Canadian ice hockey player Steve Kariya is doing his second season as a forward in Frölunda Indians and has been called everything from “a little package of dynamite” to “the hottest new recruit in the Swedish top league”. The experts say that he is fast, technical and has good hands, but what does he personally consider are his best and worst attributes off the ice?I really like it here! The organization is first class and they treat their players so well. I also like the players, both on and off the ice, says one of Frölunda Indians’ top players Steve Kariya.

Canadian ice hockey player Steve Kariya is doing his second season as a forward in Frölunda Indians and has been called everything from “a little package of dynamite” to “the hottest new recruit in the Swedish top league”. The experts say that he is fast, technical and has good hands, but what does he personally consider are his best and worst attributes off the ice?

– Haha, I do not know. Will this be in English? Is this something my friends will be able to read? I like to have fun and being around people, says Kariya and laughs a bit more after that modest description of his social skills and he continues with his worst sides. - I should probably cook and clean more.
His best friends here in Göteborg are the people he hangs out with all day – his team mates from the Indians.
– That is one great thing about playing hockey, you get to meet so many people and friends. Both from the team you are in and old teams.

Sporty genes and support
Steve is not the only top athlete in the family. His two brothers Paul and Martin play hockey as well and one of his two sisters, Noriko, is a boxer.
– Dad played rugby nationally and mum claims she was a good athlete too, says Kariya and jokingly questions his mother’s testimony.
– They put us kids in every sport we wanted to, so I pretty much did any sport available to me, like basketball and swimming. None of us would have been professional if it was not for the support of our parents.

Great fans
Among all the sports he tried, hockey was the one that became his livelihood.
– Most kids in Canada dream of becoming a hockey player. To do something you love for a living is great. I am very fortunate even though I have worked really hard for it. I do not take it for granted. When Kariya does his thing on the ice, there are many eyes focused on him and his team mates.
– The fans here are great, both in Göteborg and on the road. It reminds me of Canada where icehockey is the number one sport. The games here are often sold out and of course it is more fun to play when there are people in the stands, he says. The fact that hockey players of his caliber are role models has not escaped Kariya, but to him it is not just about behaving well when he is in the limelight.
– When I was a kid I always looked up to hockey players and from that standpoint I think it is important, on and off the ice, to do the right thing. It does not matter if you are a dentist or what you are, you still represent yourself and should always conduct yourself well.

Good chance to win
Like many other players, Kariya is a bit of a hockey globetrotter and has played in Canada, USA and Finland before he came to Göteborg, but he has not found it difficult to adapt.
– It is an easy adjustment. Everyone speaks English here, though I try to pick up a little bit of Swedish, and the food is similar to back home, he says. His favourite place in Göteborg is probably where he spends most of his time away from home – Scandinavium. At the time of writing, Frölunda had just won their last game and are looking forward to continuing that trend into the finals.
– I think we have a really good chance to win this year, says Kariya and I am sure his team mates and Frölunda fans feel the same way.

By: Annelie Ivarsson