His first coach was Dudko Valeriy Alexandrovich. I'm obliged to him so much. "We worked together for almost 10 years: he was my coach, my choreographer and my elder friend". Under Valeriy Alexandrovich, Sergei won his first gold medal. While working with him Sergei learned to fight, first of all with himself. It was Valeriy Alexandrovich who inspired Sergei's faith in victory.

Sergei practiced ballroom dancing from ages of 7 to 10, but focused on skating as he saw a better future for himself in skating.

At the age of 13 Sergei moved over to a new coach - Gromova Zhanna Fedorovna.
In 2000 Sergei moved to Moscow in order to have better practice conditions. Of course, his new life in Moscow wasn't easy. His life had changed so much. From little calm town Lipetsk he moved to a big, noisy, hasty Moscow. New place, new coach, new conditions. Sergei is now practicing with 2002, 2005 World Champion Irina Slutskaya and admires her for her comeback. He derives from Irina the skill of fighting and not bending under problems and pressure.

The 2000-2001 skating season marked Sergei's debut in great sport. It was one of his best seasons. It began with success on the Junior Grand Prix. Later, at Junior Russian Nationals Sergei, who was only 14, became the gold medalist. After that he went on to the Junior Grand-Prix Final, where he won the silver medal. He surprised judges and audience by his good technical level, spontaneity and his bielman. He then went on to the Junior World Championships where he took a 12th place finish.. "I was tired... I was so little, without any experience..."

The 2001-2002 season is worth looking at because for the first time Sergei participated in Senior Russian Nationals. He placed 9th.

His 2002-2003 season started very successfully. Sergei had two victories one after the other at Pokal del Blauen and Schwerter Trofeo Rita Trapanese, followed by a silver medal in Junior Grand Prix final and at last gold medal at Junior Olympic Europe festival in Blede (European Youth Olympic Days, Jesenice), Slovenia. There Sergei was the main contender for victory, because of the absence of his principal competitor - Alexander Shubin. While he was in Slovenia, every morning the future Junior European Olympic champion woke up very early and went to the lake to feed the swans...After Blede Sergei participated in Junior Russian Nationals where took silver medal.