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Photos / Egor Biestuzheva, Cecilia Teeuwen
Margo Biestuzheva,
the newest member
of the Minneapolis
Hockey Association.
AST FEBRUARY, the
world watched as Russia
invaded Ukraine. Global
support for Ukraine
emerged in acts both big
and small. Individuals
displayed the Ukrainian
flag at their homes, and
entire countries opened their
borders to refugees.
And here in Minnesota, the Minneapolis
Hockey Association showed up for one
Ukrainian family in a uniquely Minnesotan
way—working together to help 9-year-old
Margo Biestuzheva join her community
hockey team.
"We're all watching disasters going on
all around the world, Ukraine being chief
among them," says Minneapolis Storm 8U
girls' coach Drew Wood. "So when Margo
came to us saying she wanted to play hockey,
getting her geared up and registered was lit-
erally the least we could do."
TRYING SOMETHING NEW
The Minneapolis Hockey Association has
several recruitment efforts intended to make
hockey more welcoming, says Lori Bois,
Team Managers Director. One way the asso-
ciation does this is by delivering flyers with
league information and free opportunities
to the schools throughout the city. The hope
M H J O N L I N E . C O M | J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3
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Minneapolis Hockey Association welcomes
Ukrainian family with open arms
IESTUZHEVA'S
RAVERY
b y K E L S E Y H A N S O N
