Kotka’s Peli-Karhut is applying for a women’s EuroCup spot for next season. PeKa would be the first Finnish women’s team to play in the current EuroCup.
26.4. 19:03•Updated 26.4. 20:35
The head coach of Peli-Karhuje changes.
The Kotka basketball club has signed a head coaching contract Roope Mäkelän with. The contract is for 1+1 years.
PeKa finished second in the women’s Korisliiga this year.
Roope Mäkelä is returning to his familiar home, as he has previously worked as the head coach of Peli-Karhuje. He was last head coach in the 2020–2021 season, after which he moved to the ranks of KTP-Basket.
Mäkelä has won three Finnish championships and two Finnish Cup championships as head coach at Peli-Karhui.
Roope Mäkelä plans to coach partially in the same style as before, but also make some changes.
– I’ve had time this spring to think about what I’ve done well, when I’ve been successful, and what needs to be improved, Roope Mäkelä says.
Mäkelä coached KTP-Basket in the previous three seasons. He left the position of head coach in the middle of the season.
For the past two years, Peli-Karhuje’s head coach has been Mika Haakana.
Under Haakana’s leadership, Peli-Karhut achieved one Finnish championship, two Finnish Cup silvers and SM silver.
He continues as Peli-Karhuje’s assistant coach Noora Järvikangas.
The goal is the EuroCup
In addition to the change of coach, there are other important things happening at Peli-Karhui. The club intends to apply for a place in the women’s EuroCup for the 2024–2025 season.
If Peli-Karhut gets a place in the EuroCup, according to the club, it would be the first Finnish women’s team to play in the current EuroCup.
– We have been thinking about this for a few years, and now is the right moment to take the club, the team and women’s and girls’ basketball to the next level, Peli-Karhuje’s press release says.
Even though there have been no Finnish teams in the EuroCup, Finnish players have gone to the playing fields of Europe so far.
– A lot of players have left, and they seem to be doing just fine.
According to Roope Mäkelä, the team will probably need more players than this season.
– We also have to succeed in recruiting, says Roope Mäkelä.