East City Giants awarded as SAJL’s Club of the Year

The best performances of the Finnish American football season were awarded on Saturday during the annual meeting of the Finnish American Football Association. The most significant recognition was the title of Club of the Year, awarded to the Helsinki-based East City Giants.

The SAJL’s annual meeting took place over the weekend on a Viking Line cruise. The evening before the actual meeting included the awarding of distinguished players, officials, and clubs for the 2025 season. The award winners from the leagues had already been announced during the finals of the series, but the premiere of several of the awardees listed below was experienced on the M/S Cinderella.

East City Giants was chosen as Club of the Year by the award committee due to its extensive and long-term work promoting the entire sport. The club’s representative team rose to the Maple League for the 2025 season for the first time in 25 years, which is a testament to its long-term and determined development efforts. According to SAJL’s chairman Roope Noronen, the club’s active participation in the association’s activities and its determined investments in improving the conditions of its community were particularly influential in the selection.

The chairman of ECG, Antti Hemminki, was pleased with the recognition of the club’s hard work and encouraged other clubs to take steps in the direction that has enabled ECG’s development:

-We are very honored by this recognition and I want to highlight one person behind ECG’s new rise – Henkka Kurki is the one who set an example for all of us that first a junior foundation must be created, and as the juniors gradually grow, we can move to the next and the next and the next level of competition. I would like the entire American football community to join us and everyone on this path. So, the award truly belongs to long-term commitment, not just to this year’s ECG.

Receiving the award for ECG are Antti Hemminki, Petra & Mika Eloranta, Timo Heinonen, and Samuel Orvomaa
For Veikko Lamminsalo, the award for Referee of the Year in the Maple League was already the 16th.
The award for Junior Club of the Year was received by Otteliina Rantanen and Vesa Peltola from the Jaguars

Veikko Lamminsalo receives 16th honor as league referee

As expected, not all individuals highlighted on Saturday were present on the association meeting cruise. Efforts will be made to deliver the awards to each of them personally in situations where they deserve recognition.

However, present on Saturday was a veteran of the sport who has possibly received the highest number of Best of the Year titles in the entire history of American football. For the 16th time, Veikko Lamminsalo was voted Coach of the Year in the Maple League by the clubs, and he stated that each season starts with a clean slate regarding awards.

-This is already the 16th time this award has been given to me. Every year it must be earned again through work done on the field. It does not come based on old merits. Every year it must be earned anew.

Youth activities of Jyväskylä Jaguars highly valued

The title of Youth Club of the Year for 2025 belongs to Jyväskylä Jaguars, which, like the Club of the Year ECG, has invested long-term in believing in the power of youth activities. Vesa Peltola from the Jaguars, who was named Youth Contributor of the Year for 2019, was genuinely happy to receive the new award for the club’s hard work.

–Receiving the award was a very heartwarming event. Essentially, we have done good work, but it was a huge surprise when the Jyväskylä Jaguars logo appeared on the screen during the award ceremony. Personally, the award genuinely warms my heart because I have been involved in youth activities this season with the U13 team and have also kept an eye on other teams.

All awardees of the 2025 season

Men’s Maple League
  • 2025 League Player of the Year, Christian Arrambide, Porvoon Butchers
  • 2025 Offensive Player of the Year, Christian Powell, Porvoon Butchers
  • 2025 Rusher of the Year, Ari Tuuli Trophy, Luukas Eerola, Porvoon Butchers
  • 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, Matti Lindhom Trophy, Felix Salonen, ECG
  • 2025 Lineman of the Year, Charles Akanno, Seinäjoki Crocodiles
  • 2025 Rookie of the Year, Luca Koskenkanto, Tampere Saints
Women’s Maple League
  • 2025 League Player of the Year, Tytti Kuusinen, Helsinki Wolverines
  • 2025 Offensive Player of the Year, Lotta Wulff, Turku Trojans
  • 2025 Rusher of the Year, Tytti Kuusinen, Helsinki Wolverines
  • 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, Sarah Chime, Helsinki Wolverines
  • 2025 Lineman of the Year, Anni Alanko, Helsinki Wolverines
  • 2025 Rookie of the Year, Alina Blomqvist, Helsinki Wolverines

Divisions

  • 2025 Player of the Year, Men’s I Division, Roman Jones, Kuusankoski Cowboys
  • 2025 Player of the Year, Women’s I Division, Nea Törmänen, Oulu Northern Lights
  • 2025 Player of the Year, Men’s II Division, Kristian Reinikka, Kokkola Scorpions
  • 2025 Player of the Year, Men’s III Division, Janne Tefke, Malmi Blaze
Flag Football

The best flag football players were awarded for the first time

  • 2025 Male Player of the Year, Rasmus Kuivanto, men’s national team
  • 2025 Female Player of the Year, Essi Söderholm, Helsinki Flag Football
  • 2025 Boy Player of the Year, Joona Tuominen, Tampere Saints
  • 2025 Girl Player of the Year, Stella Kronvall, Helsinki Flag Football
Youth Awards
  • 2025 Youth Contributor of the Year, Susanna Tuovinen, Wasa Royals
  • 2025 Youth Coach of the Year, Toni Uusitalo, Youth National Teams
  • 2025 Young American Football Player of the Year, Joona Tuominen, Tampere Saints
  • 2025 Youth Club of the Year, Jyväskylä Jaguars
Referee of the Year in the Maple League
  • Veikko Lamminsalo
Coach of the Year
  • Mikko Koikkalainen, Men’s National Team
Team of the Year
  • Men’s American Football National Team (EM Silver 2025)
Volunteer of the Year
  • Leena Vehkomäki, Men’s National Team
Club of the Year 2025
  • East City Giants
Big congratulations to all the awardees!