The Finnish floorball legend, Mika Kohonen has taken a new role as the SSL team Storvreta IBK’s assistant coach. He started in his new position in the beginning of this month.

The 42-year-old national team forward played in the Finnish Salibandyliiga with Happee this season. Kohonen got injured in a league match on the 7th of February. Since he has to stay away from the floorball field for six months, he decided to return to Sweden.

– Storvreta IBK is proud to get Mika Kohonen back to the club. We are where we are today and Mika has had a role in that. As a person, Mika contributes to the team with his professionalism and knowledge. He will be working together with Kristofer Widlundh during the rest of the season, says the sporting manager, Henrik Ededahl and continues:

– Due to injury, the season in the Finnish Happee was ruined so now Mika will support Storvreta in the chase for additional medals. Welcome back Mika, I believe that the whole Storvreta audience longed to see you in the club again, he concludes.

– The situation is a bit special. My health went off when I played with Happee in Finland and it became clear quite quickly that as a player I am on sick leave for six months. I had to go home to my family, I’m the father of two sons and I’ve been away from them for five seasons, says Mika Kohonen and continues:

– Since Storvreta only has one coach at the moment, I think I can help on the coach side and help the team, so it gives me a purpose. It is always tough with injuries, to walk around at home, feeling sorry for oneself and pondering on things, it’s not optimal. Then, I am 42 and the future is very uncertain. But it is incredibly good to be back and I look forward joining the team on the 1st of February.

How will you contribute as a coach?

– I have to sit down with Kristofer and talk about how he wants things, but I think I have learnt something from really good coaches and players. I have also thought about floorball for a long time, almost as a coach. But I’m there to help the team and the guys and to compete, that’s the only thing that matters, Kohonen says.

Source: storvretaibk.se

Facts about Mika Kohonen

Kohonen played ten seasons in Storvreta during 2005-2015. He has also played in the Swedish Balrog IK and FC Helsingborg. In Finland, Kohonen has played in Happee and SPV. He has represented Finland in 11 Men’s World Floorball Championships. He has won three World Floorball Championships, three Swedish championships and he has been elected as the World’s Best Floorball player five times.