my hockey blog

Genevieve Lacasse:

Amanda Levielle:

I just love this photo of a 17 year old Marianne Dahlstrøm in 1984. She was on the Norwegian national team from it's first year in 1987 - was named captain - and played her last world championship 21 years later.

But this article is written before all that. Here's a quote:

Marianne is an athlete at a very high level, but there are hardly any other top athlete in Norway who has fewer opportunities of translating their talent into championships, honor, glory, fame and money.

“We may represent different teams, leagues and countries but collectively we stand as one. #ForTheGame”

Words are wind, and this time the brought in a storm that ripped apart hockey fandom and turned us against each other. Now we must rebuild so that the next time wind comes, we stand strong and together.

Warroad, called “Hockeytown USA”, is also noted for its strong hockey tradition. The Warroad High School program has earned four men’s state championship titles (‘94, ‘96, ‘03, ‘05) and two women’s (‘10, ‘11) in the past 20 years, and has produced NHL and Olympic players. No U.S. Hockey Olympic Men’s team has won a gold medal without a player from Warroad on the roster.

And because of Gigi, 50% of the US women’s gold medals, too!

And oh, just FYI:

The Road Through Warroad is a half-hour documentary exploring the town’s programs.

One of the reasons often pulled out for how Warroad works is that ice time is free and you can’t reserve it. If someone else is skating when you want to, you skate with them. 

If you’re good and someone else isn’t, you’re expected to help them. (And you will, because god do you not want to be known as That Asshole in a small Northern town.)

The most talented teens share the ice with toddlers just learning to stand up, little kids get to watch and play pickup with the big kids, and kids of all genders play with and against each other.