GrIFK – in English
IFK Grankulla (GrIFK) is an ice hockey club based in Kauniainen. The club’s mission is to offer residents of the Kauniainen area the opportunity to play ice hockey at a level appropriate to their own skill level.
- Each season, approximately 750–850 players participate in the club’s teams and hockey school, supported by 3 professional coaches, 80 trained coaches, 48 other officials, and their families. The teams practice at the Kauniainen Ice Hall (Kauniaisten jäähalli, Vanha Turuntie 42) as well as in other arenas around Espoo. GrIFK co-operates with Kiekko-Espoo ry.
- GrIFK’s activities are run jointly by the players and their families, based on commonly agreed rules. During the ten-month ice training season, the club organizes coached activities for approximately 162 hours per week. Volunteers are supported by a managing director, two professional coaches, and an club coordinator.
- For the youngest family members, GrIFK organizes a hockey school for boys and girls aged 3–7. No previous skills are needed. Each year the club’s youngest team (U8) is formed from the oldest players attending the hockey school. Girls in the hockey school are also included in the teams. Later girls can transfer to girls’ teams within the Kiekko-Espoo club community, if they wish.
- GrIFK follows a system that provides teams to all age groups (U8 to seniors over 60 years). The teams compete in leagues organized by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association or its Southern Region.
- Up to the U15 level, age groups operate together as a single unit. Teams competing in leagues are formed based on the number of participants. Teams compete at the league level to which they are registered by the club’s head of coaching.
- From the U15 level onward players may choose whether they want to play recreational hockey or pursue a competitive level. Cooperation between GrIFK and Kiekko-Espoo ry offers invited players the opportunity to play in Kiekko-Espoo teams in their own age group or in the men’s top league (SM-liiga).
- The wide range of teams enables a long career of over 60 years within GrIFK or a nearby partner club. The club’s sporting guidelines, developed under the leadership of professional coaches, also include educational objectives that build the club’s culture and help develop players as part of a team.
- Professional players who played their junior years in Grani include Niko Hovinen, Kalle Kossila, Jarno Koskiranta, Kaapo Kähkönen, Sebastian Moberg, Joona Voutilainen, Veeti Vainio, Erno Hopponen, Alex Levänen, and Jani Lajunen. In addition, long-time captain of the Finnish women’s national team and Ice Hockey Lion #255 Emma Terho (former. Laaksonen) played her junior years in Kauniainen.
Do your best and have fun! 💚
Contact us:
Staffan Kosk, General Manager
email: staffan.kosk@grifk.fi
+358 407022 838