Hockey celebration Saturday

Those outside the sport do not understand it and even those deeply involved have a hard time explaining it. But for some reason, hockey is life for many people in Minnesota. In Hermantown, that has certainly been the case.

The sport has never been so popular in Hawk country since the high school program won its first state title during the 2006-07 season. It sparked even more interest in the community as the Hermantown Amateur Hockey Association (HAHA) saw a record number of youths in the program this past season.

Hockey is a commitment in time, energy and money. Parents buy equipment, haul their sons and daughters back and forth to the ice rink and spend countless hours in cold arenas all over the state. Most would not have it any other way.

It is not uncommon for those in the hockey community to get their kids on skates before they can walk. It is not unusual to see those same youngsters stay on those skates and play the sport well into their senior years.

Ice time at the Hermantown Ice Arena is constantly being used by those in the community — young and old. During the winter months, the outdoor rinks are a flurry of activity as future stars work on their skills to one day show them off at the high school level.

Saturday’s celebration of the history of Hermantown hockey is more than honoring past players and coaches for helping create a top-notch program. It is a reunion of sorts for the community of countless people who either have been heavily involved in the sport or causal observers.

“A lot of people are excited about this event,” Hermantown coach Bruce Plante said. “Students are excited, the band is excited. This really is going to be a reunion for many people in the community.”

Last week, parents and community volunteers were finalizing details for Saturday’s event at the Golf Skydome in Hermantown. Many local businesses and individuals have donated items to be raffled off and made available for the live and silent auctions.

The spaghetti dinner starts at 6 p.m. and the program will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 14 and under.

After the program, there will be a dance at the Skydome to complete the evening.

Randy Bannor has put in countless hours gathering photos, video footage and producing a video that will be shown at the event. He said they have been collecting several hundred photos to be shown during the program and dinner.

Josh Zenner of WDIO TV will be the emcee of the program.

All four varsity coaches have been invited and plan to say a few words during the program, too.
Dave Kolquist attended Monday’s school board meeting to invite the board members and the entire community. He said it will be an overview of the past, present and future of Hermantown hockey. The goal is to cele-brate the success of hockey in the community.

“We have a state championship program,” Kolquist said.

The overall goal of the fundraiser is to generate revenue that can be used for the hockey program in the years to come. With many districts having to make cutbacks, Kolquist said the money will be used to assist the hockey team in future years.

One example Kolquist used was the fact that the team did not have the funds to stay Saturday night in the Twin Cities after winning the state title in 2007. He said local business owners and individuals helped pay for the team to stay one more night and enjoy their championship title.

Winning the state title certainly has elevated Hermantown hockey in the state and around the region. More and more players are going on to play junior hockey and eventually playing college hockey. The Hawks had three players on UMD’s squad this past year. Freshman Chad Huttel went right from a state championship team to the Division I level, and he received the Mike Sertich Award (Most Improved Player) this season, collecting one goal and one assist in 16 games while finishing a plus-5 on the year.

Kyle Schmidt, who played two years in junior hockey, also was a freshman this season. Nick Kemp played his third season for the Bulldogs.

Drew LeBlanc, who spent his senior year playing for Chicago in the USHL, has committed to playing for St. Cloud State University next year.

Organizers of the event are quick to point out that this event is not just for those who are directly related with the hockey program. While hockey is the theme, it is a chance to catch up with old friends and reflect on a rich history that the sport has developed in Hermantown.

Hockey in Hermantown has always been about carrying on a tradition that started back in the 1940s. Moments after winning the state title last March, Huttel told a group of young hockey players from Hermantown that they could achieve the same success if they work hard and stick with it.

The first-ever Hermantown hockey history event Saturday will be a way for the entire community to catch up with some familiar faces and help celebrate a successful program that has been decades in the making.