I am writing in response to the article in the Sat., April 4th edition of the West Sherburne Tribune entitled "Orrock mulls grant for arena". The article states that only "six local hockey players live in Orrock Township" thus a big part of the decision making process for Orrock Township to approve or disapprove the Landfill Legacy Grant funding. "How many hockey playing families have moved from Orrock Township, Big Lake Township, the City of Big Lake, and Becker because we do not have a "home" ice facility?" should also be addressed.
As a Becker/Big Lake hockey parent of 13 years who has resided in Big Lake Township for 20+ years and has children in the Big Lake School District, I could list at least "six" families that have moved from our area because we do not have a hockey arena.
Here are some Becker/Big Lake hockey facts you might not know:
1) Youth hockey started in Becker in 1993 by a group of parents and community members who came together at the Becker outdoor rinks to form the Becker Hockey Association.
2) In 1995, Big Lake joined forces with Becker to develop the Becker/Big Lake Youth Hockey Association.
3) In 1998 the first Becker/Big Lake Junior Varsity team was formed. The team was funded for three years solely by the parents, youth hockey members, and overwhelming community support. It was agreed upon by the Becker and Big Lake schools that if the program was successful for the first three years, the schools would consider taking it over.
4) It was successful, largely due to so many hockey parents with kids that had the passion to play the game of hockey!
5) To this day, the Becker/Big Lake Varsity and Junior Varsity teams are not fully funded by the schools. The high school hockey families have formed the "Blue Line Club" to raise funds for the teams. Again, due to extraordinary community support the Blue Line Club has been very successful at raising funds to cover the costs the schools simply cannot. High school hockey players are not only required to attend practices and games, but are also an essential part of the fund raising process. Players have had to go door to door selling yearbook ads, volunteer to do roadside cleanup for donations from charitable organizations, sell concessions at other sporting events, host youth hockey skills camps and multiple other fund raisers throughout the entire year just to be able to skate! There are many high school hockey graduates from Big Lake and Becker that have become fine young men and women (yes- we have had some girls on the team too) because of the life lessons learned by being a part of the high school hockey teams right here in Big Lake and Becker.
The community needs to know that there are numerous hockey playing families that currently open enroll their children in neighboring schools so they have the opportunity to play hockey at favorable hours in a home arena.
The community also needs to consider the fact that there have been many hockey playing families within the Orrock Township, Big Lake Township, City of Big Lake, and Becker who have moved over the years and some currently weighing the options of doing so just because we do not have an ice arena that will provide these hockey players a place to practice and play games and wear their "Becker/Big Lake Eagles" jerseys with pride!!!
Orrock Township voting "yes" to this request for the Landfill Legacy Grant is a must even in today's trying economic times. Even though the numbers may look small as far as community participation, the long term results of bringing new members into the community because we do have "HOCKEY" here in Big Lake will eventually pay off.
