Knights Win 40^th and 41^st Games of the season

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. (March 19, 2019) – The NorthStar Christian Academy Knights won their 40^th and 41^st games of the season this past week-end beating Shattuck St. Mary U18 AAA team by scores of 6-1 and 6-2.  The wins, combined with 2 earlier wins against Shattuck in Faribault, MN  back in December, improved the Knights record to 13 wins and 3 losses (2 in overtime) against the top AAA teams (Madison Capitals, Iowa Wild, Sioux Falls Power and Shattuck) in the region.   The Knights overall record improved to 41-10-6, far exceeding all expectations that leadership had for the team’s first season in Alexandria. 

Coach John Olver drawing up a play during the game

Both games saw the Knights jump out to early first period leads and saw the Knights dominate all aspects of the game.  All 3 Knights goalies made key saves when tested, and the defense did a great job at limiting second chance opportunities.  The Knights offensive power and strong systems allowed for sustained offensive pressure that Shattuck could not handle.  The Knights put up 50 plus shots on goal each game while limiting St. Mary’s to under 30 shots in each game.  Key scoring by Knights forwards Jackson Vercellono (3 Goals in 2 games) and Jens Richards (4 Goals in 2 games) led the attack while defenseman Tyler Ryder and John Drury helped set the tone with their physical play.

The Knights wrap up their season with 2 remaining games in Sioux Falls this upcoming week-end. 

Junior Knights forward Connor Kemp became the first Knights player to sign a NAHL tender when he signed with the New Mexico Ice Wolves.  Senior Co Captain Joey Dosan has also received NAHL tender offers but has yet to sign one as he weighs out his options with the Knights coaching staff. 

The Knights expect to have the majority of the roster back for next season as they only lose 5 players due to graduation.  The players will stay in Alexandria to finish up the school year while continuing to work on their skating and stick skills for 90 minutes a day as well as training in the PEAK performance training facility.       

Mission

Jackson Vercellono and Jens Richards account for 7 of 12 goals

The Mission of the NCA Hockey Prep Program is to develop athletes to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ, with a foundation built on spiritual development, academic advancement, and athletic excellence. The vision for the team is to develop athletes who have a transforming impact on their hockey teams, professions, communities and families.

“Success for the Knights will be measured by our players growth on the ice and spiritually,” says Rick Randazzo, Hockey Director for NCA as well as Executive Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Hockey, “We fully believe that our players will improve dramatically on their skating, skill work and team play but also deepening their relationship with Jesus Christ.” Coaches will invest in the players spiritually on a daily basis through team bible studies, one on one mentoring, class work and community service.

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Northstar Christian Academy Knights Win Inaugural NAPHL Prep Championship

News release provided by Rick Randazzo of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

The Northstar Christian Academy Knights won all 5 games at the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) Prep Championship in Troy Michigan over the weekend to secure the 1st ever NAPHL Prep Championship. The Knights won all 8 regular season games and then 5 additional playoff games during the league Championship week-end. These 5 wins extended the Knights unbeaten streak to 25 games (22 wins and 3 ties).

Knights Truett Olson and Jakob Stender

After winning their first 3 preliminary games against St. Rita’s (CA), Lake Tahoe (CA) and Prairie Academy (SK), the semi-finals matched the Knights against the Fountain Valley Hockey School from Colorado. The game was hard fought with the Knights earning a 4-0 win. Key goals from forwards Jens Richards, Ben Casey and a pair from Zach Barros provided the offensive while Camdyn Barber earned the shutout between the pipes.

The finals matched the Knights against the Pilot Mound Buffaloes, a growing hockey Academy in Manitoba. The Knights combination of a powerful offensive and a tough defense was too much for the Buffalo as the Knights dominated in all phases of the game. An early goal by Ben Strinden allowed the Knights to settle in until Connor Kemp scored on a shorthanded breakaway to increase the lead to 2. Alexandria’s Truett Olson added a pair of goals along with Pine City Defenseman Logan Johnson to push the Knights lead to 5-0. Earning the shut out in net for the Knights was goalie Collin Soderholm.

The Knights will stay on the road and play 5 games at the University of Notre Dame this upcoming week-end including a key matchup against the Edge School from Calgary.

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Northstar Christian Academy Shines Bright in Alexandria

When proven leaders unite in a vision and have backers from the NHL, PGA and NFL behind it, great things happen.

Rick Randazzo, Executive Director of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

The Northstar Christian Academy was birthed through the partnership of a few local Alexandria, MN businessmen and FCA Hockey (Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Hockey). Rick Randazzo, Executive Director for FCA Hockey, his wife Shannan, and their five children were nearing the end of powerful 50 State 50 City Tour where they devoted 5 years to investing Christian principles in hockey coaches and athletes all over the country

The 50 State 50 City Tour began in August 2011. Starting in Maine, the Randazzo family spent 30 days in one city per state providing free hockey clinics to those interested. They worked with athletes, coaches, and teams at all levels, and sought to serve physical and spiritual needs of local families. Rick shared, “It’s been remarkable to see how the Lord has used our family to till the soil, get out there, and meet so many people”

In 2015, as the Tour neared its end, they prayed “Lord, now what?” They had a With the vision to create a home for FCA Hockey, a school based on Christian principles, and also a sports complex that could be used for FCA Hockey events, and to impact athletes, coaches, and a local community long-term. They had 5 different cities vying for the home of FCA Hockey to be in their state

In 2016, Alexandria, Minnesota became the home of FCA Hockey, as well as the Northstar Christian Academy (NCA). With local sports heroes like Tom Lehman and Matt Cullen on board early, over 4 million dollars were raised. The school opened adjacent to the Alexandria public High School in 2016.

Soon later, in October 2017, the dream for a sports complex started to become reality. In a large step of faith, the Northstar Group broke ground in October 2017 on the Northstar Sports Complex

Randazzo recalls praying on September 18, 2017, with Gary Steffes, a former pro hockey player who serves full time on staff with FCA Hockey, on flat land. “We prayed for a building, an arena, and a boy’s hockey team here in Alexandria, MN that could be skating inside a new building.

To say this was really something that would require divine help was an understatement. Funds still had to be raised for the Northstar Sports Complex, sanctioning was needed from USA and Minnesota Hockey, acceptance into a league, and a complete team of coaches and players all in less than a year, all committing to play for a team in a league that was unknown and in a rink that was yet to be built

One year later, miraculously, it happened

On October 4th, 2017 the Sports Complex broke ground. Today, over 7 million of the necessary $8.1 million dollars have been raised and the Sports Complex is nearly completely constructed. According to Randazzo, the 70,000-square-foot facility includes a field house, hockey rink and chapel on a 40-acre campus, with space for expansion

PGA Champion and Player of the Year Tom Lehman says, “I am incredibly excited to se the Sports Complex come alive in my hometown of Alexandria, Minnesota as I know it will impact so many Coaches and Athletes across the country. FCA in Alexandria has a special place in my heart and I look forward to being a part of this project for years to come.

Matt Cullen, a multiple time NHL Hockey Stanley Cup Champion, expressed “I am very excited to see the Sports Complex become a reality here in my home state of Minnesota. It will have a huge impact on both players and coaches through the Midwest by providing opportunities in sports, all while promoting the core values of FCA. The thought of having a first-class facility here for kids to grow in their athletics and faith together is really exciting and something I look forward to becoming a part of when my playing days are over”.

During the past year, the NCA Knights Prep Hockey Program was also launched. USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey sanctioned the program in February. The newly formed NAHL Prep League, which calls itself “a premier training ground for the development and exposure of high school, Prep and Academy teams throughout North America” accepted the NCA Knights for the 2018-19 season. John Olver, who has 35 years of professional, collegiate and junior coaching experience, accepted the position as head coach, and a full roster of athletes was finalized.

Miraculously, on September 19, 2018, literally a year to the day, Rick, Gary, and members of the Northstar program stepped onto fresh ice, in the new Northstar Sports Complex, with a team of twenty-two players from eleven different states present to play for the first Northstar Knights Prep Hockey Team.

In an interview with the Echo, local Alexandria Cardinals head coach Ian Resch commented, “I know community members are concerned about the impact the Academy will have on our high school program. Personally, I am not concerned. Players and families are looking for the program that best fits their needs.” Resch took his team all the way to the High School boys’ Class A championship game last year, finishing second, after a loss to Orono.

The vision has become reality. The Northstar Christian Academy and Northstar Sports Complex are established. The facilities will be national headquarters to FCA Hockey and a place for many athletes and coaches at all levels of hockey, football, soccer, softball, baseball, and golf to grow spiritually, and physically.

This October will mark the historic Grand Opening of the Northstar Sports Complex. The Northstar Group and FCA Hockey would love to invite everyone interested to come join us for the celebration. The event will begin at 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 14, 2018. There are many lodging options in Alexandria, Minnesota. Please contact Gary Steffes at gsteffes@fca.org for questions

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