Jim Hoey was born and raised in the tiny Iron Range community of Taconite and graduated from Greenway High School. After playing for the Raiders in three state tournaments, he then matriculated to St. Mary's University in Winona, where he captained the team in his senior season. Hoey spent 34 years as a secondary social studies teacher and was head hockey coach at both Shakopee and Farmington High Schools. For 10 years, he covered high school sports writing for the Farmington Independent and the Rosemount Town Pages. After writing his first book on the Minnesota Twins, Hoey published "Puck Heaven", a trivia book on the state boys high school hockey tournament in 2011.
