State of Hockey Spotlight: Brainerd

Get to know the Brainerd Hockey Association

By: Elizabeth Boger

WHY THEY’RE AWESOME

Nestled in the heart of central Minnesota, the Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association is a home for anyone who wants to lace their skates and shoot the puck.

“We have an immense amount of care and compassion for all of our members,” said Jim Brau, Executive Director of the Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association. “Every single one of them matters to us. We have a spot for everybody.”

But to ensure everyone can play, leaders in Brainerd knew they needed to address a key element of the game. Like so many other programs around the country, it’s been a challenge to find referees.

“We knew we needed to get in front of it and do everything we possibly could to get kids in,” Brau said. “We know that if we don’t have enough officials, we can’t play the games.”

Instead of sitting back and hoping the problem would fix itself, officials in Brainerd stepped up and took matters into their own hands—forming the Central Lakes Hockey Referee Association in the 2020-21 season.

The Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association supports and partners with the CLHRA, which provides scheduling, training and support for both officials in its association and officials in central Minnesota.

“It’s really just making sure that that youngest official knows there’s somebody out there helping,” Brau said. “Somebody who’s making sure that they’re in the right spot, making the right call and just helping guide them as the next generation of officials—to give them confidence and training.”

Though still in its infancy, the CLHRA has already started making waves and has helped recruit a handful of new, young officials.

PROMOTING OFFICIATING

While Brau has been pleased to see more kids interested in officiating, he knows that’s only half the battle.

“It’s absolutely huge to us to not only recruit officials, but to retain them,” Brau said.

All are welcome to attend informational meetings and open houses to learn more about officiating. For anyone that wants to make the jump and put on the stripes, they’re welcomed with open arms.

“There’s a lot of camaraderie,” Brau said. “It’s really a tight-knit group. They really promote getting off your phone, communicating with your fellow referee and discussing the game.”

Brau believes that officiating experience is valuable for a successful future in hockey, and in life.

“I think it makes you a better hockey player because you see the game from a different level and a different vantage point,” Brau said. “It also teaches kids to interact with coaches and adults. That’s helpful down the road, to be able to communicate with their professors and go to job interviews.”

Starting this season, the CLHRA and the Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association are hoping to remove some cost barriers of getting started, by providing a few helmets or referee jerseys that kids can borrow. While anyone can become a referee, they are required to pass a test.

It can seem daunting at first, but Brau wants newcomers to feel encouraged that they’ll receive support and training.

“They will know so much about that rule book,” Brau said. “It’s three quarters of an inch thick and you have to pass tests to become a referee. It teaches them preparation and it builds a work ethic. It teaches them the value of a dollar because they’re out there getting paid.”

GROWING THE GIRLS’ PROGRAM

As Brainerd continues to cultivate interest in officiating, it’s also focused on growing its girls’ hockey program.

Especially in recent years, the association has witnessed an uptick in girls joining the program. During the 2019-20 season, Brainerd had 11 girls at the 8U level. The following season, in 2020-21, there were 38 girls playing at that same level.

“Likely due to COVID-19, a lot of people moved up here to the cabin, or could work from home at the cabin, and they slowly joined our program,” Brau said. “For the first time ever, we had multiple female coaches at the 8U level, which never happens. Some of those coaches even had experience playing at the collegiate level. It’s amazing.”

Brau also credits the Brainerd High School girls’ team with helping to increase participation at the youth level. Former coach Jack Freeman made sure the older girls were involved at the youth level— whether stopping in to watch part of a game or offering words of encouragement.

That impact has gone a long way, and the association hopes to keep trending upward in welcoming new faces.

“We really put an emphasis and a focus on it,” Brau said. “It’s really special to see the success we have with the girls. We have two banners at the high school level hanging in the rafters, and they’re both from our girls.”

SETTING A FOUNDATION

The hockey culture in Brainerd is largely focused on preparing kids for the future.

“It goes back to teaching life lessons along the way,” Brau said. “Hockey can teach you so many life lessons, like problem-solving, teamwork and communication. We want you to be well-rounded young men and women.”

But at the end of the day, the association wants to ensure that kids are out there having fun.

“We want this to be the best part of their day—when they walk into this building to play hockey,” Brau said