Aman: A goalie with an attitude

Patrik Åman is the goalkeeper who has played his team Sweden to two straight World Championship titles. With also a Swedish Championship title and a European Cup victory under his belt, Åman is best known for his authority and presence by his net.

When one thinks about Patrik Åman on the rink, one imagines him holding his arms up, showing his biceps and calling his opponent out. A  challenge for the other team, a gesture to show his intention to win. For a goalie, it is an especially delicate thing to do as he also is the player that can be beaten and humiliated should the game go the wrong way. That’s why his gesture is such a strong way to show he is not afraid to take that chance, believing in himself and in his team.  After a posture like that, there is nothing the opponent’s fans hunger for more than seeing him dig the ball out of his net. ”I see myself as a winner, it is a way to deliver for your team and for yourself.  You want you ask yourself what the message is you want to show: certainty, authority and self-confidence or the opposite of all those? I sure know what my choice is.”

_{Cheering by Patrik Aman}

Authority is the key
Åman is known to deliver what he promises: He is the one you want to guard your net in the game that your team absolutely needs to win. ”It is definitely something you can develop. You will have to put yourself into decisive situations and make sure you take home with you all the experience you can.” Åman’s first WFC in Helsinki in 2010 serves as an example.”I had hardly played an international game before and I had never played such a big game as that WFC final and we lost that night.  Afterwards I told myself that it is not something I’ll ever want to experience again and duly I have never lost a game against Finland since.”

Åman got his first taste of revenge two years later in Zürich as he watched his Finnish opponent be changed out in the second period in Sweden’s victorious WFC final. Last year Åman got to celebrate his second gold medals before a Swedish home crowd: He was one of the key factors of Sweden’s 3-2 final win against Finland in Gothenburg. ”I am an active goalie who owns the area in front of my net and holds the authority there.”

_{Patrik Aman following the ball (Photo Per Wiklund)}

Loved and hated
For a goalie like Patrik Åman, AIK Stockholm is just the right club to play for. In a country that loves sports, AIK is something special. ”We have fans all around the country and wherever you go you will find people that either love you or hate you just because you play for AIK. We are Sweden’s biggest sports club with the most members. The club does a range of sports with football and ice hockey being the biggest.” Patrik Åman joined AIK on 2008 after a string of tough seasons looking for his place in floorball Sweden.  Right away, he would win the Swedish title after a 6-2 final victory over Warberg.  The next season, he became European Cup Champion in Winterthur after AIK’s 5-2 final victory against SV Wiler-Ersigen. The latest five years have brought AIK just two semi-final places but definitely not due to lack of quality goaltending.

_{Patrik Aman chose floorball and it paid off. (Photo Per Wiklund)}

Floorball looked fun...
Not surprisingly, Patrik Åman is another athlete practically born with sports in him. "I grew up in a family with great interest for sports. My two older brothers played football and bandy and I took to football and floorball. Football was a part of my life for quite a while and I was a player with a secret wish to become a goalie. I have always been fascinated by goalkeepers." And inevitably for a Swedish youngster, floorball came up. "A couple of my classmates played floorball and it looked just unbelievably fun so I just could not wait to get to try it myself."

Young Patrik became a floorball goalie who was soon noticed. At 16, he left his first club for Storvreta and already his idols were floorball players. "As I had also looked up to just goalies it was Västerås' national team stopper Stefan Mattsson who was my favorite with Haninge's Mårten Blixt as another one." The Uppsala talent was being sucked into serious floorball with lots of promise but a long way ahead of him before he would become a big name. After successful junior years he would try his luck playing for Storvreta, then IBK Dalen and yet Sirius in the First division but without making it as number one. All those years hardened him to become what he is now."I believe success is a combination of many factors. You'll need to have certain talent to build on but from there it is all hard and dedicated work. Should you need to sit on the bench for games or even for seasons it is going to be tough. I have really had to fight my way to the top and it was not like walking in the park."

Rather not a Pro
AIK was finally the right place at the right time for him. That is also where he met his most important coach influence. ”Ulf Hallstensson who coached us at the 2008-2009 gold season and who was with the national team a year later as I was picked. He got me to believe in myself and that I had qualities few goalies in the floorball world had." Last summer, Patrik Åman signed for another year with AIK. His typical week consists of five to six floorball practices. The weeks vary slightly depending of whether there is one or two games but basically floorball is there every day.”It is hard to combine with a full time job but I have done it for such a long time, so it is a part of me now. I’ve never been offered a chance to play professionally but I doubt I would have taken it. There is a life after floorball and I have chosen to build my career as a sports journalist parallel to goaltending.” There is even less time for everything now for Patrik Åman with a daughter born in October. It looks like there may be no more international games for Sweden for him. ”I’m no longer a young promise and my family situation will affect my priorities. Looks I’ve played my last international and If someone disagrees they will have to convince me about it. I don’t know how long my career will last but I sure would like to win the Swedish title one more time with AIK”.

_{Sweden became a World Champion in 2012 after 6 long years. Patrik Aman was a hughe part of the success. (Photo Erwin Keller)}

Not even another season abroad is out of the question. Like maybe Switzerland. ”I thinks Switzerland is just the alternative for us Swedes. It’s a fine country with nice people and I like skiing but have never tried the Alps yet. A season there would have many benefits. There were certain offers from abroad before this season and we’ll see if there will be more.” A this point it is fair to ask which are the finest floorball memories for the world’s finest goalkeeper. ”The Swedish title with AIK certainly is a big one. But I have also had the honor of guarding Sweden’s goal in three straight WFC finals. Those memories will last a lifetime.”