author: YLE, Janne Karinkanta
Aku Koskenvuo, 18, varattiin NHL:ään ja sitten hän pääsi Harvardiin – huippulahjakkuus haluaa menestyä jääkiekossa, mutta myös parantaa maailmaa
Aku Koskenvuo, 18, was drafted to the NHL and got into Harvard - top prospect aims to succeed in hockey, and in changing the world
HIFK's A-juniors' Aku Koskenvuo's day is a strict combination of studying and practice. In the coming fall he will be studying at, and playing for the University of Harvard.
The high school grade average of 9,7 [out of 10] and an acceptance in Harvard University likely makes Aku Koskenvuo one of the brightest in hockey.
In addition to the academic merits Koskenvuo has the NHL draftee status in his back pocket, even though his saved percentage pales in comparison to his grades. Selected in the 2021 5th round by the Vancouver Canucks the Espoo native has remained to play for HIFK A-juniors in addition to the junior national team.
"If I introduce myself as a hockey player people may be suprised with my decent school success. Then again when I meet people on the academic side the tables turn. One or the other comes as a suprise"
In the coming fall the goalie prospect begins his studies in Harvard and his first season in the NCAA league. Harvard is one of the so called Ivy League universities that don't grant access via sports scholarship. Success in sports has it's advantages but in order to get to harvard one has to be smart and successfull in school.
"Firstly the school coach contacted my agent kickstarting the process. When my background in studying came up, we began to have concrete plans."
Making said plans included interviews, writing essays, further interviews and an official application. This took around six months.
"I've dreamt of studying in an american university since I was little. Harvard has a great hockey progam as well. It was a special opportunity that I had to take."
Speaking with Koskenvuo it is quickly evident that he is not the average 18 year old. In his essays for Harvard he wrote of ethics, of right and wrong and the grey in between.
"I wrote about how much context affects everything, diluting ethical values. And if one is to choose between good and evil, what do they pick? The age one lives in slants how any of this is conceived. It isn't as straightforward as one may think."
The application asked how the applicant would do for their own community and what kind of a legacy they would want to leave behind. Koskenvuo has high ambitions in hockey but simply flashing the glove doesn't do.
"I am interested in working for organisations to change the world to a better place to be for everyone."
Influencing as an athlete as an interest
The word of the day in the streets is the moral responsibility of athletes. The topic springs especially when competitions are hosted in countries that stomp human rights. In the soccer circles the world championships in Qatar are widely discussed and critisised by Tim Sparv [finnish national team captain] for example.
In hockey such speeches haven't been heard.
Koskenvuo has the traits of an influencer. He is aware that an athlete has the pedestal to use power, and that the pedestal is manned in the future if he has the status, and the audience is receptive.
"I will open open my mouth if there is something big I want to affect. Though I would want to make concrete change to make sure my speech is followed by action. It'd be great to change the world."
Koskenvuo doesn't want to pile too much responsibility on the shoulders of an athlete. There is no point to speak up without the will and knowledge.
"Nobody can be forced to speak out. If you simply wish to play hockey, why couldn't you? It's not fruitful to take part in society and politics if doesn't interest at all. The worst thing would be to repeat everything one has heard to the media. It'd be fake.
But if there is an authentic interest, and will to take part to make change - it's awesome to do so."
Coach on their toes
Currently Koskenvuo's focus is to graduate from High School and to win the championship for HIFK A-juniors. The youngster calculates both to take around 20-30 hours per week. Scheduling is a task in itself.
In addition to this interview Koskenvuo's day consisted of physics' and maths' courses in the morning. After his Finnish and literature lessons in the afternoon he made his way to the rink. First he practiced with HIFK's Liiga team and subsequently with the A-juniors team. In the following morning he will practice with the A-juniors again.
"when you really want to succeed in both worlds, priorities suprisingly start to fall in place. You have to be awake and alert in class to have time to rest after practice, instead of catching up with homework."
It isn't a huge suprise to hear HIFK A-juniors' coach Joni Töykkälä describe his goalie ambitious, given the first impression.
"You can sense the strong competitiveness. Aku is an extremely ambitious and goal-oriented athlete. He's agile and has the size for a goalie. I like his focus and preparation" Töykkälä lists.
Koskenvuo's brain and lofty goals are known to his coach.
"It's evident that he is exceptionally smart, even for a goalie!"
"Us coaches have to be alert at all times what we blabber on. He at times tends to correct my choice of words being incorrect, not delivering the message I want to make."
Koskenvuo still is only one of the guys in the locker room instead of being an individual outside the dynamic. His opinion is valued, though.
"If someone has a conundrum to solve he usually gets asked for help. Oftentimes he has the answer as well."
Which career comes first?
The question Koskenvuo is unable to answer currently is "what do you do when you grow up?" Much depends on what motivates the most in the future.
"It's hard to say how hockey works out. You need a dash of luck, too. If something in the academic world is really interesting and it opens doors to something amazing - why not. But if hockey goes great and there's a spot to play in north america, that's equally tempting."
Koskenvuo's words exude with humility and confidence.
"It'd be outstanding to play for Team Finland, or in the NHL. I have the potential, but it's up to me to execute."
The open doors are plenty but the time for final choices is not here yet. Koskenvuo aims to live in the moment and enjoy the ride along the way.
