Finland goes medal hunting in the women’s American football World Cup in front of the home crowd. One of the stars of the games is Tytti Kuusinen, who arrived in Finland straight from the championship party of the world’s toughest women’s league.
A couple of weeks ago Titti Kuusinen had to pinch himself. She was sitting on a private plane on her way to the final game of the toughest women’s American football league in the world. The atmosphere in the luxury plane, which usually transports the players of the NFL team New England Patriots from game to game, was incredible.
Kuusinen’s dream of playing in the women’s WFA league, which had been simmering since 2019, had come true in a way that could not even have been predicted in her dreams. The beginning of the Finn’s career in the United States was postponed due to the corona virus, but when the opportunity finally came, Kuusinen immediately took his place in the tough lineup of the Boston Renegades and became one of the key players.
He was the star of his team already in the conference finals, and the going did not slow down in the final game either.
– It was a wonderful feeling when we reached the final stadium. I joked to my teammates that when I started my career on the artificial turf of Jouppilanvuori in Seinäjoki, I have now come a long way from there. In the big stadium, it was sometimes difficult to get game calls through when the commotion was so loud, Kuusinen now recalls with the home team.
The fast and explosive center forward scored his team’s first goal in the final game, which ended with Boston’s championship celebration.
– That opening goal came pretty quickly. I got on the field in the first quarter from the substitution and with the first touch of the ball I think I took almost twenty yards. It was a wonderful feeling when you could push the ball through it and into the goal, describes Kuusinen.
About telecommuting and Yankee football
The WFA, or Women’s Football Alliance, is the oldest and largest women’s American football league in the United States. About 60 teams play in the series at four different league levels. Kuusinen’s Boston plays in the highest league level, WFA Pro, where 11 teams fight for success.
Despite its pro nickname, the WFA is not a professional league, meaning the players are not compensated for the sport.
– Unfortunately, no woman still plays American football professionally. I also did remote work from there to Finland. With the team, we had team exercises a couple of times a week and, in addition to them, remote classes where tactics and opponents were reviewed in videos. In addition to that, of course, I did additional training, Kuusinen says about his everyday life in Boston.
During the season, Kuusinen noticed that interest in women’s American football is growing in the mother country of the sport. The final match was shown on the channels of the TV giant ESPN and the prestigious newspaper Boston Globe made Kuusinen headlines after he had led his team to the conference championship with his four touchdowns.
– It is important that even though the sport itself is known by everyone in the United States, a lot of work needs to be done for visibility even there. Little by little, awareness is increasing that women also play and at a top level, says Kuusinen.
In terms of his own development, Kuusinen believes that his time in the United States has moved him forward. The top team’s player material is so tough that you always have to give your all in every practice.
– It’s been great to see what it’s like in the home country of the sport. Finland is also very competitive, but a certain seriousness is more present in the United States. It can be seen in the organization and everyone’s work ethic, how they act in training and before games. I try to pick up these lessons and bring them to Finland, Kuusinen praises.
How will the United States be overthrown?
After the WFA championship party, Kuusinen has hardly had time to rest. Kuusinen showed off his explosive speed on the artificial turf of the Pajulahti sports center, where Finland is preparing for the World Cup home games starting this weekend.
Finland is the reigning European champion of the sport, but the last time it was on the medal stand at the World Championships was nine years ago. Finland, which is the only European country to have won medals at the World Championships in 2010 and 2013, was fifth in the previous games, i.e. in 2017.
In the tournament played in Myyrmäki, Vantaa, only the world’s eight strongest teams participate and the medals are decided by a playoff schedule. So Sweden must fall right away in Saturday’s opening match in order to keep the medal dream alive.
– The tournament format has to be this raw. In Yankee football, you cannot play such long tournament series as in other ball sports, this is such a physically tough sport. On the other hand, it’s good, because every match is meaningful because of it and it should be visible in the stands as well, Finland’s head coach Mika Eloranta says.
The women’s final team was named
In Pajulahti, 45 players were named to the final women’s team from a group of just under 60 players who listened to Eloranta’s instructions. The head coach has stars like Kuusinen at his disposal, but a big strength is also the consistency of the team.
– We have quality and physical players who also have a lot of experience. This includes players who were already in the 2017 World Cup and the 2019 European Championship gold team. There is also scope in our lineup. If there are bumps during the game or start to whistle, then the level should not change just because of the changes, Eloranta praises.
Finland will face Sweden in its opening match on Saturday. If the predictions hold true, the United States will come next. Kuusinen has already conquered the playing fields of the motherland, so he knows how to knock down the opponent.
– They are women just like us. Although they already get a lot of American football in their mother’s milk, we just have to play disciplined and hard, and that will get you far, Kuusinen says.
There are familiar faces in the opponent, as the USA team has seven teammates of the Finn from Boston.
Tytti was inspired by “Sininen” to join the sport
For American football, the upcoming World Cup week in Vantaa could not come at a better time. Corona severely taxed the number of fans of all sports, including Yankee football.
The level of the Finnish game has been good for a long time, as the sport’s previous home competitions in 2013 brought a lot of new enthusiasts to the sport. Now, with Tytti Kuusinen, the sport has an inspiring face on the surface, which increases the interest of the games even more.
– Titti is extremely important for the species. I remember very well the previous value tournaments when he got the nickname Tytti Sininen. Then, when you saw the children on the field, everyone wanted to be “baby blue”. All sports need idols and those to identify with. Inspired by them, many people pick up the ball themselves in the yard and try what Jenkkifutis is, Eloranta reminds.
And if the sports people have longed for games and access to the stands next to their role models, the players have also longed for an audience. Kuusinen hopes that someone at the Myyrmäki stadium would have the same experience that he had when he got to know the sport.
– I myself first played traditional football for ten years, until I discovered Yankee football in connection with my studies at the University of Applied Sciences. I immediately felt like I had come home and knew that this is what I always wanted to do.
– I feel that there are many little girls in Finland who would get a lot out of American football. Yankee football is a very physical, but at the same time very tactical game. The brain and body get full use, says Kuusinen.
Finland’s star player is eagerly waiting for the opening match against Sweden on Saturday. When the teams last met in a friendly match in the fall of 2019, the neighbor took their first victory in history. Those fishing debts will now be paid, Kuusinen promises.
– I believe that Kotiyleisö is the 12th player for us. When the tournament starts on Saturday, a confident team will march onto the field, ready to strike in front of the home crowd, Kuusinen concludes.