Way to go Mark!!!!!

[TTpuckster]

As Elvis would say:

Thank you very much...Thank you very much..

Also...Hats off to those Twin City "Powers"
Much appreciated.

Article in the Grand Forks Herald today...

Youth hockey: Rallying together
Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald
Published Sunday, July 06, 2008
The news that Tony Dorn Jr. received April 27 was both disappointing and bizarre, he thought.

Although Thief River Falls was deemed fit to host Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and the World Junior Championship by the IIHF just three years ago, the city was getting the Minnesota state Bantam A tournament taken away.

“It caught us by surprise,” said Dorn, president of the TRF Amateur Hockey Association.

RELATED CONTENT
Brad Elliott Schlossman Archive
Minnesota Hockey voted 17-7 — narrowly receiving the two-thirds majority it needed — to change all A-level youth state tournaments to the immediate metro Twin Cities area.

The idea was to have five state tournaments going on at the same time with all of the championship games in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.

Area youth hockey officials say they were surprised and upset over the results of the vote, and throughout the next two months they rallied behind Bemidji’s Mark Elliott to get the vote rescinded.

It was a process that involved heated discussions, and it caused a split among directors in Minnesota Hockey.

“This was the most difficult thing with hockey that I’ve ever done,” said Elliott, the District 16 director who has been with the organization for 17 years. “I made some enemies out of it, but I don’t care. They weren’t very good friends or acquaintances anyway, and they weren’t doing the right thing for the kids.”

The idea

Proponents for the one-site tournament say there are several benefits.

It would give some youth hockey players a chance to play in an NHL arena, sponsorship opportunities could arise and television was a possibility.

“Please understand that the idea for a one-site event was generated as an opportunity for our youth,” Minnesota Hockey wrote in a release.

Local officials disagreed, though. Many of them said they didn’t even know there was going to be a vote on the issue when the organization met April 27 in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

“None of us from the local association really knew anything about it,” Dorn said. “We didn’t know it was an option. We found out after the spring meetings that it (the change) was on.”

Dorn and Thief River Falls had the most to lose initially. The town was scheduled to host the 2009 Bantam A tournament, but the vote called for all state tournaments starting this spring to be moved.

“They were not only shocked but also dismayed,” Elliott said. “They had known for a while that they were going to get this opportunity. They were putting in hours to get ready, doing the job they were supposed to. Then, to be told that you’re not going to get that opportunity. . . . it’s very upsetting.

“All of the sudden they get slapped in the face by an organization they send a lot of money to be a part of.”

Rallying for change

Elliott led the charge in pushing for the vote to get rescinded.

He represented not only Thief River Falls in the fight, Dorn said, but all of outstate Minnesota.

His argument had a few key points.

First, he believes that when smaller communities host state tournaments, the spotlight is on the players. They get lost in the shuffle in the Twin Cities, Elliott says.

Dorn referred to a recent state tournament that Warroad hosted. It had a banquet with former NHLers Henry Boucha and Dave Christian present to speak to the athletes.

They also point out that the major driving force behind Minnesota Hockey’s effort to make it a one-site tournament is the Xcel Center games, which only finalists would be able to compete in. . . . and even that wasn’t a certainty.

“They were running into road blocks with the (Minnesota) Wild,” Elliott said.

East Grand Forks Parks and Recreation director Dave Aker said it’s also a big thing for smaller communities — not only financially.

“We want to be able to show off our facilities and hospitality in this area,” Aker said. “It’s a positive thing for us.”

Revote

After many e-mails and heated discussions, there was a revote last weekend.

Because they had lost the last vote, Elliott and his backers needed the two-thirds margin to get tournaments back to outstate communities.

They got it with a resounding 20-3 vote.

“The other thing that I think opened the eyes of some on the executive board,” Elliott said, “was that a group of Bantam A powers in the Twin Cities told Thief to still hold their tournament and they would go there instead of state.”

Elliott doesn’t believe that this is the end of it. He expects the executive board to try to put together a better package for the one-site tournament.

For now, though, he’s pleased with the results, despite the headaches that came along with his campaign.

“I went through a lot of junk down there that no volunteer should have to go through,” Elliott said. “I was called names, called a liar, got funny looks, had people ignore me, and at no time was an apology ever offered.

“But that’s what the people sent me down there to do. I’m happy with the way things came out. I didn’t like being treated that way, but we’ve got guys in the Middle East getting treated a lot worse to give us the chance to argue about little things.”

Reach Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com.

[Jimbo99]

As Elvis would say:

Thank you very much...Thank you very much..

Also...Hats off to those Twin City "Powers"
Much appreciated.

Article in the Grand Forks Herald today...

Youth hockey: Rallying together
Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald
Published Sunday, July 06, 2008
The news that Tony Dorn Jr. received April 27 was both disappointing and bizarre, he thought.

Although Thief River Falls was deemed fit to host Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and the World Junior Championship by the IIHF just three years ago, the city was getting the Minnesota state Bantam A tournament taken away.

“It caught us by surprise,” said Dorn, president of the TRF Amateur Hockey Association.

RELATED CONTENT
Brad Elliott Schlossman Archive
Minnesota Hockey voted 17-7 — narrowly receiving the two-thirds majority it needed — to change all A-level youth state tournaments to the immediate metro Twin Cities area.

The idea was to have five state tournaments going on at the same time with all of the championship games in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.

Area youth hockey officials say they were surprised and upset over the results of the vote, and throughout the next two months they rallied behind Bemidji’s Mark Elliott to get the vote rescinded.

It was a process that involved heated discussions, and it caused a split among directors in Minnesota Hockey.

“This was the most difficult thing with hockey that I’ve ever done,” said Elliott, the District 16 director who has been with the organization for 17 years. “I made some enemies out of it, but I don’t care. They weren’t very good friends or acquaintances anyway, and they weren’t doing the right thing for the kids.”

The idea

Proponents for the one-site tournament say there are several benefits.

It would give some youth hockey players a chance to play in an NHL arena, sponsorship opportunities could arise and television was a possibility.

“Please understand that the idea for a one-site event was generated as an opportunity for our youth,” Minnesota Hockey wrote in a release.

Local officials disagreed, though. Many of them said they didn’t even know there was going to be a vote on the issue when the organization met April 27 in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

“None of us from the local association really knew anything about it,” Dorn said. “We didn’t know it was an option. We found out after the spring meetings that it (the change) was on.”

Dorn and Thief River Falls had the most to lose initially. The town was scheduled to host the 2009 Bantam A tournament, but the vote called for all state tournaments starting this spring to be moved.

“They were not only shocked but also dismayed,” Elliott said. “They had known for a while that they were going to get this opportunity. They were putting in hours to get ready, doing the job they were supposed to. Then, to be told that you’re not going to get that opportunity. . . . it’s very upsetting.

“All of the sudden they get slapped in the face by an organization they send a lot of money to be a part of.”

Rallying for change

Elliott led the charge in pushing for the vote to get rescinded.

He represented not only Thief River Falls in the fight, Dorn said, but all of outstate Minnesota.

His argument had a few key points.

First, he believes that when smaller communities host state tournaments, the spotlight is on the players. They get lost in the shuffle in the Twin Cities, Elliott says.

Dorn referred to a recent state tournament that Warroad hosted. It had a banquet with former NHLers Henry Boucha and Dave Christian present to speak to the athletes.

They also point out that the major driving force behind Minnesota Hockey’s effort to make it a one-site tournament is the Xcel Center games, which only finalists would be able to compete in. . . . and even that wasn’t a certainty.

“They were running into road blocks with the (Minnesota) Wild,” Elliott said.

East Grand Forks Parks and Recreation director Dave Aker said it’s also a big thing for smaller communities — not only financially.

“We want to be able to show off our facilities and hospitality in this area,” Aker said. “It’s a positive thing for us.”

Revote

After many e-mails and heated discussions, there was a revote last weekend.

Because they had lost the last vote, Elliott and his backers needed the two-thirds margin to get tournaments back to outstate communities.

They got it with a resounding 20-3 vote.

“The other thing that I think opened the eyes of some on the executive board,” Elliott said, “was that a group of Bantam A powers in the Twin Cities told Thief to still hold their tournament and they would go there instead of state.”

Elliott doesn’t believe that this is the end of it. He expects the executive board to try to put together a better package for the one-site tournament.

For now, though, he’s pleased with the results, despite the headaches that came along with his campaign.

“I went through a lot of junk down there that no volunteer should have to go through,” Elliott said. “I was called names, called a liar, got funny looks, had people ignore me, and at no time was an apology ever offered.

“But that’s what the people sent me down there to do. I’m happy with the way things came out. I didn’t like being treated that way, but we’ve got guys in the Middle East getting treated a lot worse to give us the chance to argue about little things.”

Reach Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com.

Awesome! Thank you Mr. Elliott!!

[D16Dad]

Great Job Mark

[whockeyguy]

and for his efforts, MN Hockey wants him to resign, UNBELIAVABLE

[my2cents]

I'd like to buy him a cold one.

[flyingV]

Thanks to Mark for standing up for what he believes in and for the outstate, and for all his hours of dedication to the kids and the sport. Hopefully he remains with MN Hockey.

[Puckguy19]

I'd like to buy him a cold one.

From reading his previous posts, I don't think he would object.

[DMom]

Thank you for all that you do Mr. Elliott.

And like any great volunteer you will continue to be asked to help. I am sorry that I could not make the meeting to support you (Mr. Dmom grounded me, something about spending too much time on the computer???) However, the first person he comes to with a hockey question is his dear wife, "Could you ask your friend on the forum if Minnesota Hockey changed the rule to let kids (Bantams included) play their grade level regardless of birth date?" so, because of your knowledge and your efforts I am officially ungrounded and I would like to respectfully ask the greatest volunteer Minnesota Hockey has if he could do me a favor and answer that question for my better half? Otherwise I am in for a long season of being quiet.....not something I am used to.

thanks sir, I may be in Bemidji this winter, hope you'll let me and the boss buy you a cold one (have to wait for tryouts though to know for sure!!!!)

[pucks are funny]

"Could you ask your friend on the forum if Minnesota Hockey changed the rule to let kids (Bantams included) play their grade level regardless of birth date?"

Can I ask you to private message me on why you asked this question?
There is a group of MN Hockey members that you may want to talk with in more detail.

thank you

[elliott70]

"Could you ask your friend on the forum if Minnesota Hockey changed the rule to let kids (Bantams included) play their grade level regardless of birth date?"

Can I ask you to private message me on why you asked this question?
There is a group of MN Hockey members that you may want to talk with in more detail.

thank you

No, players will still play by birthdate.
However, planning committee is to study the idea of changing the cut-off date to make it easier for kids to play with their age group.
Hopefully, they will have recommendations in time for next season.

[lxhockey]

Many associations have an over riding policy for skating with same grade.
This is typically only a problem for kids whose birthay is between July 1 and August 31. Here is an example from one association policy handbook.

MOVE UP POLICY
(association name) adheres to MN Hockey guidelines for placing players within their age appropriate level. The by-laws also
allow a one time move up for players whose birthdates falls within July 1 - August 31, who desire to skate with those in
their own school grade.

This does not need to be a MN hockey agenda item, the associations can handle at their own level as the above indicates.

[DMom]

let's not highjack Mark's post. start a new one. I was asking him a question and I (as always) got a public answer from him. THANK YOU MR. ELLIOTT

[Neutron 14]

Flannel Power at its finest!

[watchdog]

thanks mark for your dedication. we appriciate it!!!!!!!