Kempeleen Kiri has started strongly in the men’s Superpesis. After ten games, the Northern Pohjan team are in third place in the series.
Kiri’s rise to the top ranks cannot be considered a big surprise, as her already strong body got stronger during the winter superstar Tuomas Jussilallathe batting joker Ossi Meriläinen and Perttu Olli.
KeKi has taken some tough scalps, as it has snapped up wins from Vimpel’s Vedo and Sotkamo’s Jymy, among others. However, there is plenty of room for improvement.
– The team is incredibly good. We have played the away game really well. The biggest areas of development are in our inside game, the game director Petri Tuuva tells.
According to Tuuva, the team has made too many mistakes, for example in the form of backfires and knockdown fires.
– Things that don’t belong in the top class. We’ve done a lot of them.
Have they been amateurish?
– That’s exactly what they’ve been like. It’s easy to get out of them. In that sense, the situation is good.
Based on preliminary plans, it is precisely the team’s tight outdoor game that can be considered a surprise. Before the start of the season, the biggest question marks were drawn Jani Lassilan and coopers Perttu Ollin and Juhani Ojalan about.
However, the coppers have performed well, and no Jani Lassilaka haven’t cheated. However, Lassila has minor ailments, which is why KeKi regretted that she had already quit Janne Kivipellon from the position of a locker coach to one game at the plate.
Several top players
Inside, KeKi has not reached his best yet. However, the team greatly improved its batting statistics against Koskenkorva by scoring a total of 16 runs, nine of which were in the super innings.
However, there is a lot of potential in the inner game of the Kempele team. Spearhead Markus in Keski-Petäjä there is still room for improvement when going to the field, but for numbers 2–5, KeKi has extremely high-quality players.
Onni Määtän, Tuomas Jussilan, Antti Korhonen and Sami Haapakoski a foursome like that would certainly be suitable for many other top teams. Tuuva says that thanks to the top players, the level of daily work is high.
– There are five or six East-West level players here and it also shows in the games. If there is a period loss, it can be offset and start again from zero. We haven’t lost many of them either, but experience and top men are reflected in what we do.
Jussila brings his skills to the fore
Manager of Kempeleen Kiri Sami Saloranta has set the goal that the club will reach the medal games within two years. Top player Jussila committed to the project with a long, 4+1 year contract.
– As the size of the contract shows, basically I have come with a very good feeling. I have felt that I am at home, so to speak. Motivation and emotional level are high, says Jussila.
Jussila, who has played for Manse PP and Joensuu Maila, among other things, tries to bring the knowledge he has learned to KeK’s team and to the club’s operations in general.
– I have tried to bring things on this trip that have worked well elsewhere.
– Many things have been left to incubate. With small steps, KeKi has moved forward year by year. The direction is right.
Keki is progressing towards a medal
Manager Saloranta is sure that people will wake up behind KeK when the team starts to succeed. He watched with joy when 2,135 pairs of eyes arrived in the stands against Sotkamo’s Jymy.
– I shouted after that people must come to the stands now and we immediately set a record for the club’s attendance in the Super. There are some great games on offer, so I’m sure people will find a place to stand.
Saloranta, who has made hard purchases, says that KeKi wants to be part of the top teams in the longer term. The two-year medal game goal is currently being adhered to.
– Of course, the sooner we get there, the better. Let’s stay at it in two years. Then we’ll see again how to proceed from there.
– That’s why we participate in this sport, because we want to succeed. Everything else is secondary things like that. Yes, we want a medal and yes, I also want to wear a medal around my neck. We are trying to go for a medal here.
People were interviewed by Risto Degerman.