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The state of Wisconsin girls' hockey

By Michael Trzinski, WiPH Staff, 04/25/16, 10:00PM CDT

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Badger State girls are runners-up to guess who?

Last weekend the CCM NIT girls champion was crowned at the Braemar Ice Arena in Edina. The team beat its arch-rival on Saturday and Sunday to earn the championship trophy for the fourth time in six years.

Unfortunately, that team did not have the word 'Wisconsin' on its sweaters.

The Minnesota Seniors put an old-fashioned whoopin' on the girls from Wisco both days, winning by 4-0 and 7-2 tallies, respectively.

After winning back-to-back titles in the NIT the past two years, perhaps TW decided to let Minnesota win this year. 

Or maybe it was that Minnesota was just the better team.

In watching both Minnesota teams compete with the Badger State girls, a couple things were obvious.

One, on average, the Minnesota players were faster and quicker skaters. Wisconsin has a half-dozen superior skaters, but almost to a girl, the Minnesota skaters were a half-stride faster and had enough 'separation' quickness to make a difference.

Two, seemingly every Minnesota pass was tape-to-tape and was caught in stride by the flying forward. Wisconsin players were not quite as proficient, which can be expected when a team plays in an 'all-star game' with players that aren't used to each other's moves.

I've brought this up before and I think it is a valid point, but probably every Minnesota player is a second- or third-generation player.

What exactly does that mean?

Well, the girl came out of the womb with baby-baked Bauers on her tiny feet and instead of a pacifier, she was sucking on a mouthguard. Dad probably played the movie Miracle over and over during the pregnancy, with an earbud tucked into mom's belly button so the kid wouldn't miss a word.

In addition, once the kid is old enough to skate, she is force-fed hockey instruction on a daily basis by grandpa, dad, and both big brothers.

How many Wisconsin kids are third-generation players? Some, I'm sure, but not all.

Not like those hockey-crazed fanatics from the Gopher State.

Minnesota has nearly four times more HS teams than Wisconsin (116-33) and has many more feeder teams as well. 

You know how an organization is happy to have a U12 and a U14 team? Well in Minnesota, they most likely have a U8, U10, U12, and U14 team.

We are at a big disadvantage and have to fight hard to catch up. And with hockey rapidly becoming a 'rich man's sport,' I fear that our player numbers are going to drop off as time goes on.

What can we do?

Something has to be done to keep player fees lower and we need to get more kids into the sport at an earlier age, perhaps by offering free gear rental for a year or two, just to try the sport out without risking financial ruin.

I know that some associations already do this, but we need to see more of it. I think the NHL Players Association Goals and Dreams program still offers grant money for stuff like this. We need to take advantage of that.

Two, we need more high-level coaching all through the feeder programs.

In some cases, the coach of a youth team is one of the moms or dads who read a hockey book or two on coaching. Nothing against that, but Minnesota coaches (for the most part) are all former HS or college players.

They have much more expertise on the matter.

Wisconsin has some very good coaches in the girls ranks, including Dave Witting, Mike Cowan, and Mike Sullivan.

We just need to attract more coaches like these men, who bleed Badger Red. I commend and admire these guys—we just need another dozen or so like them to lead our teams.

Yes, Wisconsin has done well in both the NIT and America's Showcase, but the point is, we can do better.

It was really hard for me watching Minnesota put the hurt on our ladies this weekend. I'm not used to seeing our top players taking the runner-up spot.

Maybe next year we can return the favor...