Pielaveden Sampo is a professional volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

 club based in Pielavesi

Pielavesi

Pielavesi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Northern Savonia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...

, a small town in Eastern Finland

Eastern Finland

Eastern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia.- History :...

. The club is one of the most successful teams in the Finland volleyball league

Finland volleyball league

The Finland volleyball league is highest level of men's volleyball in Finland. In the league plays twelve men's team.- History :...

.
The team has become a national champion in the national volleyball league three times, in 2004, 2005, and 2009, and has been the first runner-up in 2001, 2007, 2008, and 2010. Sampo has also won a bronze medal in 2002 and 2003. There have also been plenty of famous players playing on the team, e.g. Olli Kunnari

Olli Kunnari

Olli Kunnari is a Finnish volleyball player. He is one of the key players in the Finnish national volleyball team. During the early years of his career, he played in the Finnish Champion league. In year 2004, he left Finland to play in the French Pro-A Volleyball league where he played until the...

 and Urpo Sivula

Urpo Sivula

Urpo Sivula is a Finnish professional volleyball player. During the 2008 season he played in the Finland Volleyball league team Pielaveden Sampo. Sivula plays wing-spiker.-Junior years:...

. One of Sampo's owners is a well-known volleyball player, Tuomas Sammelvuo.

History

Sampo's first season in the Finnish Champion league was season 1998/1999. The next year Sampo became the first runner-up, followed by two bronze medals in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, Sampo won its first National Championship, clinching the same title again the following year. Preceded by the miserable 2006 season, the club won the Finland Cup Championship and secured a Finland League silver medal in 2007. In the same season Sampo made its debut in the European league finishing eighth. Following all but the same pattern of the previous year, Season 2008 saw Sampo finish second again in the Finland League.

After two consecutive years of having to settle for a silver medal, the club finally achieved its third National Championship in 2009. At the end of the season, the club's huge financial troubles were disclosed and it was close to complete withdrawal from the national league. Yet, the club eventually managed to enter the 2010 season with a hugely scaled-down budget. At the end of the season, the club achieved a silver medal.

Achievements

• Finland Champion 2004, 2005, 2009
• Finland league silver 2001, 2007, 2008, 2010
• Finland league bronze 2002, 2003
• CEV-Cup quarterfinal 2007
• Challenge Cup quarterfinal 2008
• Finland Cup Champion 2006 ,2007

Team 2007–2008

Number	Name	Born	Nationality
2	Aki Riihimäki	11.01.1977	Finland
4	Jussi Aamuvuori	12.06.1980	Finland
5	Matti Oivanen Matti Oivanen Matti Tapio Oivanen is a Finnish volleyball player who plays in the Italian Volleyball League club Yoga Volley Forlì 1975 and the Finland men's national volleyball team. In the previous season Matti played in the Italian club Copra Berni Piacenza...	26.05.1986	Finland
6	Ilkka Sammelvuo	21.01.1979	Finland
7	Juha-Matti Iivarinen	11.11.1983	Finland
8	Tatu Säisä	07.03.1983	Finland
9	Salvis Cielavs	13.12.1974	Latvia
10	Urpo Sivula Urpo Sivula Urpo Sivula is a Finnish professional volleyball player. During the 2008 season he played in the Finland Volleyball league team Pielaveden Sampo. Sivula plays wing-spiker.-Junior years:...	15.04.1988	Finland
11	Lasse Räisänen	6.11.1989	Finland
12	Timo Tolvanen	8.11.1977	Finland
14	Olli-Pekka Ojansivu Olli-Pekka Ojansivu Olli-Pekka "Lelu" Ojansivu is Finland professional volleyball player. In the 2008-2009 season, he played in the Finland Champion league in Pielaveden Sampo. Ojansivu is considered one of the most talented players in Finland....	31.12.1987	Finland
15	Tero Viitanen	09.08.1971	Finland
16	Igor Eliseev
Russia

Famous players

• Olli Kunnari
  Olli Kunnari
  Olli Kunnari is a Finnish volleyball player. He is one of the key players in the Finnish national volleyball team. During the early years of his career, he played in the Finnish Champion league. In year 2004, he left Finland to play in the French Pro-A Volleyball league where he played until the...
  
   2002–2005
• Antti Siltala
  Antti Siltala
  Antti Siltala is a Finnish professional volleyball player who has played in Greek, Turkish and Polish leagues. He also plays for the Finland men`s national team.- Early career :...
  
   2005–2007
• Ilkka Sammelvuo 2002–2005 ja 2007–
• Matti Oivanen
  Matti Oivanen
  Matti Tapio Oivanen is a Finnish volleyball player who plays in the Italian Volleyball League club Yoga Volley Forlì 1975 and the Finland men's national volleyball team. In the previous season Matti played in the Italian club Copra Berni Piacenza...
  
   2006–2008
• Urpo Sivula
  Urpo Sivula
  Urpo Sivula is a Finnish professional volleyball player. During the 2008 season he played in the Finland Volleyball league team Pielaveden Sampo. Sivula plays wing-spiker.-Junior years:...
  
   2006–
• Olli-Pekka Ojansivu
  Olli-Pekka Ojansivu
  Olli-Pekka "Lelu" Ojansivu is Finland professional volleyball player. In the 2008-2009 season, he played in the Finland Champion league in Pielaveden Sampo. Ojansivu is considered one of the most talented players in Finland....
  
   2007–
• Antti Esko 2002–2004
• Tero Viitanen 2007–
• Aki Riihimäki 2006–
• Timo Tolvanen 2006–