Up North: Hockey Day Cloquet brings outdoor games to community

Up North: Hockey Day Cloquet brings outdoor games to community

Up North: Hockey Day Cloquet brings outdoor games to community

A week’s worth of hockey is nothing new for the state that owns the sport.

But moving things outside is. Hockey Day Cloquet turned in a weeks worth of games, from a military appreciation game, right down to bantams and squirts in town.

The week of events was exactly what Nate Knutson had in mind; he and his team thought of a blueprint, and brought it to life.

“We certainly had the vision,” said Knutson. “The vision and hard work and the expectations and the gambling of weather and finances. You know, the vision stood strong and you can see this today. We pretty much implemented it, which is super cool with all the uncertainties of it. Looking at all the smiles around the crowds and the young kids that are here and the folks that maybe played here in the past, it’s been fun and hopefully that it’s brought some excitement to the area.”

The week started with the Lake Superior Warriors taking on the Iron Range Warriors, in a first of it’s kind matchup between the two veteran full teams.

The focus then changed to Saturday, when both Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys and girls took the ice outdoors, with snow flurries coming down all day, only adding to the ambience and excitement of the day. All of that and more made the preparation worth it.

“Saw the boys in their jerseys out there and seeing the excitement and joy in their eyes and you know, they’re getting ready to compete. It was fun to see. The smiles make all the hard work that the committee’s done worth it,” shared Knutson.

After the high school games Saturday, the weekend concluded with squirts, bantams, peewee, and many more levels of play. The focus on community and inclusion of Cloquet residents is what the events strived for, and eventually, knocked out of the park.

“That’s what it’s about, said Knutson. “It’s about communities, different people, different groups. Kids, boys, girls, the old man hockey leagues, they’re playing on Tuesday and Sunday night. It’s so fun to see everybody, the spectrum of hockey and those that love the game of hockey participating in it. You see here all this happening. It’s super fun.”