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DISTRICT: Warriors NICKNAME: M H J ON L I N E . C O M | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 08 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 some- body 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." State of Hockey Spotlight Brainerd of STATE HOCKEY by Elizabeth Boger Photos / Brainerd Amateur Hockey Association HOME ICE: Essentia Health Sports Center 15 2020-21 REGISTRATION NUMBERS: 360 PRESIDENT: Darren Goltz P R E S E N T E D B Y