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WHY THE MINNESOTA WAY IS THE BY AARON PAITICH "Great moments are born from great opportunities." That famous line came from the late great St. Paul native, Herb Brooks. Although he may have been speaking to a bunch of college kids prior to the Miracle on Ice in 1980, the meaning of it can be applied and directly traced back to the hockey culture here in Minnesota. It's no surprise we continue to consistently produce Olympians—the best hockey players in the world. But why? Community equals opportunity. Minnesota Hockey's age-old communitybased model provides more opportunities 10 for kids to play, learn and love the game. The numbers don't lie—it works. There are 143 total men and women that have played Olympic hockey. This year, the State of Hockey will proudly add 11 more to the list. "We are extremely proud of the Minnesota women and men named to the U.S. Olympic team and wish them the best at Sochi," says Minnesota Hockey President Dave Margenau. "Our community-based model affords the opportunity for the greatest number of individuals to develop a passion for the game and achieve the highest level of competition, a testament to the thousands of coaches, officials and administrators who make this possible." MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // FEBRUARY.2014 Former Olympic captain Natalie Darwitz knows how unique and successful the culture is. "Minnesota has been able to consistently produce Olympians as there are the resources in the State of Hockey that provide an opportunity for hockey players to thrive and develop more than any other state," says Darwitz, a product of the Eagan Hockey Association and current head coach of the Lakeville South High School girls' hockey team. Play for Your Town But it's not just us that recognize the benefits of community-based hockey. Quinnipiac surged to the NCAA Frozen Four last season with four Minnesota natives on the roster. In a video interview with Connecticut Hockey, head coach Rand Pecknold praised Minnesota's community-based structure. PHOTO COUURTESY OF USA HOCKEY/JORDAN DOFFING Ol ympic Way