Finland’s men’s under 16 age group (born 2004) had their first training and playing camp in Eerikkilä, October 22nd – 24th. The event was organised together with a team consisting of U17 players (born 2003) and also 16 future floorball coaches participated. You can watch the video footage from the event below!

The national team event also included U16 versus U17 games and the participants showed great individual skills. One of the young floorball talents in Eerikkilä was Gabriel Kohonen (born 2004), the son of the legendary Mika Kohonen. Gabriel Kohonen represents the Swedish club Storvreta IBK.

– We had heard great things about Gabriel and wanted to invite him to the camp, so that he gets to see Finnish floorball culture and will have a touch point to the Finnish national team, the U16 head coach Jussi Huovinen said and continued to praise the event:

– This was a great event considering how much the players learned. Both age groups surprised positively and the camp coaches, who are completing their degree in coaching, did a great job. For the players it was tough to play four games in three days, but one needs to remember that in the U19 category there can be five games in five days.

The Finnish Floorball Federation Director of Elite Sport, Jarkko Rantala, was also pleased with the event:

– This was a great event when we got to have the top players of two age groups playing together and against each other. I see this as an important development step when moving from the U16 category towards the U19 category. We also had 16 coach students involved in the process and it is great that we have been able to combine the top national team activities with the coaching education. 

Game highlights final: MU17 white – MU17 blue 6-2:

Game highlights bronze match MU16 white – MU16 blue 6-5 (ps.):

All-Star Teams:

All-Stars U16
Goalkeeper:
35 Touko Ojala EräViikingit
Defenders:
11 Onni Forss Westend Indians
26 Amos Jäppinen Westend Indians
Forwards:
6 Gabriel Kohonen Storvreta IBK (SWE)
14 Matias Hynninen Esport Oilers
19 Leevi Rantal, EräViikingit

All-Stars U17
Goalkeeper:
66 Veeti Peltoniemi Classic
Defenders:
9 Eero Kuutsa TPS
73 Santeri Uusi-Laitila SPV
Forwards:
5 Patrik Korpiniemi ÅIF
8 Benjamin Tenhonen EräViikingit
28 Juuso Ahola FBT Karhut

All results and link to game replays:

Final: MU17 white – MU17 blue 6-2 (link to game replay)
Bronze match: MU16 white – MU16 blue 6-5 ps. (link to game replay)
MU17 white – MU17 blue 5-3 (link to game replay)
MU16 white – MU16 blue 8-7 ot. (link to game replay)
MU16 white – MU17 white 2-4 (link to game replay)
MU16 blue – MU17 blue 7-8 (link to game replay)
MU16 white – MU17 blue 2-8 (link to game replay)
MU16 blue – MU17 white 7-5 (link to game replay)

This was the second time that such a combined U16 and U17 event was organised. The next event is the Men’s U17 3-Nations Tournament in April 2020 in Eerikkilä, when Finland’s U16 team will face the U17 teams from Czech Republic and Switzerland.

Source & more information: Finnish Floorball Federation