University of Minnesota Athletics
No Bronze, But a Silver Lining: Mira Jalosuo
1/31/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
No Bronze, But a Silver Lining
By Arlan Marttila, USCHO.com/Power-Play Club Writer
Athletes dream about competing in the Olympic Games. For Mira Jalosuo, at least in 2010, that dream was near but yet so far, as she did not survive a final cut for Team Finland’s Olympic roster.
“First, of course, I was disappointed, and I will always remember that day,” Jalosuo said. “It was Tuesday, and we played USA that day. I got the call like 10 a.m., and immediately, I texted (Head Coach Brad Frost) Frosty that I’m not on the team. He called me and [asked] if I want to miss the game against Team USA. I was like, ‘No way. I want to play for the Gophers now. And I am just focusing on the Gophers.’”
There were tough times, like when friend and roommate Noora Räty left for the Games, or missing out on the victory over rival Sweden in the third-place game and the celebration of bronze medals. Instead, she helped her Minnesota team to a share of the WCHA regular season title and was able to celebrate that championship on the ice with her college teammates.
“I think that in some ways it was good for me that I didn’t play in the Olympics, because I got power play time here and a lot of ice time,” Jalosuo said. “I think that in Olympics I would be sixth or seventh D. So I think it was good in some case for me.”
While the “there’s always next year” rationale doesn’t apply to the Olympics, Jalosuo would seem to have a good chance of realizing her Olympic pursuit in 2014.
“Now I have four more years to prepare for Olympics in Sochi, and I hope I will be in a bigger role,” she said.
Although Sochi is located in southwestern Russia and is a good distance from Finland, Jalosuo does agree that it would be a much more manageable trip than Vancouver for family and friends to watch her compete, should she make the Finnish team in 2014.
“Honestly, I’m not thinking about the next Olympics at all,” Jalosuo said. “Four years is a long time, let’s see what happens. I have two and a half more years here, and I’m just focusing on the Gophers.”
Of course, as with any college student, she must also focus on academics. Remaining on campus last winter rather than traveling to Vancouver may have also had an academic benefit.
“If you miss like one month from school, especially if you’re taking physics and chemistry where you have a lab and you have to get over 70 percent on your lab to pass the whole class – basically, if you miss one month, you will fail the class,” Jalosuo said.
As it is, the sophomore chemistry major is not in any danger of failing.
“It has been easier than I thought,” she said. “In Finland, we don’t have any multiple-choice questions. Basically, all of the exams here are like multiple choice. In primary school, we had some, [but not in] high school. In school here, it is pretty easy if I compare it to our high school.”
As time goes by, she’s finding the hockey at this level a little easier as well. Particularly after returning from the Four Nations tournament, Jalosuo agrees that she has played her best hockey as a Gopher.
“It was nice to play against Team USA and Canada,” she said. “They have a great team and we have to battle always when we play against them with Team Finland. I got more confident from the Four Nations.”
“I’m getting a lot of power play time. I’m playing with Anne Schleper – she’s my D pair. She has done an awesome job playing with me. I think playing together we have done well. I’m just much more confident than last year. Maybe the other reason is that last year I was playing for Team Finland and the Gophers, and I was focusing on both of them. Now, I’m just focusing on the Gophers. It makes things so much easier.”
Others on the team are noticing the advances in her game.
“I think there’s a huge difference in how Mira is playing this year and last year,” goaltender Räty said after the Gophers’ shutout victory over defending NCAA champion UMD on January 15th. “She can stickhandle the puck and move it quickly, so I think she has done an awesome job this year.”
The strides Jalosuo has taken can be seen on the score sheet, as through the first 25 games she’s tallied three goals and six assists, both improvements over her totals for a full season as a rookie.
“Mira has been incredibly consistent for us from the first game this season,” Frost said. “You can see that she is concentrating on playing her best for us and not worrying about anything else. Her confidence has grown and is making a real impact on our team.”
If that improvement on the ice continues, perhaps in a few years Jalosuo will have her Olympic experience – maybe even a medal.
