Few clubs in European hockey can match the consistency of Tappara Tampere.

With a record number of Finnish championships and a continued presence at the top of Liiga, Tappara has built something that goes far beyond short-term success. Behind the results is a clearly defined way of working: a culture built on structure, accountability, and long-term player development.

In our latest XPS Stories episode, we go inside the club to understand how that culture is created, sustained, and lived every day across the entire organization.

A Culture Built on Clarity and Accountability

At the core of Tappara’s success is a simple idea: clarity creates accountability.

From youth teams to the professional level, the club operates with a shared structure. Expectations are clearly defined, responsibilities are understood, and daily work is guided by a common framework.

As Director of Player Development Kimmo Vähä-Ruohola explains: “It’s a core value for us that we’re a club-led and club-directed organization, because when things are organized, people can be held accountable. It’s not abstract, it’s defined what we need to do and how things are done in Tappara.”

This clarity creates a visible pathway for players. Young athletes can see exactly what progression looks like. From youth hockey all the way to the professional team, reinforcing belief in the system and the work required to get there.

But maintaining that level of alignment across an entire club doesn’t happen by chance. To make standards visible and consistent, Tappara relies on shared tools and systems. “We need platforms like XPS where we build the standards and ways how the club is led and what is done in each age group.”

A Coaching Environment Powered by Collaboration and Data

Tappara’s culture is not only defined, it’s actively reinforced through its coaching environment.

Collaboration is a key part of daily work. Coaches share ideas, learn from each other, and operate with a shared responsibility to develop players within the club’s framework.

As U18 Head Coach Miika Vanhatalo describes: “We share ideas and knowledge and we believe in hard work. There’s an expectation for the coaches to do their job as well as they can, and we want to stick with that.”

XPS plays a central role in enabling this environment. By bringing planning, drills, and communication into one place, coaches can structure their work more efficiently and build on shared knowledge across the club.

For Miika, this has completely changed how he prepares sessions: “Earlier I used only sheets of paper and notebooks and stuff like that. Now I have all my drills drawn down in XPS, so I just think about what we need to practice, and I get those drills in collections.”

With drills organized into collections and easily accessible, coaches can quickly plan sessions based on the team’s needs, without wasting time searching for materials. Everything is stored, structured, and ready to use.

At the same time, the performance team gains a complete overview of each player and team. “We can combine physical testing data and training load monitoring data in the same place and discuss the situation with coaches and players,” says Head of Performance Marko Haverinen.

This combination of collaboration and data allows Tappara to make better decisions every day, ensuring that development is both consistent and individualized.

Connecting Players, Coaches, and Parents

One of the most powerful aspects of Tappara’s system is how it connects everyone involved in the player journey.

For players, access to information creates ownership. Training plans, schedules, and test results are always available, making it easier to prepare, reflect, and improve.

For coaches, it provides a structured way to track development. Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and regular one-on-one conversations are documented, helping players set goals and follow their progress over time.

As Miika Vanhatalo explains: “After games, players set goals for themselves and can go back and check what they’ve written, it becomes a habit that everything about hockey is there.”

For players, this clarity also translates into better daily routines and preparation, especially when balancing hockey with school and everyday life. “The app helps me stay on time and be ready for training, when you know what’s coming, it’s easier to prepare and pack everything in advance,” says Jimi Saarinen, Tappara U16 Player.

For parents, the platform brings clarity to an otherwise complex daily schedule. “Before XPS, there were dozens of WhatsApp messages, now everything is in one place. It’s one tool, one application,” says Laura-Maria Saarinen, Jimi’s mother.

This shared system creates alignment across the entire ecosystem – player, coach, and parent – ensuring that everyone is informed, connected, and working toward the same goals.

A System That Sustains Success

Tappara’s success is not built on one single factor.

It’s the result of a connected system, where culture is clearly defined, coaching is collaborative and data-driven, and development is shared across the entire community.

With XPS Network at the center, Tappara has created an environment where success isn’t by chance or temporary. It’s something that can be built, and sustained, year after year.

XPS Network in 30 seconds

If you have any questions or would like to try XPS Network, please contact Toni Kalio (for Finnish coaches & clubs) or our sales team at sales@sidelinesports.com.