Sammelvuo on Olympic silver, coaching and kalakukko

The Russian national team were training in Novogorsk ahead of the 2021 edition of the men's CEV Eurovolley. Tuomas Sammelvuo took some time out of a busy schedule to discuss all things volleyball with the press team of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Russia 2022. Topics of conversation included the Tokyo Olympics, team psychology and a favourite Finnish dish.

- Did you manage to recharge your batteries after the Tokyo Olympics?

- We didn’t have much time, but there were eight or nine day after the event to let everyone rest. So everyone has enough energy to come back to work. This is what we have. For sure it's more important right now to switch mentally to preparation and the working process again. And it’s good we won’t have a long flight to the CEV EuroVolley. Everything is good and we are following our plan.

- Where were you resting?

- I was in a beautiful place near St. Petersburg and spent some time in nature, resting. The air differs there from what we have in big cities.

- Did you struggle with stress during the Olympics?

- I think that stress, mental pressure and expectations are the usual story. I don’t really worry about them, because I don’t have another life. Expectations were really huge as the country is vast and everyone was waiting for a result. But when we stepped on to the court, we were not thinking of stress or pressure. We tried to stay in the moment and do all we could to win. And it was a very cool period of time! I wanted to live in the moment from the very start to the very end. Completely. And enjoy it. There is nothing bigger than the Olympic Games in sport. And if we were there, we had to live it all completely. And I think we did that well.

- What was the toughest moment? Were there any moments when you had to push yourself?

- It was the first match against Argentina. It was very important. It was a moment. We got the confidence we needed to reach the play-off round. I think during the tournament we were able to find our best physical shape. Thanks to our coaches - a fitness coach and physios - we did it. Step by step, we were moving forward and we didn’t have time to think about the pressure. We put in place a schedule so that we could be at our maximum in each match. And another moment was the loss to France in the group stage. We defeated Brazil 3-0 and the inner feeling was that everything was working for us. And then came the ‘stop’. It was very useful.

We saw that every team have this kind ‘stop’. These were the difficulties every team came though.

- Recently you told a story that when you were a little boy, you were watching the Olympics together with your father and were dreaming of being there. You have now been to the Olympics. Did it fulfil your expectations?

- (laughter). I think when I was 8, my understanding was fairly limited and of the Olympics too. I just told my father that I’d like to be there and it became my dream. Before the Olympics, I asked other coaches what it meant to be at the Olympics. I remember Mauro Berruto told me: 'Everything is different. Living conditions, practice time, meal times, distances… And you should like it, not just accept it but love it.' At the beginning of the tournament, all these stories about bed sizes… I can say there wasn’t a person who was complaining of the conditions. And it was very important. I think it is one of the secrets of the Olympics. To be honest, I didn’t know how it would be. Those of our players who hadn't already been to the Olympic Games asked Maxim Mikhailov and Sergey Tetyukhin for information. But due to COVID-19, the Games were different. But even so, the sports festival happened anyway.

- Prior to the Olympics you had to exclude several good players from the Olympic team. Was it tough making those decisions?

- It was a very tough decision. It is difficult to tell someone who gave it all during practice, who worked hard all summer and was dreaming of going that they are not going. But it’s a part of our job. I think you need to be honest to yourself, to your team, to take the decision you think will be best for the team. But it was very tough to speak with the boys.

You know, now some of the players who didn’t go to the Olympics are with the team again and we thanked them for the result we had, because they stayed with us until our flight to Tokyo. It’s their victory too. Igor Artamonov and Andrey Ryazantsev and the rest of the coaching staff were helping us in Tokyo, even by staying in Russia. The same is true of the boys who were playing in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League: Ilya Vlasov, Evgeniy Baranov, Dmitiy Muserskiy and Anton Semyshev. They did a great job for the team’s success.

- It’s a pity you can't give them silver medals too…

- Definitely, yes. There are only 12 medals. I hope we can do several copies of them. It’ll be interesting to look at them in 30 years. Life continues anyway.

- Any regrets ahead of EuroVolley?

- Yeah, Maxim Mikhailov and Viktor Poletaev are not going. The situation is that the team is creating a new story right now. Players are changing and so are the dynamics. It will be very interesting to see how we will cope with this challenge.

We are very grateful for what Max did for the team this summer. He is a role model for everyone. Vitya will skip the CEV tournament to recover for the Russian Championship. We invited Maxim Zhigalov and Kirill Klets. Also, we have a chance to use one outside hitter as an opposite.

- Russia will play in Tampere, in Finland, your motherland. What can you say about this city?

- I retired from my professional career with the national team there, in Tampere. We almost always played our home matches with the Finnish team there. It’s a volleyball city. We will be playing the CEV matches in the ice hockey arena. The director of the arena thanked the Russian team for the result at the Olympics as they were able to sell all the tickets for the match between Russia and Finland after we won silver. Due to the COVID restrictions, there won’t be as many people as we’d like, but there will be spectators. It will be nice to play in Tampere to see my relatives and friends. But now all my thoughts are here, in Novogorsk, as we’re preparing for the tournament.

- Are you a famous person in Finland. Do people recognize you on the streets?

- I think so. Finland is not a big country. I played for the national team there from 1993. And when I retired, I started to coach. You know, people know everyone from the small country and follow their achievements. Plus, people are following the Russian national team results for sure.

- Let’s speak about Finland. And about you. What is your favourite Finnish dish?

- Kalakukko. It’s a special dish from Kuopio where I lived for a long time. It’s a big bread stuffed with salmon, salo, sometimes meat. Not everyone likes it. But I do! I love fish. Especially smoked salmon.

- Finnish salmon?

- The best is the one you caught. I haven’t been fishing for ages because I don’t have enough time. But in my childhood, my brother and I often went fishing and I liked it.

- Your favourite finish musical band or singer?

- Lordi. Do you remember them from the Eurovision? To be honest, I don’t really like this kind of music, though they are very interesting guys. And the way they look too (laughter). I prefer calm and even classical music, which allows me to think, rest and to stay with my own thoughts.

- Do you play a musical instrument?

- I’d like to learn how to play the piano. My girlfriend gifted me a piano, but I haven't had time yet to play it much. My usual excuse if I’m playing bad is because I have no time (laughter).

- You have an excuse... you were at the VNL, then the Olympics… and you couldn’t take the piano with you to practise more.

- I could have, but I would have needed to pay for extra luggage (laughter).

- Which is your favourite city in Finland?

- Kuopio. Or Pudasjarvi. Kuopio is in the east and I have lots of friends there. There is lots of water around, that’s what I like. It’s 390 kms from Helsinki. Pudasjarvi is to the north, my parents live there.

- Who is your favourite Russian singer?

- Bi-2.

- Are there in Finland any special holidays we don’t have in Russia, ones you like?

- In summer there are three or four days of solstice celebrations, and also we celebrate Christmas from December 24-26, when all the family gathers together and everyone eats a lot (laughter). They are my two favourite holidays.

- Who are your friends in the coaching world?

- During the self-isolation period we had video calls. With Glenn Hoag, Silvano Prandi, Laurent Tillie, Stephane Antiga. There are many coaches from different countries. We call ourselves the French speaking group (laughter).

- Do you speak French?

- Yes, and even better than Russian as I lived in France for a long time.

- What languages do you speak?

- French, Italian, Finnish, Polish… but I need to remember it. But it was great to speak with those coaches and to learn something new. They are open for conversation and you can discuss different situations with them. Glenn Hoag is a special person for me. When I decided to become a coach, he gave me a lot of information he had gained thoughtout his career. I know he decided to retire from his career with the Canadian national team, and he was working with some of the players more than 10 years. He started to work with them when they were 15-16. He gave them the Olympic dream. The goal they needed to aim for. Hoag raised the level of volleyball in the country to a new level. And it is always a pleasure to speak to him. Vital Heynen, Laurent Tillie... we often discuss things together. Mark Lebedev messages me his thoughts from time to time. Mauro Berruti, Vladimir Alekno, it is nice to speak to them either about life or volleyball.

- Would you like to do what Hoag did in Canada for Finnish volleyball?

- I live in the moment. And for now, I’d like to continue working with the Russian team.

- What is your favourite Russian dish?

- Borscht. I like it a lot, it’s yummy.

- What sports would you go in for if not volleyball?

- Before I turned 12, I did ski jumping. But then I broke my arm and hit my head during a fall. I think it influenced me somehow (laughter). But I think I would choose team sports at the end anyway. And if not sports, I’d like to work in some organisation where you need to speak many languages.

- How tough was it to study Russian?

- Tough. In my opinion, it’s one of the toughest languages. I was also studying Polish when I was playing in Poland, but I think I’ve already forgotten it as I haven't had practice. And it was even tougher because there are a lot difficult sounds to pronounce. I can hear them and understand them, but not pronounce them.

- Can you organize an open practice one day?

- Of course, we need to do that one day. It’s very important fans can see the athletes they like on the court, to take a picture with them and get an autograph.

- Tuomas, we are choosing a mascot right now, have you made your choice?

- I’m for the tiger! It is cool you let the fans choose. They are discussing it and it is an extra interest for the World Championship in Russia.

- Did you swear during the Olympics and in what language?

- (Laughter). Yes, I swore in Finnish. And in the dressing room after the finals too. There were lots of emotions, but I didn’t do it often, or perhaps only quietly.

- Where will you keep your medal?

- I don’t have it yet. Where is my medal? (laughter). The coaches weren’t given ones. Maybe we will be given at least copies, it would be great. I am keeping all my medals in one place but for the Olympic games, I'd like to find some special one. If I have it.