Please tell something about yourself! What kind of person are you?
Jarkko: I am 41 year old eternal single man from Kuopio, raised in Kuusamo, father of 3 boys (14, 18, 20 years old). I try to be present for my boys when I am at home, though oldest have flied off the nest already and they all are pretty much big boys or men and not so much around anymore ... I have been a trainer since 1997, worked in Japan (1 year) and in Norway (3 years) and in Finland in almost all positions, mostly in Kuopio (06-10 and 13-18). Quit as ski jumping trainer in 2010 and returned back 2013. I try to enjoy life and explore the world as much I can, once we are here so we should try to make everyday happy and enjoyable. I am still a dreamer. My body is 78 years, but my mind is always 19, until the end. I don't seem to take anything seriously, but that is just my disguise.
What are your hobbies that you like to do in your free time?
Jarkko: Biggest hobby is still making bad music like in last 35 years or so. My long time band with my dearest friends, The Kroisos is not active anymore so I just enjoy writing music. Music is like my diary, which I make with many pals. I dream of making 1 or 2 more CDs for my future grandchildren to laugh about when I am ashes in the wind. I play guitar everyday. I can't get rid of that. I don't follow sports, I do follow music world daily. I’d like to do more sports myself but I am a bit too lazy for moving my fat ass around all the time. That is for athletes, not me. I guess I am OD by sports in my life so I rather do music or other shit on my rare free time. I enjoy a lot every time I get lost playing in soccer field or tennis court for example. But after being 200 days on tour, I need my sofa moments without any distraction. Outgoing, happy, social idiot like me needs also isolation in despair as balancing.
What are your thoughts on the last winter? What do you think about the last season, are you satisfied with the results of your team, especially with Olympic Games?
Jarkko: From Olympics you wanna return home with medal or two at least if you might have a small chance for it ... It did not happen though Eero and Ilkka had statistically better chances now than earlier, with plenty of podium places. But in all honesty like 15 guys had been on podium before Olympics and you gotta be realistic with the stats too but of course dream big to win one heavy coin too sometime ... I am kinda happy for Eero, twice 6th place and fighting for the podium clearly on both races. Team competition was not good at all, you need 4 strong ones on the hill instead of 2 or so. Olympics and World Championships are one of contests and I rather see my team developing steadily to the top, and if the stars are in the right position and we’ve been strong otherwise in the WC, we might have a chance to bring home more valuable stuff than dirty underwear. But I hate talking about medals about these one offs; things happen If you earn it, not by thinking about it or talking about it all the time. We were not so strong on the hill in general throughout the season, which is disappointing because many boys normal training jumps would have gained better positioning than it was seen on the results. This fact leads to many important thoughts on how to develop team further ... I think they are on the right track ... Otherwise I am happy with Eeros progress and many podiums; Arttu`s season start was really strong, his development in jumping side was remarkable and Ilkka could get back to podium after 2 years or so (3 times). Ilkka `s development in some jumping qualities will show later in more on the results, for sure. Leevis struggle was hard, and I am still sad that I was not able to help him yet. But all of these guys don’t have many years stabilised on the top level, or even one ... And they should keep themselves humble; the day you think you know all things yourself, is the day you start falling on the result list ... Also the things you did 3 years ago to gain a bit success might not work today ... Usually don’t work. X-country wise all the guys seemed to still make progress, that is for sure, but all I see in my jumpers mind is that they are fast enough on the track and jumping side is missing still some really important parts ...
What do you think about the team development in last years? And how do you assess the future development for the actual team and also for the “young guns”?
Jarkko: What Petter, Antti Kuisma and the rest of the guys started 5 - 6 years ago, has started to show off. Hard work and patience ... Longevity in team building, strong analysing behind actions, hunger for success, great parents activation etc., etc. and all that has made strong base for small NC family. In ski jumping side both, A-team and junior teams, must find same kind of longevity, a stronger ski jumper identity. They are strong on x-country track, but they gotta find their inner ski jumper more. And build up few of the ski jumper qualities in better level, power, flexibility and so on. Basic things, not black magic. But, the greatest measure for healthy system is how it is able to take care of the thing behind A-team: starting from jumping schools and so on. Also how junior and B-team is being handled – Finland has wasted huge amount of talents in last 15 years, because of bad ground work and I am talking about both ski jumping and NC. We should all think more and more how to secure future of our sports, but on the other hand few guys who can work for the sport are like 150 % employed with like 70 % salary in their specific work, that they don’t have time or energy to share much more. Difficult cases ... I know it is hard to get back that kind of success we had 1990s or still in the beginning of 2000, as a team in ski jumping or NC. On the other hand NC has shown that with hard work and patience, a lot is possible. We have good talents in ski jumping (and NC), but they need time and patience to develop weak parts and compete level by level up to WC. Nowadays it is harder to jump directly from Finlandiatour to WC success. It is more like video game. First you win Fin tour, then FIS cup, then maybe in 2 years COC and then you might score points in WC. Game gets harder while there are more and more skillful players. I could talk about this for hours.
What are the team's goals for this winter in general and for WSC Seefeld in particular?
Jarkko: Team`s goal can’t be less than winning medal in Seefeld. Team medal for sure and some athletes have already set their goals to bring home some individual glory too. I am ready to commit myself to work hard to help them to be there in association with our staff, personal coaches and so on.
Why did you become a coach? Do you like your job?
Jarkko: It is my lifestyle. In good and bad. I ended my ski jumper career 1996 as 19 year old, almost straight from national team because of back and motivation problems. I immediately decided to educate myself as a coach, I just wanted to give what I had learned and tell young talents how to avoid troubles in their careers. :D I enjoyed every year until I got burnt out in Kuopio around 2008-10. It was seen on the ground level that Finland's ski jumping was heading to hell, Continental Cups, junior team were not supported, all the ski association money was put on the A-team basket. Everything looked still good on the surface, we gained WC-podiums. I saw young talents quit because daddys money couldn't support anymore and system did not back up at all. It was too hard, i was not able to help my athletes anymore, I felt I was alone with the misery of ”seeing to the future”, which has been now the reality for few years. I wanted out 2010 and I was kindly put to sidelines. I did not watch ski jumping in 2 years and I was sure I was done with the sport. BUT... in 2013 I was asked to help out local juniors in Kuopio and soon the fire for the sport started burning inside me again. And I am still on that path. And now I am happy that after hard unemployed spring, we could make agreement that 1 st of June I got back with this NC-team and will stay for 2 years.
What do you like most about your job?
Jarkko: That this is my life style, not job heheheh. I love emotions you get when your fire is burning for the sport – the moments of success or development vs the moments of hard work when it seems you’re banging your head to the wall day after day. You could go from hell to heaven in one day with your emotions and I love it. There ain't many similar days. The people are like minded in these sports and even though everyone wants success of their own in selfish way, still almost everyone in the business are fun to be with.
What was your biggest success / best moment as a coach? Is there anything that sticks out?
Jarkko: Oh, I have so many good memories in the last 20 years as coach, (wow last year was my 20th anniversary, and yet I am still 19!) Most valuable lessons have been years abroad: to get to know other systems, to learn from other coaches there and so on. I havve been lucky to have opportunity to learn from successful, wise coaches everywhere and work with great talents as personal coach, national team coach or as a assisting member of coaching team. I have four education diplomas, but most important are the the lessons learned from coaches, parents and athletes from different levels and countries. And I am still ”student” sucking in all knowledge I can get and yet trying to build stronger philosophy. Yet I cherish the years as junior national team head coach (98-2002) which led to huge success in year 2002 (1st, 3rd and 5th + team gold). During those good old golden years I was also personal jump coach for Jaakko Tallus who won two Olympic medals after 4 years of co-operation. The system was strong and support was in every level. Success came easily for many young trainers like me then, because system was strong ... Also working with Kuopio guys 06-10 (Happonen, Hautamäki, Lappi, Ruuskanen etc.) near the end of their careers and gaining nearly last podium places in World Cup that Finland has gained was full of emotions and many valuable lessons for me. Also some hard years both professionally and personally has put me into better place than I was early in my career. Sometimes misery teaches you more than success. Still the best moment is yet to come. I have too much to learn still. And I don’t mind if some of my athletes gain a few podiums or medals while I am learning. The day you think you are ready for this job, is the day you start killing yourself in this business.