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2. | We play for our communities. The Minnesota model is unique in this way. We represent our community on the ice and we play with our neighbors, classmates and childhood friends, from Mites through high school. 3. | Minnesota Hockey State Tournaments, the pinnacle of youth sports tournaments. An opportu- nity to represent your community, with your friends, on the big stage, for the right to call yourself a State Champion. 4. | The state high school hockey tournaments, where we cram more than 18,000 people into Xcel Energy Center. The buzz from the girls' and boys' tournaments draws both local and national attention to West 7th Street. The aura surrounding it sends chills down our spine and it is the envy of every high school sporting event across the country. 5. | Instead of dreading winter, hockey allows us to thrive in it. It's the best outdoor activity from December through March and of course the sea- son puts an extra jump in our steps. Nobody embraces winter more than Minnesotans. 6. | The gear. No other sport can match the love hockey players put into their equipment. Whether it's picking out a new pair of wheels or putting the per- fect tape job on your trusted twig, hockey gear can be as unique as the players using it. 7. | It's the talk of the town. At work, at school, in the media, hockey is the A-topic of conversation. We want to talk hockey every day—and we do. Wherever you are, a fellow hockey enthu- siast is nearby. 8. | We believe in miracles. Minnesota was an integral part in the most monumental moment in sports history, the Miracle on Ice, from head coach Herb Brooks on down to the 12 Minnesotans dotting the roster. And don't forget the Forgotten Miracle of 1960, where Team USA, led by Eveleth's John Mayasich and seven other Minnesotans, captured Olympic gold at Squaw Valley for the very first time in USA Hockey history. 9. | It's in our blood. From the age of 4 to 94, hockey is as much a part of our culture as lutefisk, Minnesota Nice and "oh, yeah, you betcha." Your grand- father, mother and brother may have all likely played, along with the majority of your cousins and aunts and uncles. It's a Minnesota family tradition. 10. | We know where the real Hockeytown USA is. Here's to you, Warroad. 11. | Backyard rinks are not uncom- mon. They are a labor of love and an annual ritual for many families. 12. | Creating a Hockey is For Everyone environment. We play the game because we love it. That is, we ALL have the right to play and love it. Females, players of every color—make sure you're doing your part to make it inclusive and inviting to anyone who wants to lace'em up. 13. | The sounds. The sounds of a tape-to-tape pass, skate blades cutting the ice and a ringing post are ther- apeutic to the Minnesotan. There should be a Pandora station or a sleeping CD for hockey sounds. We play for our communities. The Minnesota model is unique in this way. We represent our community on the ice and we play with our neighbors, classmates and childhood friends, from Mites through high school. Photos / MHJ archives, USA Hockey M H J ON L I N E . C O M | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 22 20 REASONS WHY WE PLAY