Niclas Carpelan appointed head coach of the men’s flag football national team

The Finnish American Football Association has appointed Niclas Carpelan as the head coach of the Finnish men’s flag football national team. Carpelan will be responsible for the overall athletic development of the national team and the improvement of its operations in the upcoming season.

Niclas ”Nesi” Carpelan is the new head coach of the Finnish men’s flag football national team. His appointment continues the determined work initiated by the Finnish American Football Association in the early 2020s to develop the flag football national teams and strengthen Finland’s international competitiveness.

Carpelan will lead the national team to the European Championship tournament to be held in the fall of 2027, where success could potentially secure a spot in the qualifying tournament for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Carpelan has previously served as the head coach for both the men’s and youth flag football national teams in early 2000s championship tournaments. After a 20-year hiatus, the veteran returning to the helm of the national team acknowledges that the sport has developed significantly since the last time he coached the Finnish team:

-I was already representing Finland as a player-coach in 2004 and I certainly understand that the sport has changed tremendously since then and it is now real top-level sports, which it wasn’t back then.

-Now we are starting to build a competitive team for the upcoming competitions. The first target is next summer’s European Championships, and from there we will aim for the Olympics.

The sports legend residing in Kotka concluded his 36-year playing career in American football last fall by leading the quarterback position to the Kuusankoski Cowboys’ men’s I division championship.

Carpelan will begin his duties immediately.

Image: Jari Turunen