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Jack of all trades on the pitch – “It’s a way for me to reset my thoughts”
Tammisaari resident Álvaro Corredor Ochoa serves as an assistant coach for the Ekenäs IF football academy team. He says that coaching provides a good counterbalance to his academic job.
“I do a bit of everything. In training sessions, the head coach may ask me to direct a drill or serve as the referee. During matches, I take photos and manage the team’s Instagram account, among other things. I do whatever the head coach asks from me,” says Spanish-born Álvaro Corredor Ochoa.
Corredor Ochoa serves as the second assistant coach and social media manager for the men’s academy team of the Tammisaari sports club Ekenäs IF. The team plays in the men’s Kolmonen, which is the fifth highest tier in Finland.
Corredor Ochoa is a true jack of all trades for the team and club. In addition to coaching, he serves as a photographer at matches, posts match information on social media and assists in media relations. At the club’s request, Corredor Ochoa has also attended refereeing courses.
Corredor Ochoa finds the work of a coach to be enjoyable and varied. He says he doesn’t have enough experience and knowledge yet to be a head coach at the senior level. He has completed basic coaching courses and is just finishing the UEFA C licence course, which qualifies to coach juniors.
ÁLVARO CORREDOR OCHOA
Doctoral Researcher
University of Tampere
Tammisaari
COACHING EXPERIENCE FROM SEVERAL CLUBS
Corredor Ochoa says that football has always been a part of his life, but was forced to retire from playing actively for years after suffering a knee injury at age 21. He says that coaching has been an effective way to fill the void left by football. After a successful knee operation, he has been able to rekindle his connection with the ball.
Corredor Ochoa followed his wife to Finland more than a decade ago. While attending a Finnish language course, he became acquainted with another foreigner who worked as a professional football player and coach. Corredor Ochoa began assisting his friend with his coaching work. Together, they coached teams in Espoo and Kauniainen.
A few summers ago, Corredor Ochoa’s family moved for his wife’s job to Tammisaari, near where she grew up. A friend in Tammisaari knew of his background as a coach and helped Ekenäs IF convince Corredor Ochoa to join the club.
Coaching is a good way to help integrate into a new society.
Initially, Corredor Ochoa served as an assistant coach for the women’s team. Last year, he became the second assistant coach for the men’s academy team.
The academy team of Ekenäs IF serves as a sort of stepping stone for the first team. Most players in the academy team are under 20, and the aim is to coach them to become new players for the first team’s squad. For this season, Ekenäs IF’s first team was promoted to Finland’s highest football tier, Veikkausliiga.
“Our first team hasn’t performed very well in Veikkausliiga, but our academy team has had a very good season. Right now, we’re second in our league.”
HELPS RESET THOUGHTS
Corredor Ochoa says that coaching provides a good counterbalance for his work as a doctoral researcher at the University of Tampere. Previously, Corredor Ochoa worked at Posti Palvelut in Olari.
“Coaching helps me turn my mind to other things from time to time. My research requires a lot of thinking and focus. Coaching gives me the chance to reset my thoughts.”
Corredor Ochoa is still a member of the Industrial Union and active among the union’s members of foreign background. Among other things, he still maintains an English-speaking WhatsApp group where members can discuss topics and help each other. He is also an active advocate for education, and has planned a course for the union’s non-Finnish speaking members on Finnish working life, labour rights and responsibilities as part of his university studies.
Corredor Ochoa says that he has settled in Tammisaari well. The family’s home language is Swedish, and he says that he understands the language well.
A frequently levelled accusation against Finland is that foreigners find it difficult to integrate into Finnish society. According to Corredor Ochoa, football or any other communal activity helps with integration a great deal. Coaching has proved beneficial even when it comes to learning the language.
“Coaching is a good way to help integrate into a new society. Any kind of volunteer work works just as well.”
You can follow the Ekenäs IF academy team on Instagram at www.instagram.com/eif_akademi
