand the game. The training was interactive and friendly, with plenty of encouragement.

The highlight of the visit was a friendly game, where the children had the chance to play alongside professional basketball players. After the game, the players stayed for a chat with the kids, answered their questions, and shared personal stories from their own sporting journeys.

To mark the occasion, Astana presented the children with sports equipment and small gifts. The equipment was provided with the support of Copa.kz, which joined the club in backing the social initiative.

Astana-Zhastar forward Ilya Pestov shared his thoughts after the event:

“It was really nice to see the children’s genuine emotions — their joy and happy smiles. I think this was a great gift for them ahead of the New Year. I hope next year we’ll have even more events like this, bringing kids positive emotions and motivation to play sport.”

One of the centre’s residents, Vladimir Moiseenko, also spoke about his experience:

“I really liked the session. We learned basic basketball exercises, and coach Vladimir showed us the warm-up that professional players do before games. I enjoyed playing defence the most. They taught us how to shoot properly and how to defend. I really liked it — thank you!”

Through initiatives like this, Astana continues to show how basketball can inspire, connect, and make a positive difference beyond the court.