Hockey Siblings

In this edition of Hockey Mom Unplugged, Vineeta describes, to no one’s surprise, how hockey is truly a family affair and how if affects the siblings.  Great article, as always!

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Journey Thru Juniors

So many hugs.

Everywhere I looked outside of the Super Rink in Blaine, I saw people bracing for hugs and giving hugs. The North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase was in town and it was the first time many families were seeing their boys after they sent them off to different cities around the country to pursue a hockey dream.

I was there with a friend whose son had just played. It was great to see his smiling face and get a picture of him hugging her. All the young men were coming outside with their “just showered” hair and dressed nicely in crisp suits. They each scanned the crowd looking for groups of family members beaming with pride. Each young man was slinging a hockey bag over his shoulders.

Made me a little teary.

I miss my boy. His dream has taken him out of the country. Jack is a goaltender for the Winnipeg Blues in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. I still can’t believe it. We knew he wanted to pursue junior hockey but we put down a deposit for college just in case. As the summer progressed, we had to make a decision. It was a dinner with our son that finally sealed it. We had a heart to heart talk and then he said the words that set us on this path, “I will regret it if I don’t give it a shot.” I guess that’s all we had to hear.

So, we made the trek over the border in early September and after several weeks, he was handed the jersey with “Branby” on the back. He is a part of the Winnipeg Blues organization. He is experiencing his favorite sport in a nation that treasures it. Now he begins his journey through juniors.

I am thankful for many things as we watch him chase this dream. Billet families are incredible. We have one of the best. Sweet Alice and her family welcomed Jack with open arms and a wonderful kitchen. When we said goodbye to him on her lawn, I was sad but so happy that he found a place with a family who will support him and be there for him when his parents can only offer advice through a crackly cell phone call.

It’s fun to hear about his life in Canada. They use different words. They approach things in their own way. It’s all a part of the education of playing junior hockey.

Hockey TV is such a gift. It is so nice to see all of the team’s games. It’s still hard for us to not be there in the stands but we watch online even if he is on the bench.

This junior hockey experience is about growth. Growing in your game and growing as a person. This isn’t an easy journey for these guys. It is humbling, challenging and motivating at the same time. When he put on those goaltender pads for the first time as mite, we knew he was hooked.

That love of hockey and of goaltending has directed him to this path. I am excited and nervous for him. In the end, I am so glad he is “giving it a shot.” No regrets. That is the best way to live your life.

Editor’s note: Vineeta has started a Facebook group for other families who have boys in junior hockey. It is called Journey Through Juniors. She invites others to join the group and support each other as our boys go through this incredible experience.

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Let the hockey season begin!

Minnesota Hockey Magazine is excited to open up another year after a busy off-season.

This summer included our 4^th annual golf tournament where we were able to raise enough funds to sponsor 22 kids in need to the Hockey Mom’s USA camp along with sending another 4 young athletes to training for a week at the Lumberyard Sports facility in Stillwater.

Some happy kids at the Hockey Mom’s USA camp

To date we have now sponsored 64 kids in need to various hockey camps.  We look forward to growing this out and are taking steps to make this even better.

Once again, Jack Norqual and his foundation contributed very generously along with many sponsors to make this happen.  New sponsors included the Norqual Foundation,  the North American Hockey League, Cranky Ape, River Valley Ford, The Lumberyard, First Bank of Baldwin and Lindus Construction.

We are very thankful to all of our returning sponsors including the Minnesota Wild, Dave’s Sports, Strauss Skates and Bicycle, the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Tom Reid’s, the Hal Tiffany Insurance Agency, the AmericINN, PD Pappy’s., Pheasant Hills Golf Club, Baldwin A and W, Culvers, the Lumberyard and Hockey Mom’s USA .

We also were blessed with some special silent auction materials and want to thank those who donated items.  Phil Housley donated an autographed International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame Jersey that went for $500 in our silent auction.

Jordan Leopold provides some instruction at the Hockey Mom’s USA camp as the kids listen up!

The Minnesota Wild donated a gift bag along with Ryan Suter’s autographed hat.  Other Wild players that helped included Ryan Carter and Zach Parise who autographed photos.

Also many NHL players including David Backes, Ryan McDonough, Dustin Bugflyein, Nick Leddy, Nick Bjugstad and others who signed pucks for all of the golfers who participated.  A special thank you to Ben Hankinson who made this possible at his inaugural season of Da Beauty League where these players graciously signed away.

MHM 2016 Golf Tourney was a great success!

The Tourney was a huge success not only in terms of sending kids in need to camp but in the fun and weather which was near perfect for the golf outing.  The winning team shot a round of 18 under par.

We are very thankful for a new partnership with Breakdown Sports USA who produces the very best high school almanac featuring all 152 teams.  It’s a work of art!  Tim Kolehmainen will take the lead along with several others as we cover the 2016-2017  MN high school hockey season for you.

Major items that we look forward to include a commitment to produce a monthly digital magazine as we prepare to extend our coverage of MN hockey to print.

Thank you to all our followers, whether you come directly to our MHM website or choose to get your info via our social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter.  We look forward to another exciting year of hockey in Minnesota!  MHM Staff

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Hockey Mom’s USA philanthropic mission is to give the gift of hockey to every child. They assist families with the high costs associated with hockey, to both current as well as prospective players. In addition, they promote and support local, state and national youth hockey organizations.

Hockey Mom’s USA also will provide financial assistance, equipment and hockey camps spots to those who qualify. To see if you qualify for a grant, please call or email them at: 651.333.0379 hockeymomsusa@yahoo.com Know someone that needs help? We help with registration fees, camp spots and equipment. Give us a Call!  The 2016 Camp runs from August 15-19, at the White Bear Sports Center.

Last year’s camp special instructor was White Bear Lake and current Minnesota Wild player Ryan Carter.

Minnesota Wild and White Bear Lake graduate Ryan Carter

Carter was very gracious with his time. He was on the ice and attended every session, and with the help of others, the kids all had a great time.

In the course of the last 3 years, the MN Hockey Magazine Foundation , has sent 40 + kids to various hockey camps.  We do this through our golf tournament.   Our goal this year is to send 50+ kids, and in order to send the 50 kids, we need 100 golfers to come join us July 29th in Hammond, WI at Pheasant Hills Golf Club.

Pheasant Hills in Hammond WI to host on July 29th

If you can’t physically join us, please consider signing up as a hole sponsor, and  you will also receive 2 months advertising on MN Hockey Magazine.com.

We will also be having several raffles for the opportunity to win some very nice prizes.   If you would like to donate a quality prize contact the tournament host, Scott Tiffany at either 715-222-6460 or email him at scott@mnhockeymag.com.

This 4th annual tournament is the best deal around, with the cost of a foursome registering before July 1st being only $280 which includes golf, cart, dinner, and on course games with prizes.  For details see our flyer below.

2016 flyer for MHM charity golf tourney

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Hockey moms, I know I am not alone when I say that I can’t stand the smell of my son’s hockey gear.  While I wait all year for the hockey season to begin as soon as the previous year has finished, I never look forward to that smell. 

My son’s hockey team this year smelled each other’s gloves after practice one night to see whose gloves smelled the worst. Well guess what? My son won.  No, I’m not bragging that he won this contest, I’m disgusted. 

How do you get the smell out?  I have tried many of those sprays that you can purchase at sporting goods stores and not one of them have worked.  I have noticed around the rinks there are those boxes to put your gear in and we have yet to do it.  I didn’t want to throw away the money if it wasn’t going to work.  I also don’t want to wash his gear in my washer at home because of all that nasty bacteria. 

Well let’s just say the “hockey gods” have answered.  Will and Christine Anderson, parents on our hockey team this year, have purchased three of those equipment cleaning boxes you see around the rinks.  They were purchased through www.sportsozone.com. 

They make them for the military for their tactical gear and for many pro sports teams.  In speaking with Will, he revealed that, “most people don’t know, but the smell actually comes from the bacteria, so when you kill the bacteria, you kill the smell.”

When Will was informed by his son that my son has the worst smelling gloves on the team, he offered me a coupon to try the machine.  I was pretty skeptical on whether this was going to work.  Well, we stopped at the rink and tried it out and, low and behold, it WORKS!

His equipment was 100% better than it had been.  It wasn’t 100% “stink” free, but pretty darn close considering I haven’t washed his gear in over a year.  I know, gross, right? So the more frequently I use the machine, the more“stink free” his equipment will become.

The Anderson’s own three of these machines called The DeOdorBox (formerly Shockbox) and you can find them on Twitter at @DeOdorBox.  They are located at the White Bear Lake Sports Center, Vadnais Heights Sports Center and the Schwans Super Rink in Blaine between rinks 1-4. 

The cost is $10 and it takes about 15 minutes.  You can put ALL your child’s gear in here as well as paintings (if they smell a little old), yoga mats, work boots, down pillows/blankets, sleeping bags and water bottles and all sporting equipment.

The machine does not take care of stains, though, (wishful thinking) as it is a dry process that attacks the odor causing bacteria.   It is recommended that you sanitize your gear about every 2 to 3 weeks, Anderson says, “depending on how frequently you skate, how bad you sweat, if you wear socks or a t-shirt under your gear, and if you are my son.” Just kidding!

So hockey moms, the next time you head to the White Bear Sports Center, Vadnais Sports Center or the Schwan’s Super Rink take that extra 15 minutes to “get the stink out” of your kids gear. You won’t be sorry. 

The post Hockey Moms: Get the stink out! appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Here is this month’s Hockey Moms USA ‘Hockey Mom of the Month’ winning submission by Spring Lake Park bantam Niko Reimann:

“My name is Niko Reimann and I want to nominate my Grandmother, Judy Berg, for the Hockey Mom of the Month.  My grandma had three kids that played hockey, one being my mom, Michele,  my uncle Mike and Tommy.  My grandma strapped their skates on at the age of 4 and away they went.

She fast learned the rules of hockey. Michele played through high school, Mike played college and semi-pro and Tommy played college hockey at the U of Maine Black Bears.  He also played semi-pro but quit after his fourth concussion.

It doesn’t stop there.

Judy is my legal guardian as well as my brother Branden’s. Branden had a tough life, but he loved the game of hockey but had no means financially to join a team. At the age of five he would walk one mile whenever he could to an outdoor rink and strap on his skates and skate until dark and walk home.

Branden Reimann

When Branden was 12 he asked my grandma to help him join a team.  Financially, she could help, but he still needed to get to the rinks.  He was too embarrassed to ask for rides, so Branden walked to and from hockey whether it was 6 am or 9 pm.  He lived 35 miles from my grandma so it was hard for her to get him to and from.  Sometimes the weather was 0 below, but that didn’t stop him from getting to that rink.

Two years later, Branden came to live with my grandma and she was able to get him to and from hockey, no more walking for Branden!  Branden played through high school and now plays on a Junior Team in Oklahoma.   I was 9 when I came to live with my grandma.  She was able to financially help me with hockey and drive me to and from.  It’s kind of cool to have a grandma that knows the rules of hockey, the difference between the blue line and red line and all the penalty signals from the refs. 

I can’t tell you how many hours of volunteering my grandmother did between her kids and her grandkids, working tryouts and concession stands, participating on the boards, driving to practices, games and out of town tournaments.  I’m sure it is somewhere in the millions!

It’s pretty awesome that we don’t even need to Mapquest the arenas we go to because my grandma has been to them all.  She also drives my friends when they need rides.   I play for Spring Lake Park and am a second year Bantam.  Grandma is pretty excited right now, although she won’t tell you that, because next year she won’t have to drive me anymore. 

When I asked my grandma has all of this been worth it? She said, ‘Of course, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Hockey is a sport we all love!’”

Thanks Niko for your submission!  That’s an AWESOME Grandma/Hockey Mom!

Niko Reimann

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I recently had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Julie Bertuzzi, author of Hockey Moms – Realities From the Rink. Bertuzzi is a very busy mom/wife, so for her to take 30 minutes out of her day to talk to me about her book was an honor.

The book is a first for Bertuzzi, whose husband Todd racked up 770 points (314 goals, 456 assists) in 1,159 games with six teams in an 18-season NHL career, and she said it won’t be her last.

Prior to speaking with Julie, I had a chance to preview the book and let me tell you Hockey Moms – Realities From the Rink will have you laughing until it hurts.  It is a witty, fast, fun and easy book to read.  She definitely scored with this book!

It’s a book to keep in your purse when you are traveling to your kids’ games and/or tournaments.  Once you arrive at the rink, take that book out and see what kind of hockey moms you will be dealing with on the opposing team, and which ones to stay away from!

In her book, Julie depicts the different types of hockey moms you see around the rink.  There is Big Mouth Betty, Princess Mom, Momma Bear and Ref Basher, among others.  In all, there are 20 different hockey mom types you need to be aware of.

I myself started out as a “Princess Mom”.  I needed to show up at the rink with my high heel boots on and my hair done to perfection, while still supporting our team by wearing a scarf in that color or the words Hockey Mom plastered on my chest.

Since reading the book, I find myself showing up to the rink assessing the other hockey moms and trying to figure out which one is which and trying early to find Big Mouth Betty and The Yodeler so I know not to sit close to them.

Bertuzzihas an idea for what her next book will be, right down to the title. If it’s anything like her first book, you won’t be disappointed. Bertuzzi, who doesn’t come from a writing background, recalled her mother’s reaction to reading it.

“I remember sending my mom the manuscript,” Bertuzzi said. “And she said, ‘I don’t remember you being good at English.’”

Bertuzzi said the book took two and a half years to write from inception to finished product and said the illustrations proved to be the most difficult part of the completion process.

“Once I had the description of the hockey mom I wrote about, I had to put that description into a picture and get it on paper,” Bertuzzi said.

It all paid off as the book’s illustrations of the different types of hockey moms do not disappoint; they are spot on!

The easiest part about writing the book, according to Bertuzzi, was the actual writing itself!  She didn’t need to sit over a computer doing research for hours while propping her eyes open with toothpicks and an endless supply of caffeine to keep her awake!

“I wrote the book while at my kid’s hockey games,” Bertuzzi said. “All of the moms described in this book were what I witnessed at the hockey games.”

She sat in freezing cold ice arenas observing the other hockey moms and their actions or reactions to the game and those around them.  Research can’t get any easier than that.  She was able to watch her kids play hockey and do research for her book, and that is what we call a win/win situation.

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Hockey Moms USA on what to look for in a camp

Hey fellow hockey moms, do you ever wonder which hockey camp to put your child in?  It’s a decision some of us have a tough time making.  I’m not sure the exact number of hockey camps throughout Minnesota but I do know it exceeds 30.

There are camps designed specifically for defensemen and goalies and then there are camps for forwards and camps for all positions.  Camps usually range in price from $325 for the week to over $1500. And then there’s Hockey Moms USA’s hockey camp which is $75 and FREE to those with financial constraints.

So how do you choose which camp to go to?  Do I pick the camp that is the most expensive? Because it has to be the best, right, or why would it cost so much? Or do I go with one that is $325 because it’s one of the cheapest?

In doing some research, I checked out six different camps (names withheld) to see what the differences were in affordability, accessibility, what they offered and what qualifications the instructors had.  Many of the camps are run by hockey dads (or moms) who played high school hockey and coach their kid’s hockey teams while others are run by former NHL players or elite level female players.  There were camps featuring 3-on-3 hockey and even private camps providing one on one training with the instructor.

You want to pick a camp that not only fits your budget but includes the kind of training you want for your child.  Some things to watch for in a camp is agility, speed and shot training along with pass catching and puck protection skills.

I found there are camps that will give you all of that and not break the bank; you just have to be willing to do a little research and know what’s best for your child.

Minnesota Wild F Ryan Carter shares a moment with 8-year-old Ava Maas at the Hockey Moms USA Camp last month.

“This was an awesome experience for my daughter who is a second year U8. To have the opportunity for Ava to skate with older and bigger players really put confidence in her to do better at something she already wants to be good at. I thought the camp was great and the cost was awesome. Hockey Moms USA, White Bear Lake coaches, and Ryan Carter nailed this with professionalism, quality on and off ice training and affordability.”

The post Hockey Moms: Camp considerations appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

As a hockey mom, I get so wrapped up in watching my son play hockey that I forget to take pictures. I bring my camera to every game, but yet it sits in my bag or in the car and doesn’t get used.

Don’t make the same mistake I have.

Bring your camera to all games, scrimmages and even a few practices and take lots of pictures. There is always another hockey mom looking to see who took pictures of a certain game and wants copies for her scrapbook. Make sure you date the pictures and the reason for the picture, whether it’s a game against White Bear Lake, a scrimmage against Baldwin or your State Tournament.

Get the coaches on the bench giving a pep talk, take a picture of the goalie taking a water break and the dreaded penalty box photo (use this one for blackmail). Scrapbooking these memories are fun and you can get pretty creative with captions for your pictures.

When the day comes that your child graduates from high school and those books are sitting out on the graduation table, you will be able to laugh and reminisce about the great experiences you had during your child’s hockey career. My son will be there in four short years and my scrapbooks will be ready, minus a few pictures of when my camera was left in the car, of course. 

If you know a deserving hockey mom, please nominate them for our “Hockey Mom of the Month.”  To nominate please submit a short essay on why you feel they should be the hockey mom of the month. All monthly winners will receive a Target gift card and be featured in the Hockey Moms USA monthly newsletter and on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.com.

To submit your essay, or to to sign up for the Hockey Moms USA newsletter, simply email us at: hockeymomsusa@yahoo.com.

The post Hockey Moms: Don’t forget the camera appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Wild forward gives back and smiles abound at Hockey Moms USA Camp

Minnesota Hockey Magazine.com joined forces this month with Hockey Moms USA, the Herb Brooks Foundation and special guest instructor Ryan Carter of the Minnesota Wild to provide kids in need with an unforgettable hockey camp experience.

“I was extremely proud to be a part of the camp that Hockey Moms USA put on,” Carter said. “It was refreshing to see the energy the kids had playing the very game I grew up loving.”

Ryan Carter gives instruction to players at the Hockey Moms USA Hockey Camp. (Photo by Scott Tiffany)

Carter headlined a group of local instructors in the three-day Hockey Moms USA Hockey Camp the week of Aug. 10-14 for junior gold, bantam, peewee and squirt aged players at the White Bear Lake Sports Center. Players from Minneapolis, St. Paul Cottage Grove, North St. Paul and White Bear Lake participated along with western Wisconsin skaters from Baldwin, New Richmond and Roberts.

Many of the 60 campers on hand were there thanks to scholarships they received to attend.

“The campers skated hard, but it was hockey at its purest, it was played for fun,” Carter said. “It is a great thing Hockey Moms USA is doing to grow the game of hockey and make it accessible to everyone.”

Becki Boldt, founder of Hockey Moms USA, an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to families wishing to participate in hockey, is proud of success of the inaugural event and thankful for the work done by Carter and fellow staff members Paul Ballis, Kelly Rittenhouse and Pete Schauer.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better first year with the camp,” Boldt said. “I know both the parents and the kids were pleased.”

The camp received donations from DeOdorBox and the White Bear Lake VFW while Shock Doctor, Black Biscuit and Dick’s Sporting Goods made contributions which went into a goodie bag each player received. Lunch was provided to the campers on the final day as well.

“So, not your typical hockey camp, because most hockey camps don’t do that; we wanted to make it special for the kids,” Boldt said. “I’ll be putting together a scrapbook of all the pictures [taken at the camp] for every kid. We took a ton of them.”

Winwell/Warrior and the National Hockey League Players’ Association donated jerseys to the camp.

Minnesota Hockey Magazine.com founder Scott Tiffany was thrilled to be involved with the event and praised Boldt’s work.

“Becki Boldt did an amazing job putting this camp together and getting Ryan Carter to be a part of it,” Tiffany said. “We are looking forward to building out the Hockey Moms USA brand on our website and are looking forward to being a part of the camp next year.”

Carter (back left) and fellow coaches take a moment to enjoy a photo opportunity with camp participants. (Photo by Scott Tiffany)

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