The White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association has cultivated a strong sense of community since its inception in 1968. Generations of hockey players have passed through the historic program-and many of them even return home to their roots to drop off their own children at practice.
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
A Community United by Hockey
"Community is, of course, the main focus," said White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association president Chad Marquardt. "One of the biggest things I’ve noticed getting back involved with the association since my son was born, is we have third generation and potentially fourth generation players in White Bear Lake." Those players can’t help but stay close to the place that helped shape their future.
The White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association consists of five municipalities: White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights, Hugo, Gem Lake and White Bear Township. Interest and registration numbers are constantly growing, which is a testament to the community’s passion for the game.
"Our numbers are up, with the exception of this year with COVID-19," Marquardt said. "Even so, our retention rate was very good, which speaks volumes that our players want to play hockey. No matter what, they want to play the sport they love. They just have a passion for hockey."
Read also: Learn about Chisago Lakes Hockey
Developing Talent and Shaping Futures
"We have a long history of sending our players to the next level," Marquardt said. "Many of them have gone on to play college hockey as well as in the professional ranks. We have 2007 Stanley Cup winner and current FSN analyst Ryan Carter as an alum."
“Ryan grew up in White Bear and still resides in White Bear. We’ve also got local business owners that grew up here-that live here and earn a living here. It’s just a really neat community. It’s a special place to play hockey.”
Growing the Game: Focus on Girls' Hockey
Marquardt is especially pleased to see the association’s girls’ hockey program numbers back on the rise. "It’s had its peaks and valleys, as many have over the past 15-20 years," Marquardt said. "But we’re really focusing on growing our girls’ program so that we can have several teams at each level."
The Challenge of Ice Time
Thanks to a steady increase in numbers every year, the White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association is constantly in need of ice. "It’s a good and very hectic problem to have," Marquardt said. "We have to do a lot of careful thinking. Equality is key in a hockey association of this size. It’s equity across the table, which is great and the way it should be."
The association utilizes multiple sheets of ice throughout the area, and is currently working on projects to potentially expand its opportunities for ice time. Younger skaters in the association have the opportunity to skate at the Hippodrome Ice Arena-the oldest ice arena within the Twin Cities metro area still in operation.
Read also: Hockey in Alaska: An Overview
"The kids love to skate at the Hippodrome," Marquardt said. "There’s just so much history there. We’re working on some projects to bring a lot of that history back to the Hippodrome and showcasing it in art displays and things like that. We’re really trying to make that history known, because it’s a very passionate history."
The Eveleth Hippodrome
Though it’s not a full regulation-sized rink, the Hippodrome is a beloved sheet of ice that’s been around since 1926-making it a popular venue for skaters.
"There’s never an hour of ice available at the Hippodrome," Marquardt said. "It’s the most coveted of our rinks because of the fact that it is far cheaper to rent. Our school district has never demanded to make a profit. They only look to break even. They are a tremendous asset."
Giving Back to the Community
One of the strongest assets for the association is support from the community. "What really helps our association is our charitable gambling, and that goes right back into our association," Marquardt said. "Whether that’s paying for ice bills-or recently we did a renovation project with the city of White Bear Lake and the White Bear Lake Sports Center. So we try to make our hockey as affordable as possible."
Through charitable gambling, the association has also been able to not only help cover ice rental time and rink improvements, but also player development coaching opportunities.
Read also: Features of Custom Hockey Gloves
"Our community is just unbelievable generous," Marquardt said. "Hockey is kind of the lifeline of White Bear sports, and our community is wonderful at supporting it. We understand that, and we’re always telling our players and parents to give back to those businesses. It’s a reciprocal that we’ve always had."
Building Respect On and Off the Ice
The White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association knows that in order to be successful on the ice and thrive as an association, kids have to put in the effort in the classroom. "We really push for school to be first," Marquardt said. "We have a lot of our coaches that push for making the grades in order to play, and that bleeds all the way up to our high school programs."
That commitment breeds a quality that Marquardt says is one of the most important. "Respect," Marquardt said. "That comes from our coaches, our parents and our volunteers as a whole.
The White Bear Lake Braves
The White Bear Lake Braves are a team of the East Metro Hockey League, where they have played as a charter member since the league's inaugural 1971-72 season. The Braves name comes from an old legend about how the city of White Bear Lake got its name.
The story goes that a Chippewa brave fell in love with a Sioux maiden, the daughter of their Chief. Upon learning of her father's plans to wage war on the Chippewa tribe, she ran to her lover to warn him of the attack. Upon hearing the maiden's warning, the Chippewa brave went to the Sioux village alone, asking the Chief for peace and for his daughter's hand in marriage.
The young brave would not have to wait long for his opportunity; one day, as the brave went to meet his lover at their typical meeting place on Manitou Island, he saw her being attacked by a great white bear. After the Chippewa brave dashed to the Sioux maiden's rescue to set her free, she alerted her father and the rest of the Sioux to assist the brave. When they returned, they found the brave had sunk his knife into the great white bear, upon which they both fell to the ground dead.
White Bear Lake has used Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" as their entrance song since 1982. The Braves' archrivals are the Maplewood Retrievers, against whom they compete for The Wooden Barrel, decided by the winner of each season series (or, when the season series is tied, who scored more goals between the two teams). Currently, the Retrievers hold the Barrel, having won it back in 1983 and holding it the following six years.
Team Achievements
The White Bear Lake Braves have had several notable achievements throughout their history. Here's a summary of some of their playoff results:
- Won Knockout Round (South St. Paul) 4-2
- Lost Second Round (St.
- Knockout Round Bye
- Won First Round (La Crosse) 3-2
- Lost Second Round (South St.
- Won First Round (St. Louis Park) 4-1
- Won Second Round (South St.
- Won First Round (Bloomington) 2-1
- Lost Second Round (St.
- Won First Round (Mound) 5-3
- Won Second Round (St.
- Knockout Round Bye
- Won First Round (Anoka) 3-1
- Lost Second Round (West St.
East Metro Hockey League Teams
The East Metro Hockey League consists of several teams, including:
- Little Canada Canucks
- Mahtomedi Polars
- Maplewood Retrievers
- North St.
- Brainerd Lumberjacks
- Cold Spring Springers
- Little Falls Pilots
- Mora Dalecarlians
- Princeton Brickmakers
- Sartell Spiders
- Sauk Rapids Bulldogs
- St. Cloud Bearcats
- St. Cloud Storm
- St.
tags: #wbl #hockey #association