In connection with the Finnish Superfinals 12 Floorball Player Legends were awarded. Also the season’s best 2015-16 were announced.
The Floorball Legend elections were based on the Finnish Floorball Federation´s Respect system, which has eight different categories.
The highest category is the Hall of Fame category and in December 2015 the first floorball profiles were elected to this category. More on the Hall of Fame profiles in Finland here.
On Saturday April 16th, 12 players, six men and six women, were elected to the second highest Respect category, called Legends.
The Legends are players who have gained special merit in the international games and international events as well as in the national series. More Legends will be awarded during autumn and in the future.
Players can be elected as Legends if they have reached:
* At least two adult World Floorball Championship gold medals
* At least 100 international matches
* At least 500 Men´s or 400 Women´s National Floorball League matches
In addition, a player may be designated as a Legend based on the discretion of the Respect Committee. Only players that have already ended their active careers can be elected as Legends.
The following players were elected as Legends:
Jaakko Hintikka, born 1976, long-time men´s national team captain
Paula Jouhten, born 1978, long-time women´s national team captain
Jonna Kettunen, born 1974, two-time Women´s World Floorball Champion
Arja Kilpeläinen, (Joutsen) born 1979, two-time Women´s World Floorball Champion
Jari-Pekka Lehtonen, born 1976, long-time men´s national team key player
Jari Pekkola, born 1970, long-time men´s national team captain
Vesa Punkari, born 1976, long-time men´s national team key player
Marilla Puustinen, born 1973, two-time Women´s World Floorball Champion
Elisa Simonen, born 1981, two-time Women´s World Floorball Champion
Kati Suomela, born 1969, long-time women´s national team key player
Henri Toivoniemi, born 1976, two-time Men´s World Floorball Champion
Jouni Vehkaoja, born 1981, two-time Men´s World Floorball Champion
Access IFF player cards by clicking the player names (not all single internationals & club competitions found in the stats). More on the Legends and their achievements also found here (in Finnish)
The Finnish Floorball Respect system has eight categories:
1. Hall of Fame
2. Legends
3. World Floorball Champions
4. National Merits
5. Badge of Merit system in Finnish Floorball
6. Central Chamber of Commerce badges
7. Regional awards
8. “The Season´s Best” awards
More on the Respect system found here (in Finnish)
Season´s best in Finland 2015-16
Players
Male player: Eemeli Salin (Classic, Tampere)
Made the final break into the top of the league , clever , versatile , top international player
Female player: Jonna Mäkelä (NST-Lappenranta)
Good and even regular season , winning the goalkeeper statistics , played an excellent WFC
Coaches
Men´s Salibandyliiga: Petteri Nykky (Classic, Tampere)
Finally made Classic a team, impressive regular season , found a good player roles and got the players to develop
Women´s Salibandyliiga: Veli-Matti Koivunen (Classic, Tampere)
Impressive results in the regular season, Finnish Cup victory , colorful personality , gets the team to play at a good level from day to day
Referees
Men´s Salibandyliiga: Lasse Vuola and Tero Fordell
Women´s Salibandyliiga: Tuomo Timonen and Iiro Linnala
The representatives from the league clubs elected the 2015-16 best referees
Pekka’s Trophy: Perttu Pesä, Tampere city
The Finnish Floorball Federation granted the city of Tampere, directed towards the Event Director Perttu Pesä, the Pekka Trophy for the commitment and the giid work done in organising the Women´s World Floorball Championships in Tampere in December 2015.
Boy junior: Rasmus Kainulainen (Lammin Salibandy)
Girl junior: Veera Kauppi (Koovee)
Most successful floorball club: Classic, Tampere
Floorball event: TPS Salibandy´s 20th anniversary celebration event
Photo: Joni Winsten
Source & more information: http://floorball.fi/
