Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/788661
24 story was, about five or six years ago I had a conversation with Greg Gartner. It was during the season and Greg looked at me and said, 'You know, we really should have Hockey Day in Stillwater.' I said, 'Yeah, you know, it would be pretty cool.' We started talking about it. We took a vision, we took an idea. It was on the back of a bar napkin. When it was all completed, it was not just a hockey game, it was a community event that was represented by over 300-plus vol- unteers, the city planning commis- sion, the mayor and the key people like Tony Novalany, who was the project manager that basically ran this whole Hockey Day Minnesota to a level of success that has now become a standard, that was never seen before. I can't even tell you how proud I am of the community. MHJ // After all of it, what was it like watching your son out there playing with Stillwater High School to culminate the whole event? TS // It was a level of fulfillment, pride and understanding that when you put your heart into something, you can really be suc- cessful. As a community and as a parent, I don't know if there will be many days in my life where I can feel that fulfilled. Now, Stillwater didn't win the game, but it was really fulfilling to see your child get out there and do this, and experience this. All the kids; I've known all these kids since they were young. We've coached them. Scott Bjugstad and I coached these kids since they were in Squirts. To watch these kids out there on the ice, the 15 seniors, and to be a part of this spectacle, it was pretty cool. MHJ // Going through it yourself and now watching your kids, why is hockey so influential in a kid's life on and off the ice? TS // I think what it comes down to is kids have so many decisions that they have to make. Some of these decisions are life-long deci- sions. When I say that, I mean you hope when your kid is 14, 15 years old that they make the right decisions and they hang out with the right crowd of kids. And they do the right things when it comes to school work, and they do the right things when it comes to deci- sions away from school or away from the rink. I think what hockey does, just like any other sport, is it gives you the ability to build self-esteem. You get out, you learn the game, you learn the strategy, you learn the structure of listening to a coach, and you learn if you execute properly, you can win. And when you do that successfully, then what happens is it builds your self-esteem. When they build that self-esteem, they have the ability to say no to the distractions that can create problems in their life, whether it be drugs or alcohol or different situations. I think the kids that really stay in the game, they stay focused and they understand accountability. Those kids become successful. Hockey only lasts so long, but it can teach you so many good things that are life-long. A lot of that is character, a lot of that is commitment, focus, and all of those things you use later in life when you're contribut- ing to society through a full-time job or raising a family or being a part of a community. I think a lot of those things are learned within a locker room and on the ice with your team. M I N N E S OTA H O C K E YJ O U R N A L . CO M // MARCH.2017 PHOTO: JIM ROSVOLD THE HOCKEY EFFECT ABOVE: Sagissor plays with Badger alums to kick off Hockey Day 2017 events. HOCKEY ONLY LASTS SO LONG, BUT IT CAN TEACH YOU SO MANY GOOD THINGS THAT ARE LIFE LONG. HOW YOUTH HOCKEY SHAPES COMMUNITY LEADERS 1990 A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON TOM SAGISSOR WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AS A WISCONSIN BADGER 5 TH Round draft pick by the Montreal Canadiens Tom is active in the city of STILLWATER and hockey community SAGISSOR SITS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR: Ronald McDonald House—Twin Cities & the Herb Brooks Foundation Spent one season playing for the Ljubljana Dragons in SLOVENIA