Women’s Football in Finland
In recent months, the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) has made tentative moves to bring women’s American Football to the student population. The resounding success of the inaugural kitted World Championships in Stockholm last season has proven that there is a market for the women’s game in Europe. However, the omission of a team from the UK at the tournament was a reflection of the lack of opportunities available for female participation in Britain.
In Finland, the story is quite different. Finnish ladies are currently in their fourth season of full-contact kitted football, having played flag since 1988. The league currently has seven teams, who play in a league structure, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The strong domestic structure is reflected in the success of the national team, who won the bronze medal game at the World Championships last year. Their victory over Germany in the bronze medal game cemented their place as Europe’s leading team. The format of the tournament denied them the opportunity to compete with Canada for the silver medal.
The progressive introduction of football has ensured that the game has thrived. As the flag league became more established a semi-contact game was introduced in order to ensure a smooth transition between formats. Then in 2008, the league began its first full contact year and it has remained so ever since. Flag football is still played, but the contact game is the premier competition.
However, the league faces a number of challenges if it is to continue to thrive and produce teams capable of challenging for World Championships. The most obvious is in the depth of the league. The same two teams have contested every national final since 2002. For the players, the lack of competitiveness can be frustrating. “Sometimes it is like the whole season is a preparation for the [Helsinki] Roosters game” says Anette Bäckman, Safety for the GS Demons. Based in Helsinki, the Demons have won all three championships since they began wearing pads.
“I think the difference is in the coaching”, Bäckman explains. “We have the best coaches in the country and it shows when we play”. The gulf in coaching standards is evident on the field, as the Demons outplay the majority of their opponents in the regular season, both technically and physically. Coach Teemu Kuusisto, who also coaches the national team, is a vocal presence on the practice field and at games. “He is very particular about technique”, says Nina Perttunen, who plays offensive and defensive line. “You have to get it right. Just OK is not good enough”.
The sport will also need to attract more players if it is to survive. The Demons currently play with a squad of only fourteen players and recruitment is a difficult process. “We mostly recruit from our friends”, says Perttunen, “But we don’t have a junior section. We have two teenagers that play for the Demons but the average age of our team is at least 25”. Recruitment is driven largely by the players themselves and this can prove difficult. “I tried to coach last season”, explains Bäckman, “But you don’t have the time. To play yourself, prepare for the national team, coach and then work is tough”.
The association took a cautious move towards a youth championship with the introduction of an under-21 tournament this year between three teams. However, more will need to be done if the league is to continue growing. As with the majority of American Football in Europe, the key driving force behind continued growth is the ability to attract volunteers.
The demands on the athletes themselves are very similar to those on their male counterparts. “We practice three times per week, we do some lifting and we watch some film”, says Perttunen, “But mostly on the Roosters”. Aspirations to play at the next level are high too. Two of the national team players, Tea Törmänen and Hanna Saari are currently playing for teams in the USA. However when it comes to financial assistance for national team players, the women take a back seat to the men. While the men’s team for the European Championships in Germany was largely subsidised by the association, the women’s team had to dig a little deeper into their own pockets to finance their participation.
The sport has gained national exposure recently with some high-profile public events. Five players, of whom Bäckman was one, were invited to compete with Big Brother contestants last year for one of the show’s tasks. Further interest was generated when a selection of female players played against male celebrities as part of the build up to the Maple Bowl (Finland’s Men’s league final). Some players have even been offered interviews with national magazines.
But the women’s game remains a subsection of a minority sport. There are few fans at the games “Only really family and boyfriends”, Perttunen says. “And of course the Roosters players come along to scout us”, adds Bäckman. It seems that despite success, publicity and the best athletes in Europe, the women’s game still has some way to go.
Undoubtedly, the introduction of kitted football has been a huge success. Finland is the top team in Europe and has established a good foundation upon which to build future successes. If the association and the teams themselves can address the challenges they face in building a wider base of participants and providing them with high quality coaching, then women’s football will continue to thrive.
Photos are courtesy of Riku Flink at www.touchdown.fi