SynchroNice / Fourth Edition / 2019

How are the conditions at your ice rink, do you get enough on Ice time? On a normal week during the winter we have about 6 hours on ice (of which about the half on a smaller rink) and next to that we have about 3 hours off-ice training with our junior team. After the Worlds though until summer holidays we only have like 1.5 hours ice per week. Obviously like so many colleagues, I would like to train a lot more. The compromises however we need to make, in order to manage to pay for the ice are very frustrating. What makes it even more difficult is school and the education system in Switzerland. Skaters attend school or have to work most of the days until 18:00. This means that we, as well as other ice sports, can start the team training at the earliest at 18:45 and then there are not so many hours left. At the same time, I am very concerned about the values and expectations that the parents are placing upon their children as well as on us coaches. Often, I have a feeling that many expect that the good results and success should be handed to you without put­ ting the hours into it. One should excel without wor­ king hard towards it. In real life however, this seldom works. It seems to be a growing trend that, for instance, material things and extravagant holidays are more important than paying for a really good sport or hobby that will teach the skaters important skills for life and a healthy and active lifestyle. It really saddens me that children around the world are moving towards a life where sports have less and less importance. What does the choice of music and costumes mean to you? I find this very important. I always try to se­ lect music for my team that I believe they can reflect on, and it has to support the specific goals I have for them. I make the final decisions, after consulting my assistants. Sometimes when I have multiple options, I play them for the team and listen to their feedback, sometimes it confirms my own opinion and I just stick to it no matter what the team says. :) I like various music styles, I don’t actually have a favorite. And the dresses are decisive, they need to support the music and theme and help the team to get into the appropriate mood/feeling. Because of a tight budget, we normally produce our dresses in Canada but then the communication is sometimes challenging. Because of the deadlines we often need to just trust the photos, cross our fingers, and hope that they turn out well. Could you imagine being occupied with something else, something other than Synchro? At the moment, because we don’t have a senior team anymore, I have a bit more time and I have done choreographies also for other clubs and teams in Switzerland. I try to share my knowledge on synchro in Switzerland as much as I can, because I think it is important to improve the connections in such a small country and help everyone to reach their best. But in answer to your question, I have always been very interested in the mental side of coaching and I applied and was accepted to study sports psycho­ logy at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. But I made the choice to move to Switzerland, so I had to put it on hold, but if life would have gone differently, I could see myself being a sports psychologist. Next to all that, Interior Design interests me very much as well. Maybe someday… And do you work out yourself? Sure, I try to keep myself fit by going to the gym and when it fits the schedule, going for yoga class. Because of the working hours, I don’t get to go downhill skiing as much as I’d like. What competition is your favorite and why and do you like to travel? It’s “Worlds” of course, because it is always extra special. Besides it’s our final compe­ tition of the season and therefore time to shine for all those hours that we’ve worked for it. I like it also because of the team aspect, the teams have more days to spend together than in any normal competi­ tion. Normally all teams are travelling back home as soon as possible after competition. For me personal­ ly it’s a wonderful opportunity to exchange thoughts with other coaches. Let’s see if we can organize a nice “Coaches’ party” in Neuchatel so we wouldn’t need to meet in some lobby bar. To answer your second question, I can’t say that I specially enjoy the long drives in the bus, but on the other hand, yes, I really like to travel with my team. The time spent together brings us closer to each other as a team. Any other team that is maybe more favorite than others? I was brought up as a skater in Finland and so the Finnish style and the creativity in the pro­ grams is near to my heart of course, but I most value skillful skating and surprising ideas, no matter the team or country. What is your strength as a coach? I always want to keep up with the changes in our sport and challenge myself further and I try to learn frommy mistakes. If I don’t know something, I’m not afraid to admit it, but I always promise myself to find it out. I believe a coach can learn a lot from other coaches and I value the co-operation with other coaches and nations. But I am very critical about any information and in­ fluences that I encounter. I like to know the reasons behind why something is working and not just blindly do something the same way as others do. You could describe me as an eternal student; at the moment I am finishing my Master studies in Sports Develop­ ment and Management. I am very passionate about what I do, and I try to support my skaters in finding their potential and achieving their goals. It is nice to see how some of my former students in Finland and in Switzerland are now skating in the top senior teams in the world. That tells me that in the years I’ve had with them, at least I haven’t destroyed their love for this sport! When we see you next to the ice rink when your team is on, you’re always dressed very elegant and you look like you’re totally in control, or perhaps even a little shy, is that the real Eveliina or is that your role as a coach? To me competition days are celebration days during the season, and for my part, I just want to honor the occasion. As a coach I try to give a calming and positive energy to my skaters before they go on the ice. They should perform their routine as always and I am trusting them to do so, so I don’t need to make a fuss. But are you shy? I’m a bit shy, yes, and I’m certainly bad at small talk, so with me it is easier to get straight to the point. What can you tell us about your character? I am a perfectionist about certain things, but in other things I paint with a very big brush. I love all forms of art (I went to upper secondary school which was spe­ cialized in visual arts), I love to get moved by a great piece of music or other arts or beautiful things in the world. I’m working my dream job also because it allows me to sleep in most mornings. If I would have an unlimited budget, you would probably find me in a massage, or in some other treatment, pampering myself every day. I don’t like indecisiveness and I hate people who try to make others small in order to feel better themselves. SYNCHRO NICE 93