We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikolai Pleshkov and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikolai, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I come from Russia, from a small town deep in the Murmansk region with a beautiful name—Polyarny. The town is located within the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea, which itself is part of the Atlantic Ocean. Murmansk is often compared to Alaska, but our climate is warmer thanks to the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current in the Atlantic. I lived there until I was 17 years old.

Like for many others, my hometown had a significant impact on who I am today. We grew up during a difficult post-Soviet period, and there weren’t many entertainment options available to us. Essentially, there were two paths: crime or sports. I chose the latter. One day, I followed my older cousin to a local sports class, and at the age of six, I began playing soccer and futsal at a local youth sports school. Since snow covers the ground for about seven months of the year, we practiced year-round on indoor pitches.

Youth tournaments and trips to other cities were real celebrations for us. Due to the region’s limited budget, we managed to travel to regional tournaments just two or three times a year. In high school, a friend and I started organizing tournaments for local neighborhood teams in what we called our “Yard League”. There were no entry fees or earnings—we ran everything purely on enthusiasm.

We created a website where we posted tables and statistics. I even used wood shavings from my father’s garage to mark the field. Our first tournament was held on a sandy stadium and attracted about six to eight teams, which we gathered through friends. Everyone loved it, and for the second tournament, teams from neighboring towns signed up and traveled to us weekly. This time, we had 10 teams and played on a hockey rink. When the snow fell, we organized a winter tournament with two groups of six teams each.

From my teenage years, I had this organizer’s spirit. In fact, since 2010, I had also been organizing tournaments online in the FIFA – famous soccer simulator.

In 2013, I entered university and moved to our football capital, Saint Petersburg. There, my hobby turned into a job and eventually a real business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is football (soccer). I organize amateur tournaments for adults, where people can truly feel like professionals. Their games are filmed, streamed live, watched by spectators, cheered on by fans, and photographed by professional photographers. Players receive gifts, awards, and prizes, and they wear real football uniforms. It’s just like what you’d see on TV—except they pay for this experience themselves, rather than being paid for it.

Above all, friendship is what sets us apart from others. While soccer is an incredibly competitive and highly competitive sport, I believe our community is uniquely supportive and close-knit. About 90% of our league participants are immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States. Starting life in a new country is like starting with a blank slate—it’s a challenging process. I truly believe that what I do helps people because it gives them an opportunity to build connections, find friends, jobs, housing, assistance with services, or simply advice.

It might sound bold, but in some ways, we are like a church—a place where people come with their families, rally around a shared passion, socialize, enjoy themselves, and receive help and, most importantly, positive emotions. That’s what makes me proud: knowing that I’m contributing to the community and providing real value.

Our league is called “INTER LEAGUE”, short for “International League.” We have players and teams from a wide range of countries—from Moldova to Guatemala. Especially in such turbulent times, it’s inspiring to see people from different nationalities and religions coming together to form one unified community.

On November 5th, the league celebrated its first anniversary. Our first tournament featured 8 teams, and over time, the number grew to 12 teams, 11 of which were primarily Russian-speaking. Now, we are in the middle of our fifth tournament, and the league has expanded to include 24 teams and around 250 players. We’re committed to growing even further, and we welcome everyone. I’m especially eager to continue expanding the league’s diversity and bringing in participants from even more nationalities.

Like any business, this is not an easy venture. It takes up all my free time and is often quite stressful. In terms of earnings, I haven’t fully realized its potential yet—it’s an investment in the future, and for now, I’m working on building my reputation.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Honestly, I’m too busy to dedicate all my time to hosting, but I’d definitely make sure my friend sees some of the highlights. First, we’d check out the Hollywood Walk of Fame and do a hike up to the Hollywood Sign for those iconic views. I’d take them to Malibu and from there head to the Santa Monica Pier to enjoy the ocean breeze and vibrant atmosphere.

We’d also visit Santa Barbara—it’s a beautiful escape—and, if possible, take a trip to Big Bear for some nature and relaxation. I’d definitely take them to an NBA or NHL game—there’s nothing like experiencing the energy of live sports in LA. If time allows, we could even drive down to San Diego for a day trip.

Finally, I’d show them some of my favorite cafés and restaurants—places where I personally love to spend time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There is a special group of people I would like to dedicate my shoutout to. These are the participants of my league—those who have been with me since the very beginning, who support me, and whose faith in me keeps me moving forward.

This kind of work takes a huge toll emotionally, mentally, and physically. But it’s the words of gratitude, the smiles, and the handshakes from ordinary hardworking people—those who, on their only day off (or often, not even a day off), still find time to show up and spend it with the league, building our community—that give me the strength to keep going.

Website: https://interleague.us/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interleague_la/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/interleaguela/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@interleague_la

Image Credits
all photos are taken from
https://www.facebook.com/interleaguela/photos_albums

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