Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/774246
Our biggest goal is we want the kids to have a memorable, fun experience and just enjoy being at the rink." FEBRUARY.2017 // MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM 07 LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS A big part of Alexandria's success is its girls' program, which is thriving. "We do treat our girls as 100 percent equals to the boys," Severson said. "They get just as many opportunities as far as ice time, what program- ming we provide for them, the focus, once again, on those girls having fun at the rink. And just overall improvement from the beginning of the season to the end of the season." While equal treatment is important, AAHA does make a special effort to keep the girls coming back by splitting the beginner clinic into a boys and a girls group. When they're first learning the game and learn- ing to skate, they give the girls their own environ- ment so they aren't intimidated by the boys. But once the season starts, the Mites are mixed in together. "We put a focus on that beginner clinic and saw those numbers grow," Severson said. "Our girls' program is flourishing, so that's really exciting." ONE HOCKEY COMMUNITY Alexandria's hockey community goes beyond the association. All teams in the town work together to have fun and help develop new players. Both boys' and girls' high school teams, as well as the local junior team—the Alexandria Blizzard—help coach youth teams and serve as role models for the young players. Additionally for the girls' high school squad, the association asks these players to adopt a team. Each player picks a team for the season and is expected to go to practices and a certain amount of games, giving the young girls role models to look up to and to form bonds through the game of hockey. A community initiative has also made it easy for the youth players to attend high school games. The Friends of Hockey group has partnered up with the high school and pays admission for home games for all youth hockey players to attend for free. "All the kids have to do is wear their jersey to the game," Severson said. "It just adds excitement to our association." All these efforts within the Alexandria community only foster a stronger focus within the association. Despite the different teams that make up the association, they're all one. "One thing we've also really pushed this year is that we are all Cardinal hockey players," Severson said. "We all skate with the same logo on our chest. In the big scheme of things, we're all on the same team; we are all one." "Alexandria's adopt- a-team program has brought excitement to the association— and the players in it."