With the impending disappearance of the penny, perhaps we will have to do away with this axiom, or change it to my two nickels, maybe even dollars. Inflation has its effect on everything, I guess.

 About a month ago it became obvious that the pop-up ads being displayed on the Wisconsin Prep Hockey website were intolerable. They were preventing you from accessing information on the site. The decision was made to 86 the ads as a courtesy to our readers. However, in doing so we said good-bye to a fairly substantial chunk of revenue. As a staff we turned to two options to try and make up for the lost income. One was in kind donations from our generous and devoted readers and two were encouraging each team represented on the site to find a team page sponsor.

 Those two options have moved us toward the finish line but have stalled short of the goal. Those of you that stepped forward, thank you for your support. We do realize that the timing of this request was not ideal with Christmas approaching. It’s the season where time and finances can both be in short supply.

 Taking that into consideration, we have decided to extend our self-imposed deadline on the No Pop-up Ad campaign through the end of January. We want to do everything we can between now and then to raise the funds needed and keep those ads from returning. We are confident in achieving our goal.

 There is irony in the timing of this issue. If you haven’t ever heard of George Baumann, please take a few minutes to read my latest on his Wisconsin high school hockey legacy. George was the hard copy version of WiPH before there was an internet. He was the publishing pioneer with a typewriter and a roll of stamps. For 24 years he was the caretaker of high school hockey here in Wisconsin. His passion for the sport and his dedication was unmatched.

 As I walked down memory lane with George a couple of months ago, I was motivated by the tremendous commitment he made to high school hockey. I had also witnessed it firsthand, through the eyes of a coach back then, and admittedly took for granted the insane amount of time he put into HSHR.

 George’s High School Hockey Report, like WiPH wasn’t designed to make a huge profit. Both are labor’s of love that exist primarily for the enjoyment of the readers and recognition for the athletes. Unlike days gone by, there is little local coverage available for many teams. Sadly, newspapers seem to be headed down the same path as typewriters and dinosaurs. We want to continue to try and fill that void.

 Bill Berg Sr, who along with his son Bill Berg, Jr, and MJ Hammett are the main architects of WiPH. They have made it quite clear that this site, as long as they are in control, will never come with a subscription or as we call it today, a paywall. That decision, which I agree with, required us to pivot in a different direction. And that road led us to you, the readers of WiPH.

 Team Page Sponsors

Donations will continue to be accepted, but we want you to consider that other option. All the 112 WIAA high school teams in the state have a team page on our site. It is where schedules, rosters and statistics are found for every team. Each team page has advertising space for multiple team sponsors. Currently we have 19 teams with local sponsors. A sponsorship is $100, and is renewable each November 1st.

 If every team on the site were to find a local business or their own booster club to sponsor their team page, our No Pop-Up Ad campaign would reach its financial and final destination. If your business fits that mold and you are interested in sponsoring your team’s page, contact us today and we will get the ball rolling.

You can contact me at; drbauer13@gmail.com

Lastly, I am personally having a blast covering games across the state and finding feature stories of players, coaches and programs that deserve recognition. It filled a huge void for me that opened when my coaching career was cancelled. I am currently working on stories about the fine art of officiating high school hockey and the tremendous rise of the Beaver Dam girl’s program. If you have a story of interest, please let me know.

 Again, thank you to all who already stepped forward with donations and team page sponsorships. A special thank you to American Family Insurance-Jason Lassen Agency, Cwench Hydration, the Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association’s and the St. Croix Valley Fusion Booster Club for their generous support.

 Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season. I hope to see you at the Culver’s Cup in Madison or the WiPH Holiday Classic in Hayward!

 I’m the guy still brave enough to wear a Blackhawk’s hat!

Dan Bauer is a free-lance writer, retired teacher & hockey coach in Wausau, WI. You can contact him at drbauer13@gmail.com.