The All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine brings together people with diverse life experiences, professions, and personal journeys. Among the Trade Union’s members are defenders of Ukraine, veterans, athletes, coaches, professionals from various fields, and their families. What unites them all is what matters most — strength of spirit, mutual support, a sense of responsibility, and a commitment to contributing to the development of Ukraine.

The next featured personality in the regular “Trade Union in Faces” series is Denys Pichuhin, a member of the Lviv Regional Organization of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, a karate coach, and co-founder of the well-known Phoenix sports club in Lviv. His journey began with his first introduction to karate in a school classroom and led him to professional coaching, training athletes who compete at the national level, and working with children every day.

Denys was born and raised in a military family. Due to the nature of his family members’ profession, he became accustomed to moving and adapting to new cities from an early age. Until 2004, he lived in Mukachevo, where he graduated from secondary school and took his first steps in karate.
“One day, a coach came into our classroom and told us about a karate training group. I became interested and decided to give it a try. At first, it was simply a new hobby, but gradually, sport began to take up more and more space in my life,” Denys recalls.

A year later, Denys realized that the school karate club was no longer enough for his further development, so he decided to join a stronger club.
“I read about the new club in a local newspaper. I saw an advertisement and decided to give it a try. I wanted to train more, compete at a higher level, and challenge myself. I look back on it with a smile now, but that was when I took an important step forward,” the athlete recalls.

After graduating from school, Denys enrolled at the Ivan Boberskyj Lviv State University of Physical Culture, ultimately making sport an integral part of his life.

Although karate had already become an important part of his life, he initially envisioned his professional future somewhat differently.
“Although I had spent my entire conscious life developing in sport, I genuinely wanted to pursue a career in the military and become a military medic. My grandfather was a serviceman, and my mother was a medical professional. I wanted to combine these two paths into one and continue the family traditions. However, at that time, the army was undergoing reform, and there was virtually no conscription,” Denys recalls.

During his university years, Denys actively competed, won championship titles, and became a multiple medalist at the Lviv and Ukrainian Universiades. He also secured podium finishes at Ukrainian Championships and Cups. However, a sporting journey is not always defined by victories alone. Asked about a turning point in his career, Denys recalls the mid-2000s, when the lack of financial support made him consider leaving the sport.
“At that time, there were not as many competitions, and most of them required participants to cover the costs themselves. In Ukraine, I successfully passed all the qualifying rounds and made it onto the Ukrainian national team, but I simply did not have the financial means to travel and compete further. Of course, it was disappointing. There were moments when I wanted to give it all up. But sport probably teaches us that after a setback, we need to find the strength to keep going,” the coach recalls.

Today, Denys himself helps young athletes overcome challenges and take their first steps toward major victories. He devotes most of his time to coaching at the Phoenix Sports Club, which he co-founded. His students regularly win medals at city and national tournaments, while some of them are members of the Ukrainian national karate team. At the same time, Denys works as a physical education teacher at a school, where he has been teaching since 2016, and as a physical training instructor at a preschool educational institution in Lviv.

Denys was at home when Russia’s full-scale invasion began. About two months later, he resumed training sessions with children.
At the preschool and school where the coach works, evacuated families from territories occupied by Russia lived for an extended period of time. Despite the wartime circumstances, sports training gradually resumed.

“The school and preschool housed evacuated families for a long time. Whenever the weather allowed, we held training sessions outdoors — at the stadium. Children who had been internally displaced also joined the sessions. For them, it was not just about physical activity. It was an opportunity to socialize, make friends, take their minds off things, and, at least for a while, return to a normal childhood,” Denys says.

It is worth noting that the Phoenix Sports Club offers special training arrangements on an ongoing basis for internally displaced persons. Some receive discounted fees, while others can attend training sessions free of charge, depending on their circumstances and the situation within their family.

The Primary Trade Union Organization of the Phoenix Sports Club, headed by Denys, is part of the Lviv Regional Organization of the Trade Union.
“Being a member of the Trade Union is a great opportunity for athletes. The Lviv Regional Organization, which the Primary Trade Union Organization of the Phoenix Sports Club is part of, has repeatedly helped us address particularly urgent issues, including the rehabilitation of athletes after competitions and providing them with financial support. To me, it is like a second sports family that is always there to help,” Denys says.

Denys Pichuhin is an example of a person who found his calling in sport and now helps others find theirs. His work is not only about medals and sporting achievements. It is about developing character, discipline, self-confidence, and the ability to never give up, even when circumstances put one’s strength to the test. These are the people who make up the “Trade Union in Faces” series — members of the Trade Union who develop their professions, support others, and contribute every day to building a strong and united Ukraine.