Spring Break
Finland native joins URI soccer team thousands of miles from homeland
Brandon Gearing
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: Sports
11/07/08 - Finland native and University of Rhode Island men's soccer rookie Erkko Puranen is adjusting to American life just fine, even though he says things are vastly different in the United States- so different that even the sport he plays is known as something else back home.
"It's football," Puranen said. "I think they only call it soccer here and in Canada, it's weird, but I call it real football."
Puranen is a freshman on the men's soccer team, where he leads the team in multiple categories, including points (14) and goals (seven).
One week ago he was named Atlantic 10 soccer rookie of the week following another two-goal performance where URI salvaged a 2-2 tie with the Richmond Spiders.
He began his soccer career playing on an actual team when he was seven years old at home in Finland.
"To be honest, I don't know how I started," he said. "You should ask my mom or dad, I was so young."
Puranen's parents live back at home in Viitasaari, Finland with his three younger sisters Elina, Pauliina and Ella.
Puranen recently completed a yearlong mandatory service for the Finnish National Military prior to coming to the United States to play for URI.
"At the time the military wasn't my thing," he said. "It felt like the service was an eternity, but afterwards, I'm happy I did it. And I think was a great experience."
Now he is in an entirely new atmosphere, some 3,940 miles from home.
Puranen was recruited by multiple schools in the United States, but said he eventually decided that the University of Rhode Island was right for him.
"I got a lot of e-mails from different coaches and the first concrete option was the University of Pittsburgh," he said.
His decision eventually came down to Pittsburgh and Rhode Island. He said he chose Rhode Island because the price was right and he liked everything he heard about the program.
Since arriving, Puranen has helped win multiple games for the Rams. His first two collegiate goals pushed Rhode Island past the University of Albany on September 12th. He netted the overtime game winner just five days later against Harvard University, and added a double overtime score on September 28th to take down the University of Hartford.
"It's football," Puranen said. "I think they only call it soccer here and in Canada, it's weird, but I call it real football."
Puranen is a freshman on the men's soccer team, where he leads the team in multiple categories, including points (14) and goals (seven).
One week ago he was named Atlantic 10 soccer rookie of the week following another two-goal performance where URI salvaged a 2-2 tie with the Richmond Spiders.
He began his soccer career playing on an actual team when he was seven years old at home in Finland.
"To be honest, I don't know how I started," he said. "You should ask my mom or dad, I was so young."
Puranen's parents live back at home in Viitasaari, Finland with his three younger sisters Elina, Pauliina and Ella.
Puranen recently completed a yearlong mandatory service for the Finnish National Military prior to coming to the United States to play for URI.
"At the time the military wasn't my thing," he said. "It felt like the service was an eternity, but afterwards, I'm happy I did it. And I think was a great experience."
Now he is in an entirely new atmosphere, some 3,940 miles from home.
Puranen was recruited by multiple schools in the United States, but said he eventually decided that the University of Rhode Island was right for him.
"I got a lot of e-mails from different coaches and the first concrete option was the University of Pittsburgh," he said.
His decision eventually came down to Pittsburgh and Rhode Island. He said he chose Rhode Island because the price was right and he liked everything he heard about the program.
Since arriving, Puranen has helped win multiple games for the Rams. His first two collegiate goals pushed Rhode Island past the University of Albany on September 12th. He netted the overtime game winner just five days later against Harvard University, and added a double overtime score on September 28th to take down the University of Hartford.
