The end of the year 2022 marked an end of an era for me professionally.
For the past four and half years I had the honor and privilege to work as the head coach for Team Canada Men’s National Floorball Team. Three World Championships and one World Games later it is a bittersweet moment to leave all the good people on the team and in the organization. New interesting things around the corner.
On the sports side we had a great run with the team – finishing as the best non-European team in each event we played in.
Behind the results there is so much more and so much more important things I am even more proud of.
Together with the entire management and with each player we were able to create an atmosphere where a group of 20-30 people (depending on the event) were allowed to be themselves, make mistakes, fail, and succeed. Not forgetting that we also had a blast!
A Big thank you to my dear colleague and friend, coach Henri Tuhkanen for the ongoing support and flawless teamwork. Also, thank you all the other coaches along the way.
Thank You GM Frank and GM Stu for trusting me, for being a support, teammate, and a friend the entire time. Doc Patrick, Johanna, Sascha, Gary, Petteri, Jarno, Melissa etc. Boy oh boy did we have fun. Thanks!
As Snoop Dogg put it:
”..I wanna thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive. I want to thank me for trying to do more right than wrong. I want to thank me for just being me at all times.”
I did my best and I am proud of it.
The biggest Thank You goes to each player we had in the team during the years and during all the events. Someone’s role was a bigger one and someone else’s role a smaller one.
In the end - the only thing that we all remember is the Team and the result of the
#team.
The feeling in the locker room after a sweet win, the feeling in the locker room after a bitter loss, countless meetings, video sessions, national anthems in front of cheering fans, meatslides, cellies, morning walks in a pitch-dark Helsinki when -20°C, morning walks in hot and humid Alabama when 95°F.
This we all did as a Team.
Everlasting moments and everlasting memories Team Canada 🇨🇦.
