Finnish player Veera Kauppi is a legend in the floorball world, showing off her incredible skills in every match. She is the one who scored six points during the quarterfinals of this championships and also broke the world record for goals scored at the World´s Championships in the same match. However, this likable icon doesn’t keep her skills to herself, as she runs the KaupiTwins floorball academy with her sister, where she instills in young players the idea that they can achieve anything they want.
Veera, you have won the quarterfinals against Denmark. How did you enjoy the match?
We tried to save some energy because we are playing tomorrow. It was a pretty good match, although a bit tougher because we played against two power plays, but we have a good feeling heading into the semi-finals.
In that match you will face the Czech Republic, who will be propelled forward by a sold-out Ostravar Arena. Is it something you are preparing for or you don´t mind?
Personally, I don´t mind it because I have played such matches many times. On the other hand, I know that the Czech fans are always very loud, so it will be a very special experience. But I know that we will be ready and it will be fun.
You have been waiting for the gold medal from the World Championships with Finland for 24 long years. Is it a kind of burden for your psyche that you have to work with?
I wouldn’t say so. We know what we are capable of and we have often been very close. This time I see us as favorites for gold, but of course Sweden is very strong and Switzerland and the Czech Republic are also always good. So I think it will be a very interesting tournament, especially now in the semifinals, but I would say that tomorrow we will be favorites and we want to show it on the field.
So do you believe that you will break this curse right here in Ostrava?
Yes, I know that we can do it. I have a very good feeling about the team and we had very good matches here in the tournament. We could have won the first one in the group against Sweden too because it was very even. So we have all the prerequisites to take home the gold and I know that we will do exactly that.
And how are you enjoying your stay in the Czech Republic so far? Do you like Brno and Ostrava?
Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to go to the city and really look around. But staying in a Czech hotel is very pleasant for us.
The next women’s championships will be held in Finland. How are you looking forward to it?
It will be very special. I have already had the opportunity to play at home once, it was my first ever women’s world championships. So I am really looking forward to the women’s championships moving back to Finland again. It will be great and I really hope that a lot of people will come and cheer us on.
In this quarterfinals you broke the world record for the most goals scored at the Women´s World Floorball Championships, which was held by Corin Ruttimann from Switzerland. You added four goals in this match and that means that you have a total of 63 goals scored, which is two more than your Swiss opponent. Did I know about this and what do you think about it?
I didn’t know about it until I saw an Instagram post during this week. But it’s a really great goal that says a lot about what I’ve been through at this world level. This is already my sixth World Floorball Championships, so I’ve been on this journey for many years and I’m happy about it.
Together with your sister Oona, you run the KauppiTwins Academy floorball academy. What is the mission of this project?
We want to show every child, especially young girls, that anything is possible. When we were younger, many people looked down on us for just being girls who play floorball. But we managed to turn this “game” into our job. Now I’m a professional floorball player and I know that there aren’t many people in the world, not even men, who can say that about themselves. When I was little, this goal didn’t even exist, so… That’s our mission that we want to convey to the world. If you work hard and believe, you can do absolutely anything.
You must have made everyone wipe their eyes, because you are currently one of the best floorball players on the planet.. Do you realize that or do you not even allow yourself to think like that?
I think that I use the voice I have in the world to do something good and that is the only thing I think about. I know that a lot of people follow me and for many of them I can even be a role model. So I want to give them something back. Of course, you have to think a little differently when you are in a position like mine.
You also played football and you were very successful in that too. So why did you quit and do you miss this sport sometimes?
I miss it a lot. I stopped playing it because I got injured and had to have surgery. After rehabilitation, I started to focus on floorball because the 2017 World Floorball Championships in Bratislava was approaching. And that’s when I stopped playing, but I didn’t quit – I’m just on a longer break (smile).
Author: Martina Schoupalová