KUOPIO. Laughter is fresh in the locker room of the Puijo Wolley volleyball team from Kuopio.
The biggest surprise team of the season in the Women’s Championship League has managed to create an atmosphere that can be seen in training, in the dressing room and in the results.
During the training sessions, you can hear high-fives, you can hear gasps and squeals of joy.
Sometimes it’s been so much fun in the locker room that the shouts have carried over to the coaches’ locker room.
– After a few victories there has been a lot of commotion. It says that the feeling has been right, Puijo Wolley’s head coach Pekka Seppänen says to Urheilu.
Team captain Hilkka Hujanen holds back laughter when asked about the atmosphere in the dressing room.
– I don’t know if you can control anything in our locker room. I myself am quite loud during training.
Hujanen asks his teammates after practice how the team spirit has been achieved.
– We’re going to have a good time, comes the answer.
Watch the video below as Hilkka Hujanen interviews his teammates.
A bit of a surprise
Puijo Wolley was promoted to the Champions League for the 2019–2020 season.
The first years were hard times. Last season, the team rose to the middle class and now Puijo has been at the top of the league.
It is tied for second with top team LP Kangasala, who have played one match less. Half of the regular season has been played.
Seppänen, who started as Puijo’s new head coach last spring, says that the team has worked hard and the training sessions have gone well.
– I knew to expect good performances, but it is perhaps a bit of a surprise how the season has gone successfully.
Captain Hujanen has represented Puijo since its promotion to the league. He has noticed how self-confidence has caught on in the team. The goals are already in the spring.
– The brighter the medal, the better. You can see that we are good and we know it ourselves.
The captain emphasizes a professional approach.
– Our team is full of potential players. Now we are learning to win more, Hujanen continues.
Puijo started the season by winning eight of the first ten matches. The losses came only to last season’s champion team Kuusamo.
There were a couple more losses in the art of November-December.
Seppänen says that the team’s level still fluctuates too much during matches.
– Confidence in the game must be developed, and the level of performance must be made more consistent. The level of the game must be high enough all the time.
Autere number one in the tackle statistics
Puijo got a strong boost this season. From last season’s champion team, Kuusamo, Puijo returned to the middle defender Ella Autere.
He shines at the top of the league’s save statistics.
According to Auteree, the training conditions in Savo are better than before.
– Kuopio has made a lot of progress in professional conditions. We have been able to practice well in all areas, Autere says.
Autere also highlights the contribution of coaching. According to him, Seppänen and Timo Leikas have succeeded in creating a good atmosphere.
– We have a lot of fun together since coaching. There’s a good twinkle in everyone’s eyes.
It’s easy to notice when you watch Puijo’s exercises from the side.
– You don’t need to stress and strain too much during the exercises, says Seppänen.