Teleborgshallen, Växjo.
1989…
He has just said goodbye to his parents; now he stands within the arena. There are green stands, children’s voices can be heard. The next step is to enter the locker room. For an 8-year-old, many things take on monumental proportions. Then come the nerves, the questions multiplying. And so, amidst a storm of emotions, Jonas embarks on his journey to become one of the greatest Game-changers. A Game-changer not only in his playing style; few left wings boast his height and the quality of his shoot (not to mention his Five-One Defense). But also, transcending beyond the court, before and after the game, leaving his mark in the way he understands that individual greatness is forged in the unity of all.
“The first time you go into a locker room at such young age and have to change your clothes, take off your clothes, put on your training gear, and the shower… I remember perfectly that, in the end, you are very worried about the situation, and you ask yourself: what are they going to say? What clothes am I wearing? Am I okay, or will they laugh? Where do I sit? Alone or next to someone? There are so many things. You change quickly so that no one sees you; you really don´t want to show your body to anyone because it embarrasses you, and it´s a bit uncomfortable. And then, shower. Usually, you do it alone at home, and suddenly you have to shower with people around, and at that moment, I wasn´t very comfortable.”
There are challenges that are overcome in one fell swoop, others step by step, and some are lightened with the help of friends. Jonas hadn´t taken the step because he was passionate about handball; his friends were there, and… why not?
“I went to the first training because my friends were going. I was nervous and more scared than keen to play handball because of the locker room issue, in case I wasn’t very good… I felt curious, yes, but the most important thing was to be with my friends, that’s why I joined.”
And he didn’t quit. He kept training, improving, having fun with those friends, and getting to know his teammates.
“There were some guys who weren’t my friends, but you start to get to know them and to be known. You do it on the court, playing, helping each other, by training… and in the end, you end up hanging out with them before or after the trainings too. I remember I started hanging out with a guy who liked fishing, and he took me with him and his father a few times. I had never done it before, and I ended up really liking it. Just the fact of playing together on the same team led me to discover something I hadn’t tried before and that I still enjoy to this day.”
And what happened with the guy? That guy is still a friend.
Quijote Arena, Ciudad Real
2002…
The clock is ticking, the player promises a future brilliant career. But do fears and challenges go away, do they lose intensity? They change faces. Jonas comes from Sweden to Spain. Ciudad Real, a team that will dominate the European sports scene for many seasons, had seen potential in the wing. He is 21 years old and has no idea about Spanish, or what awaits him. He is alone in the midst of everyone, they speak fast, they laugh loudly, he doesn’t understand a word. Eventually, he will end up forming a close-knit group with many of those players.
“You arrive from a country where handball isn’t professional to another where it is, and it’s also a dream you’ve had all your life, just to play handball and do nothing else. You go with a lot of fear too; it’s a different way of playing, a new culture, a new language… It’s difficult not being able to talk to anyone in the locker room. So at that moment, I felt very lonely, but there, you already had a mindset of ‘look, I have to give everything here because if not, they’ll kick me out.'”
There was no choice but to go all out with the Spanish. It was necessary to understand not only the teammates but also what was asked on the court, in the game; and of course, to immerse oneself in the way of life of that country. Classes follow one another. The integration processes are tough; nevertheless, progress is made step by step.
“You have to put in a bit more effort than the rest to see the games from that way of conceiving handball, so when I began to understand Spanish, it became much easier to pick up what my teammates and coach wanted me to do. In the locker room, I didn’t talk much at first, and then little by little, I bonded with Carlos, Iker, and Santi1, and we became a close-knit group.”
A new language, different customs, friends to rely on, and the sensitivity to understand what another person would feel in a similar situation. Empathy.
“That was about twenty years ago. In my last years playing handball, I was the eldest, but it was a completely different situation. I could see when a player was really nervous, and I tried to help by talking to them. Going and smiling; supporting that player in tough moments, when they are missing shots or doing something they don’t quite understand; helping with the language…I know what it’s like because I went through it, and I’ve tried to help young players as much as possible to get into the language and the team. It’s not easy to arrive in a new country and a new culture. For me, the last years have been very important in trying to assist young players.”
Somewhere in Spain.
2023…
A few months ago, Jonas played his last game as a player for Benfica in Lisbon. An old acquaintance awaits him, the bench of Pick Szeged, but this time he will sit (or rather wander along) as the assistant coach. Let’s not rush, that will come next summer. Right now, he enjoys having time for himself and his family, contemplating the sea every morning, and who knows, maybe even fishing?
What he is certain about is that to inspire a team whose players may come from up to nine different nationalities and diverse backgrounds, the best thing is to stand by their side.
“I’ll have to find a way for my players to feel comfortable on the court so they really enjoy playing. It’s the basis. Very simple. Honestly, it’s nothing out of this world; it’s the basics: inspire and motivate your players, on and off the court. Try to make them feel better and turn them into good players, as much as possible, and to achieve that, I’ll rely on videos, training sessions, and gym sessions. Personally, I’ll make an effort to support them and be attentive to where they need help. There will be things that may go unnoticed, but if they share them, I won’t hesitate to react.”
How great it is to have a role model by your side, someone whose experience has led him to understand you and who truly knows that the experience of being part of a team is really cool.
“Being part of a team? It’s really good. There’s no doubt about it. Whether you win or lose, during training, on travels… you have your teammates. All the time together. You’re part of a group, and it’s nice to be part of a group that wants to learn and improve together. As a player, I’ve spent over 20 years playing, and what I can say is that I recall more things off the court than on it. By this, I mean that, while I remember many matches and other events, I have more memories off the court, of what I did alongside my teammates, of the travels, of the anecdotes in the locker room, after the matches, before… It’s very nice and truly good to be part of a team in that way.”
Going with a smile. Nothing so simple and yet so effective. That’s how you can become a Game-changer.
