Juha Mieto was surprised by Immo Kuutsa’s departure.
Juha Mieto met Immo Kuutsa for the last time in the Iisalmi Championships. Pasi Liesimaa
Ilta-Sanomat told Sunday morning that the legendary head coach of the Finnish ski team would Immo87, is dead.
– Oops! This was the news … Juha Mieto75, says.
The ski legend is silent on the phone for a moment and gathers its thoughts. Then he continues.
-I last met Immo in Iisalmi SM skiing, Mieto says.
SM skiing took place four weeks ago.
– The ski rods Immo helped while walking, but otherwise he was pretty upbeat. There were no signs that Immo was in the final stages.
Organizer
Mild and Kuutsa were good friends until the end. The men called each other regularly. The common history of the gentlemen is long.
– We started cooperation with the national team in 1972, but we knew before that.
The joint national team was 13 years.
– We scored together around the world. We sometimes got together in practice, but the respect was still mutual.
Mild remembers Kuutsa as a good coach who had an excellent organizational ability.
– There he was absolutely overwhelming.
A lively and busy coach made things happen. In the camps, the tracks were always at the top when Kuutsa was there.
– The local workers respected Immo. For example, in Ramsau in 1973, all other national teams from Russia since Russia were waiting for Finland to arrive because the tracks would then be in order, Mieto says.
– Immo’s thanks to us was taken care of as gold bouquets.
Tight discipline
Immo Kuutsa died at the age of 87. Pasi Liesimaa/IL
According to mild, Kuutsa kept strict discipline in ski camps.
– Or a discipline is the wrong word, but a certain thing, Mieto fixes.
– Immo was absolute and took good care of us. The camps did not get stuck with foreign women – nor for their own. There they were training. Immo always had a watch.
Still, the national team coach also gave his skiers freedom.
– For example, not all camps had to participate. I, too, wanted to be a lot in my own circumstances, and Immo realized that I didn’t always have to be together.
Prank
Although the training camps were taken seriously, the humor was always involved.
When Mieto was preparing for the 1976 Olympics with his national teammates next to Lake Ylläsjärvi, the head coach was at home in Iisalmi during the opening camp.
– When Immo was coming after two weeks, we finished a small prank the night before, Mieto sighs.
Skiers assembled a character from the branches of the tree that resembled a person. Clothes were worn on it. Finally, the doll was written in capital letters “VT coaching manager”.
– When Immo saw it, he looked at us a little, Mieto laughs.
However, the head coach was able to take it with humor.
– We were like kids in Immo’s cradle. Sometimes we did pranks for him, but he realized that this was just a humor in his cat.
“Snow upstairs”
Juha Mieto and Immo Kuutsa were good friends. Timo Korhonen / AOP
According to mild, Kuutsa has had a big impact on Finnish skiing.
– During Immo, success came. It was then discovered that Finland could become top athletes. He also brought a lot of systematic camps to the camps.
Mild achieved five Olympic medals and four World Championship medals under Kuutsa. Women’s side of the medals rumbled, for example Helena Takalo and Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi.
– Immo was an inaugurated ski sportsman. He once said in a sense of humor that “when he leaves him, hopefully there would be snow upstairs,” Mieto laughs.
Then the man is quiet again for a moment.
– For [Kuutsan vaimo] And for Immo’s offspring.
– Immo was a great man …
– Rest in peace.