Virpi Hukka admits that in weak moments, it was a matter of whether the career could continue. Now, however, he says that he does not want to explain with his eye injury, but to fight with Manse PP for the fourth Finnish championship of his career.
One of the brightest stars in the Superpesis and one of the absolute key players in the Manse PP Women’s Championship Virpi Hukan preparations for the 2022 season began drastically. In November, during the first sport training sessions, the throw hit the open eye directly.
– Based on the light show, the panic button on the bottom and I was quite sure for a moment that the eye exploded. The big relief is to hear the doctor say that the eye is reacting and moving. Or at all, that is the eye, Hukka wrote On Instagram (switch to another service) fresh after the incident.
– It’s been pretty much everything. Lots of different doctors, a couple of surgeries. Now I went to the optician, and we try such a contact lens in the eye, if I could get a slightly wider field of view, Hukka tells Urheil on the eve of the new season.
– I have also had to work a lot on the mental side, that I have kept myself together and managed to train. Not the most exciting are such eye jumping movements. Quite a lot has required patience to be able to do them every day.
The weak moments in my thoughts were the end of my career
Hukka, 30, was bred by the Pesava of Kerava and the Red-Black Society of Helsinki. In Jyväskylä’s Kirittär in 2011–2019, Hukka became the star player of Superpesis, who has won the runner-up queen six times. At the end of the 2018 season, Hukka was chosen Baseball Player of the Year, Best Indoor Player, and in addition, he won the regular season import statistics by far.
Hukka was able to celebrate the Finnish Championship gold three times before the Manit PP from Tampere captured him in his ranks.
Now the career was truly at stake.
– When the baseball reaches more than 100 km / h, he hopes to survive in fright. Well, it didn’t happen to me. The hardest part is not being able to live my own passion and profession as an athlete. Not playing with this sight, Hukka wrote on Instagram (switching to another service) in early January and said he had gnawed on his teeth and lips because he couldn’t just see properly.
Hukka says he wondered in weak moments if his career was here.
– However, I didn’t really think for a long time that it would be possible. I am quite an unyielding character and I knew that I would definitely play again, if at all possible, Hukka says at the beginning of the season.
With his fast feet in the indoor game and his explosive throwing hand in the outdoor game, the brilliant Hukka has suffered several injuries in the past. For example, Huka’s first season at Manse PP, 2020, ended on the operating table. The Achilles tendon of his left leg was broken in the first encounter of the final series against ex-club Kirittäri. The queens took the championship.
Last season, Hukka did not return to the fields until July, when Manse PP took the Finnish Championship bronze at the end of the season.
Previous injuries have increased character. Hukka says that’s why he now didn’t sink mentally into as deep bumps as ever before, but no serious eye injury can be compared to foot injuries.
– In the past, it has been that I am rehabilitating or I have sticks for a while and I am told the date when I am fit to play. This has been really different in the sense that no one has dared to promise whether I will get fit or be able to play. That uncertainty has been the most challenging.
In treatments, trotting at times was frustrating
In early January, Hukka asked on Instagram (switching to another service) after an ophthalmologist who specializes in the muscles of the eye. It was then that Hukka wondered if he had been content with a treatment that had been repeatedly done “a little there.” By the end of January, things had turned a little better again.
– After many doctor visits and variables later, I am happy that things are clarifying and moving forward. Although not everything has been put in the pipeline along the way, I am unreasonably grateful that I live in Finland, where the skills of doctors and surgeons are at the best possible level, Hukka praised on social media.
The baseball superstar now admits to having reported his injury on social media for selfish reasons as well.
– I wanted to get the best possible care for myself. With the help of social media, I found better care. I’m really grateful for how helpful people have been and caring that I’m doing well. It is hoped that in the future such things will be handled better, Hukka says.
There are still limitations in the field of vision – “I’ve decided I’m fit to play”
Hukka returned to the field in March in the baseball hall finals final, albeit wearing a joker shirt when Manse PP took the hall championship.
Hukka hit one and brought in three runs when Manse knocked down the Finnish champion Pori Kesäkarhut last autumn. Kirittäret fell in the final.
But Huka’s eye is still not okay. Operations may continue in the fall, but the situation has calmed down for the rest of the season. However, there are limitations in the field of vision, which especially affects the outdoor game.
Last weekend in the last practice game of Manse PP, Hukka also played in a familiar place as a cop in the outdoor game.
– I’ve had to learn new capture styles. The field of view is not the same as before. I’ve had really good eyesight, and when playing in the backfield, that’s extremely important, Hukka describes.
– Sometimes some balls produce challenges, but I don’t want to go too far to explain. I’ve decided I’m fit to play, ”he adds.
The fact that the eye will no longer be broken before the autumn has been a relief for Huka, who wants to focus on chasing his fourth Finnish championship, the first with Manse. The women of the Manse PP have won the championship once, in 2017, and last fall the men of Manen will celebrate their first Finnish Championship gold.
The women of Manse PP are piloting this season Jari Cavernelis, who last served as the game manager for the Koskenkorva Athletes in 2002. Cavernelis led the Oulu Lipo men to the Finnish Championship gold in 1998, when he was elected the game manager of the year. The second manager is Antti Vihtkari, who played for the 1998 Lipo championship team. Vihtkari moved to Mansee from the Pori Nest Bear Organization.
Hukka, who has a contract with Manen until the end of the 2023 season, doesn’t think an eye injury will affect his role in the upcoming season.
– I don’t think this has an effect. I have stated that I am fit to play and I think I can help the team. That is the most important thing.
Baseball celebrates its 100th anniversary. In the men’s main series, the Finnish Championship medals have been played since 1922 and in the women’s series since 1931.
The 2022 baseball season kicked off in Fuengirola, Spain, on 23-24. April. In the women’s match, Seinäjoki’s Maila-Jussit won the Roihuttaret from Helsinki, and in the men’s match, Sotkamon’s Jymy defeated Imatra’s Pallo-Veikot.
Last season, the women’s Superpesis championship was won by Porin Pesäkarhut, which won the Jyväskylän Kirittäret 3–1 match in the final. Manse PP was better than Lapua Virki in bronze matches.
Last season, 13 teams played in the women’s Superpesis, of which Siilinjärvi’s Nest, Lappeenranta’s Nest Ysit and Mynämäki’s Vesa fell to the No. 1 nest. For the season 2022, the Vaasa Mailmasters and Pöytyä Athletes became their super nests.
In fact, the 2022 season will now start this weekend.
Sat 14.5.
Table Athletes – Seinäjoki Racket-Jussit
Joensuun Maila – Mailattaret, Vaasa
Porin Pesäkarhut – Manse PP
Su 15.5.
Hyvinkää Tahko – Seinäjoki Maila-Jussit
Kempeleen Kiri – Lapua Virkiä
In addition to the players at the weekend, the series includes Jyväskylä’s Kirittäret, Rauman Fera and Roihuttaret (a total of 12 teams).
The regular season will feature a double series (22 matches / team) and two extra games, for a total of 24 matches / team.
The top eight in the regular season will advance to the playoffs. All playoff series are played on the Best of Five system.
The teams ranked 11th and 12th in the regular season will play in the relegation qualifier with the Best of Five system. The loser will fall into the No. 1 nest and the winner will continue to qualify against the team ranked second in the Super Nest. The winner of the first nest will go straight to the Super Nest in 2023.
The East-West star match will be played in its current form for the first time in Tampere, at Kauppi’s renewed stadium on 9–10. July.