Joni Rinta-Pollari is without a doubt one of the best players
in Europe. Having grown up playing ice hockey on the frozen ponds
of Finland dodging polar bears and such, he has evolved into a
world class hockey player. One of our intrepid reporters caught
Joni over the Christmas holidays in Finland and this is what he
had to say for himself.
| Question 1: Hello Joni, you're at
university far away from home, where do you see yourself in,
say, 5 years time? Joni: Hmm, working somewhere in
Sports Science. |
| Question 2: Who do you look up to in
Inline Hockey? Joni: Sami Markkanen, he plays for Kuopio
Red Devils and Team Finland. |
| Question 3: Who taught you to play Inline
Hockey? How did you get involved? Joni: Moved from an
ice hockey background to play inline for fun. |
| Question 4: How often do you train and
what kind of training do you do? Joni: What? Training? |
| Question 5: Describe your playing style.
Joni: Well, it is an individual sport, isn't it??? |
| Question 6: Puck or Ball? Which one is
better? Joni: Puck, no question about it. Ball is for
[sissies] (edited). |
| Question 7: How do you get psyched up
before games? Joni: Getting myself to the venue with my
eyes open and relatively sober is good enough for me. |
| Question 8: What is your best asset in the
game and what would you like to improve? Joni: I'm good
with the puck, but I'd like to see the overall improvement of
Inline Hockey in the UK. Venues and such, you know. |
| Question 9: What is your most memorable
moment in Inline Hockey? Joni: Finnish Superleague
Championship with Team Mission K-67 and, of course, breaking
Setti's points per game record at Portsmouth. |
| Question 10: What are your thoughts on
Inline Hockey in the UK? Joni: I don't think the sport
can develop without purpose built venues and the associations
need to merge. |
| Question 11: What do you think of the new
setting of university hockey in the UK? Joni: I think
it's way over-due. |
| Question 12: Your greetings to the
readers... Joni: (after 5 minutes thinking break) Watch
out goalies, this season is mine! |
