It’s clear that loyalty to a club can manifest in many ways. For Valtteri Kainulainen, it meant that he represented the same club throughout his entire adult career. He led the Espoo-based floorball club Westend Indians from the first division to the league, captained his team in countless games, and, as his final contribution, helped the Indians win their first medal.

However, Kainulainen’s floorball career did not begin immediately with the Indians; it started with Loiske in Kirkkojärvi, from where he moved on to the Westend Indians during his junior years. When asked about his first memory of the Indians, Kainulainen mentions – perhaps somewhat unusually – the team’s home arena, Otahalli.

– We’d played in school gyms before. It was great to get to play in a big arena and in a big club.

Even though the stage was bigger, the club still felt like home. In addition to his final junior years, Kainulainen played for the Indians for three seasons in the first division and accumulated a total of 12 years of league experience. Kainulainen wore the Indians’ yellow-and-black jersey in over 300 regular-season games in the Floorball League. In all of them, he served as his team’s captain. Loyalty to a club seems rare in today’s society, but for Kainulainen, the choice was clear. 

– I wanted to play for Heimo, and my closest friends were on the same team, too. However, I didn’t take it for granted that I’d always be able to stay with the Indians. Contracts were always signed for a few years at a time. They didn’t really have to haggle with me much over the contracts, Kainulainen chuckles.

That’s right, Heimo, a tribe. The Westend Indians have long called themselves Heimo.

– The nickname “Heimo” says a lot about the team. We’re all part of the same group. The adult players say hi to the kids in the hallways and sign autographs for them. There’s been a strong sense of community with the Indians. I really liked that and wanted to be a part of it.

“A club that looks like me”

When Kainulainen speaks, he repeatedly mentions taking steps forward, humility, hard work, and values. Kainulainen finds many points of connection between the club and its values and himself.

– The Indians have been the kind of team I identify with. I’ve always believed that the Indians are constantly improving. It was important to me to try to win at Heimo. I don’t think winning would have felt the same on any other team. I’ve always defended the Indians’ goal and thrown myself in front of shots. In a way, I’ve approached the game with more humility than a focus on quick wins.

The captain’s confidence in his own team has always been unwavering, even though there have naturally been changes in the roster and coaching staff over the years. Even during difficult times, he has remained convinced that his decision to stay with the Indians was the right one. 

– There have been disappointments. I’ve definitely faced more setbacks than cheers. Still, deep down, I’ve always believed that we’ll definitely be better and more prepared next year.

The spring of 2025 was unforgettable for Kainulainen. His first child was a newborn, and his beloved team, the Westend Indians, was playing in the Floorball League bronze medal game against Seinäjoen Peliveljet. Bronze medal matches tend to have a lackluster reputation in sports circles, but this time, Otahalli was filled with wild jubilation. The match ended with a 5–1 victory for the Indians and the club’s first-ever medal in the Floorball League.

– Even now, just talking about that match gives me goosebumps. We were so close for many years, and then we finally won that medal in front of our home crowd, Kainulainen recalled.

At the same time, he had come to the decision to end his career in the League. With the arrival of a new addition to the family, his time became more precious, and Kainulainen didn’t want to divide it solely between work and floorball. Last winter’s floorball season was thus the first in which the team’s schedule no longer tied Kainulainen down. He admits, however, that he follows the F-League more closely these days than he did during his playing years. You can still find him in the stands at Otahalli, cheering on the Indians.

– It’s tough sitting in the stands. I’d really like to be out there on the field defending the team. I’m always sitting in the stands, feeling really nervous as I watch the game, Kainulainen says with a smile, before continuing:

– My spouse jokingly said she’d imagined that, since I was just watching, we could hang out here in the stands and catch up with our friends. But I wasn’t much company.

Kainulainen is undoubtedly a club legend for the Westend Indians, and the club has also left a deep mark on Kainulainen’s mind and life. During his playing days, when he walked around his neighborhood, people didn’t ask him about his job or anything else – they just wanted to know how the games had gone.

– The club is a big part of my life. In a way, being a member of the club is part of my identity. I’d rather be a member of the club than a floorball player.