National team golfers Fanni Grönlund and Ville Virkkala combine sport and studies

- I applied here for golf. The school lets me participate in morning practice three times a week with Pasi Purhonen and Matti Lindholm, the Finnish Golf Union’s national team coaches. This way, I have an excellent opportunity to combine my upper secondary school studies with golf, practice, and taking part in competitions, says Ville. Participants in the sports programme are also eligible for 30 study credits for their morning practice sessions, meaning that students can advance their studies through their sports careers.

- I also applied to Jeda for golf. I participated in an information event, and I liked the school's atmosphere, Fanni explains.

Ville and Fanni have played golf since primary school, but both of these players began their athletic careers on the ice: Fanni is a former synchronized skater, while Ville played ice hockey until he turned 15.

Ville’s home club is Espoo Golf, and Fanni’s home field is at Pickala Golf. In the summer, both spend every waking minute playing golf out in the field. - During the winter, most players focus on honing their technique indoors and improving their physique and endurance at the gym, they explain. Many athletes also spend their winters at golf camps abroad. Last winter, Ville was absent for a week each month on average.

In fact, his golf career has even resulted in two-week absences from school. This places more responsibility on students to handle their studies independently. - You have to stay in touch with your teachers as much as you can, and make the most of each lesson, Fanni says. - I’d especially like to participate in more math classes, but it’s just not always possible, Ville adds.

Both students wish to praise Haukilahti’s good communal spirit – even though their school is full of extremely competitive athletes, when it comes to studies, everyone is aiming for the same goal. - Everyone encourages everyone, and when someone performs well, you want to try a little harder as well.

Both students also want to praise their teachers: - They see us as human beings, not just students and athletes, and they're always up for a friendly chat, Fanni says. The students at the school are also able to fit their intellectual pursuits with their athletic careers. - Our teachers allow us to adapt our studies with our personal goals and levels. If you're aiming for top marks in a subject, you will get the support you need. And if that’s not part of your plan, that’s okay too.

Both golfers have already achieved plenty of merits. - I’m one of Finland’s best U18 players. I placed second in the national U18 championship, and I captained the Finnish team in the European U18 championships, Ville says.

Fanni placed third in the national women’s championship games and won national gold in the under-21 championship. She has also participated in a professional competition at Pickala Golf’s resort, as part of the Ladies European Tour, or LET.

The future is already clear to Fanni – In autumn 2024, she will head to North Carolina to study and play golf: - I’m going to major in business or something business-adjacent, Fanni explains. Studying business mixes well with such an individually driven sport – running your sports career is much like running a business, and it certainly pays to have more business acumen. You also need to look after your studies if your sports career doesn’t pan out, for example if you receive an injury.

Ville also agrees with Fanni, even though his future is still a little undecided. - Maybe I’ll follow the same route as Fanni. I want to play with the best and live the touring life, Ville describes his future dreams.

An athlete must know their own strengths. According to Fanni, her strength lies in her self-understanding: - Anyone can train hard, but you also have to be able to rest for, say, 3 days without being afraid that it’ll affect your performance. You need self-confidence, but you have to start by knowing yourself.

Ville’s strength is his certainty: - My strength is being able to carry myself, take part, and be out in the field. I enjoy high-pressure situations, and I always try to learn something new while adapting to each situation to the best of my abilities.

Neither athlete believes in dedicating every moment to sport, and they understand the importance of rest. Even when all of your friends are involved in professional sports, these students do other things together than just playing to win. - It’s important to take your mind off things every now and then, Ville explains.

Fanni and Ville have a common tip for Finnish ninth-graders who are thinking about their future careers: - Don’t just follow the pack, but dare to make your own choices.

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Read more about Haukilahti Upper Secondary School’s sports programme (page available in Finnish) Sports programme - Haukilahti Upper Secondary School | Haukilahti Upper Secondary School | City of Espoo. Various information, such as the number of starting places, will soon be available on this page.