PINEVILLE, La. – It's become almost as common as the “Go to Work” sledge hammer that the Louisiana College football team carries onto the field before every game. In each of the past four years the school, under the direction of defensive coordinator Buck Buchanan, reaches out to the people of
Finland and Sweden in an effort to advance the sport of football in those countries.

In the past, this outreach has involved a group of coaches from Louisiana College traveling to Finland and/or Sweden to conduct clinics.

Last year, the program evolved to the point that a select group of athletes from Finland spent a week in Pineville and worked with the Wildcats coaching staff.

This year, another plateau was reached with the arrival of eight Finnish football coaches, representing the highest ranks of American football in that region, for a week-long coaching clinic hosted by Louisiana College.

“It's a great experience for us,” Buchanan said. “A lot of people in the United States probably don't realize it, but American football is played outside of America and they play good football over in Finland. These guys are very knowledgeable so, for me, it's a joy to just sit around and talking about the game with them.”

Among the coaches in attendance are Raine Vasanoja(Vaasa, Finland), Rami Lilja (Vantaa), Teemu Kuusisto (Helsinki), Timo Kauppi (Lappeenranta), Sami Telenius (Nokia), Risto Kivela (Oulo), Aki Ollenberg (Vaajakoski) and Jesse Talika (a former Louisiana College assistant now living and working in his native Finland).

All have more than a decade's worth of playing and coaching experience and all have achieved success at the highest level of American football in Finland, in that country a club sport.

And all have come to Central Louisiana hoping to gain some knowledge or experience that will help them to grow the sport they love in their native land.

“In terms of building a program, this is a much higher level,” Kauppi, a coach on the Finnish National team, said. “In Finland, we practice basically the same as here, the basic stuff is there, but we aren't on this level. We are trying to take small steps to get to this level and we think that this experience will help us. If the coaches learn first, they can teach the players.”

The Wildcat football family is attempting to give the coaches all the education they can stand.
While in Central Louisiana, the coaches will be treated to position-specific lectures and film sessions from each LC coach, learn about program building from LC head coach Dennis Dunn, view the Wildcats' offseason strength and conditioning program and even take a trip to Natchitoches to spend time at Division I Northwestern State's practice as a guest of NSU coach Bradley Dale Peveto.

“We're basically setting up a fall camp for coaches,” Buchanan said. “We want to give them everything we can before they head back. Every member of our coaching staff is available to them to discuss whatever they want. We're really trying to be good hosts.”

According to Lilja, that mission has been accomplished.

“We've been here four days and all I can say is the Louisiana hospitality has really been great,” Lilja said. “The weather is very different here, that's for sure. Back home, we've got three feet of snow on the ground and it's 20-below on the Celsius, here it's been warm every day. We've never felt more welcome.

“I think this is something really special for us. I couldn't believe any coach would spend this much time working with us. It's been really great. We feel like we are part of the staff.”

As much as the guests have been pleased with their hosts, the hosts have been impressed with the passion and dedication the Finnish coaches have exhibited.

“What impresses me the most about these guys is that they do this all for the love of the game,” Buchanan said. “I think we coaches here in American take it for granted that we get paid to coach this game. They've all got day jobs that they have to go to and coach football in the evenings. They're all businessmen and fathers who have a lot more to do than just football yet they are as passionate or more than some guys who get a huge salary to coach.”

Ironically, the fact that the coaches wear so many hats in addition to their gridiron duties is one of the primary factors that attracts football aficionados from Finland, where everyone has a day job to those in Pineville, where Buchanan has held upwards of six titles at a time at LC.

“I think we all gravitate toward each other because of the similarities between our situations,” Buchanan said. “At a small college like this, we don't have scholarships and the players have to pay their own way. Over there it's a club sport and the players have to supply their own equipment. A lot of what we deal with and what they deal with is the same.”

Perhaps the biggest piece of common ground the two groups have in common is the need for funds.

The Finnish coaches speak of a need for facility improvements in their country while Buchanan and his fellow coaches are in need of money to continue their football ministry in Finland and Sweden.

“This all started years ago with (former LC assistant and native Scandinavian) Jari Kinunnen,” Buchanan said. “It's grown. Every year, we've taken more and more coaches over to Sweden and we'll be back in Sweden this year. I don't know if we'll be able to make it over to Finland or not … it really all boils down to funding. Interest has grown and that's great, but we need interest and funds. But that's all part of the deal when you're working in a mission field. “

Visiting Coaches' biographies (hometown listed in parenthesis)
Raine Vasanoja (Vaasa, Finland) – 15 years as a player (linebacker), five years as a coach, two as a head coach. Coached in Eurobowl 2008. Other accomplishments include a European Championship 2005, Finnish Championship 2001, World Cup 2002, Swedish Championship 1998-2001, Eurobowl 2nd place 2000, Finnish second place 2000, 2005, Finnish 3rd place 1996, 2003, 2004, Swedish All Star Team 1998-1999
Rami Lilja (Vantaa) – five years as a player (running back) and 12 as a coach.
Teemu Kuusisto (Helsinki) – Presently head coach of Ladies National team and GS Lady Demons (reigning National Champions). Plays for Helsinki Wolverines Maple League team (highest level in Finland). Twenty years as football player (running back, fullback, defensive back and linebacker) and coach. Has played and coached with National teams in Finland for several years. Former Coach of the Year in Finland. Has won over 20 championships in different tournaments/leagues.
Timo Kauppi (Lappeenranta) – Junior program manager for Lappeenranta Maple League team. Fifteen years of coaching experience. National Team linebacker coach. Defensive coordinator for Maple League team. Won Finnish national championship as a player in 1989.
Sami Telenius (Nokia) – Former running back and strong safety with 20 years playing and coaching experience. Has worked with Nokia Ghosthunters' men's and women's teams.
Risto Kivela (Oulo) – Played quarterback in the 1980's. Seventeen years playing and coaching experience. Coaches Northern Lights team.
Aki Ollenberg (Vaajakoski) – Active player who plays both wide receiver and defensive back has been with Finnish National team since 2000 and has played professionally in Italy, Spain and Germany.
Jesse Talika – Former assistant at Louisiana College. Now coaching and working as trainer in Finland.