The sports psychologist is the Young Lions’ secret weapon

Helsinki Tatja Holm is the mental coach of the under-20 men’s national ice hockey team. The sports psychologist drifted into the management team of the Young Lions earlier Antti Pennanen through its cooperation with

Holm’s job description includes many things.

– I am the head coach’s partner. My task is, among other things, to support a good operating culture. I am involved in the training and observed the emotional state and atmosphere of the team. Of course, the observations are not related to hockey, but to psychology.

– I follow the same things in games.

The World Cup tournament might be the main event of the season for many players.

– I’m following Antti’s way of leading and supporting the team’s readiness to compete. How he faces the players and how his interaction with the players works. The player is met as a person and at the same time the level of demands is tough, Holm tells Iltalehte.

Great reception

Holm has personal conversations with the players.

– We have also had good discussions involving the coach, the player and myself. Antti brings hockey and coaching to the discussion. I ask questions from the angle of sports psychology.

Reception in the team has been open.

– The players have been open, curious and interested. They have a strong desire to develop themselves. My presence is one thing that supports the competitive advantage. That’s how I think the players feel.

– The coaching team is also great and I have been well received.

Doesn’t the raunchy humor of the locker room ever hurt?

– Well, no, because I also have a bad sense of humor, Holm laughs.

Safe atmosphere

32-year-old Holm is the sports psychologist in charge of Urhea at the Helsinki Sports Academy. He cooperates with both youth and adult national teams and top athletes.

So in Edmonton, he supports both coaches and players.

The use of Holm’s profession in Finland is likely to grow.

– I see that psychic coaches are used more and more in sports in general. This could be a competitive advantage for many teams and individual athletes, Holm thinks, admitting that it might also be a matter of resources for young athletes, for example.

– There will be support through the Olympic Committee, but it will mostly be allocated to the elite sports phase.

“Last Cents”

According to Pennanen, a psychic coach gives the team a competitive advantage and more tools for the players. Also for life after the tournament.

– I have always wanted a competitive advantage over other top countries, that is, where the last few cents can be squeezed. Tatja supports the team’s process, Pennanen thinks.

The common dream of the young Lions is the world championship. It is also Holm’s dream.

The Finnish team is going towards a big goal in a warm atmosphere.

– The players have said that it is safe to be in this team. The atmosphere is open and here you meet people as they are. I experience this in other parts of my everyday life, and I would like to see more of it in general.

– It frees the athlete to be strong, to perform well and to give his best, states the Young Lions’ secret weapon, psychological coach Tatja Holm.