Hockey icon Anne Haanpää encourages seniors to exercise in a variety of ways

Throughout her life, Anne Haanpää, a hockey icon from Tampere, has been involved in a variety of sports, and the situation has not changed even after her professional career - quite the opposite. Haanpää, who retired just over a year ago, started as a sports peer instructor, "liikuntaluotsi", in autumn 2024 and feels she is doing meaningful and relevant work.

Versatility is enrichment

Diverse physical activity is an integral part of Haanpää's everyday life, and she is a familiar face in Tampere's sports circles. Her weekly schedule includes assisting sports instructors, coaching swimming school pupils and leading Lavis stage dances. There's also athletics, swimming and much more - just a fraction of what you'll find here.

– I also play hockey, dance, and sometimes I have to go to the gym, says Haanpää with a smile on her face, wearing a lynx shirt in front of the gym at the Tampere Swimming Centre.

Thanks to her involvement in the peer activities, Haanpää has been able to share the joy of diverse exercise with others.

Things to do together and opportunities from peer activities

The idea of peer activity came to Haanpää when her recent retirement left her with an empty calendar. Haanpää, used to an active everyday life, decided to become a sports peer instructor and join the weekly Hakametsä walking group together with two other peers.

– So far, we have been at the Hakametsä Ice Stadium, because it has still given us the opportunity. We've walked a good 400 metres or so on the platform there, says Haanpää.

– We do the initial warm-ups, then go for a walk and do an intermediate warm-up. Then you change direction so that your balance organs get used to walking in the other direction. It's been so much fun!

The three-person peer team receives praise from Haanpää. Together with Tuula and Hannele, the division of labour runs smoothly and occasional absences are not a problem.

– It's also nice because there are people of different paces: some go first and some follow, says Haanpää, describing the walking group, where no one is left alone with the three peers.

Peer activity has also opened doors to new opportunities. In the spring, Haanpää was selected to be a sports instructor in the UKK Institute's Active Ageing project, which was implemented in five countries between 2024 and 2025 with European Union Erasmus+ funding.

– There, seniors were trained twice a week to improve their balance, among other things. The peer activity led me to listen to a lecture on this topic, for which they were looking for partners and willing peers to help, says Haanpää, who was selected to take part, describing her unique experience.

A rewarding peer experience

After the end of the walking group in the spring, it was rewarding for Haanpää to discover that the group members did not want the season to end. The training format, the flat ground suitable for walking and the group spirit were all praised.

– They liked everything that was done and there was such a good atmosphere, Haanpää said happily.

It was also particularly rewarding to see the development of the group members and the importance of the work.

– There are quite a few speed freaks out there, and many of them improved their fitness considerably, even though they only trained once a week, laughed Haanpää.

– It was also great to see that the group stayed together. There were a few more people in the winter, but when we started in October with four people, there were about 13-15 when we finished in mid-May.

Haanpää was pleased to see that peer activity is genuinely necessary and that the work is bearing fruit. In the future, she can be seen involved in peer activity as well as many other sports.