Northland man’s quick action brings back girls hockey all-star game

Northland girls hockey players now have their 2022 All-Star game set in stone.

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Monday’s match will be the first Girls High School Hockey All-Star night in the Northland since the pandemic. However this one also might not have happened, if it wasn’t for the efforts of Northern Elite Development Program General Manager Ryan Coole.

"It dawned on me when the boys had their game and I thought, ‘have the girls played?’," Coole recalled. "The very last minute I reached out to a couple people I know, a couple vendors, used some contacts, and tried to get as many of the girls in the North as I could."

Coole added that finding skates wasn’t the only hurdle. "We got refs at the last minute which it’s not easy to get referees with the shortage there are."

Monday around 60 skaters from 8th-12th grade, coming from Duluth to Warroad and in-between, will skate in two games at St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center.

Ryan Kern from Kern & Kompany told Coole they are willing to take over the event next season.