Crookston School District residents. On Tuesday, August 9 vote YES for the multi-use facility (new track and turf field). It will be a huge addition to Crookston, the region, and to Pirate athletics! Plus it will cost me a pretty big donation to make sure the press box is up to KROX standards!
Vote Yes and if you don’t, it will be up for election again in a few years and it will cost us more money as taxpayers.
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It is hard to believe we are less than two weeks away from the first fall sports practice of the 2022-23 season! The great news is it looks to be another normal season (knock on wood).
A few random thoughts this week –
1.The Twins made some big moves before the trading deadline and it paid off in Wednesday’s win. Every game will be a big game for the Twins and it will be a fun two months.
2.It was great to see Karil (the thrill) Kaprizov back in Minnesota this week. Anytime he goes back to mother Russia it is nerve-wracking for Wild fans and head brass!!
3.28 days until the first Gopher Football game. What will happen this year? PJ has Gopher nation fired up, so we will see. I am guessing they will win 70 percent of their games this year.
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It seems that both sides of the Stephen-Argyle Legion baseball situation will agree to disagree. I won’t do any more on this because it is all hearsay and I don’t want to keep going with hearsay from both sides of things. Both sides aren’t happy with the other and that won’t change anytime soon. So hopefully something can happen and this is a lesson learned for everybody involved.
The one fact we know is the coach and the ump don’t like each other. They used to officiate together and over the last few years, they won’t officiate together anymore (before this happened). Those are facts and I am guessing it won’t change anytime soon!
The End!
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The Minnesota State High School Football State Championship games this fall will be held a week later than usual because the Minnesota Vikings will host the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium on Thanksgiving night.
Now the 2022 state semi-final games will be played November 17, 18, and 19 (like usual), and the State Championships will be played on December 2 and 3. This will obviously affect many schools’ hockey, basketball, and wrestling schedules.
The MSHSL meeting minutes from Tuesday are below –
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Executive Committee Report
- Approved a motion to move the Prep Bowl football championship dates to Dec. 2 and 3.
- Approved the adoption of a Programs Task Force that will provide detailed pathways for new and emerging programs.
- Approved a waiver request to opponents of Butterfield-Odin High School that would help Butterfield-Odin fill soccer and volleyball schedules after a long-term co-op dissolved.
9D: 2022-2023 Strategic Directions
The Board of Directors approved the Strategic Directions that will guide the work of League Staff and the Board of Directors this school year.
The Strategic Directions will focus on:
- Supporting schools and students in mental health, safety and wellness initiatives;
- Promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in all aspects of the MSHSL programs and processes;
- Enhancing communication systems and structures.
The Board of Directors charged League Staff with further defining and identifying specific strategies for each direction.
9E: 2022-2023 Membership Dues and 2022-2023 Budget Approval
- The Board of Directors approved membership fees of $160 per activity and $2.25 per student. This approved student fee is a reduction from the previously projected student fee of $4.60.
- The Board of Directors approved the projected 2022-2023 balanced budget as presented.
Discussion Items
10A: Spring Activity Advisory Proposals
League Staff shared information about spring activity advisory proposals in the following activities. These will be sent to the Region Committees for their discussion and feedback prior to potentially becoming Action Items at the next Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 6, 2022.
- Baseball — This proposal would increase the number of regular-season games from 20 to no more than 24. Those four additional games are intended to be played on Friday nights, Saturday, or when Member Schools have mutual days off from school. The 24 games in 20 dates would be optional for Member Schools.
- Softball — This proposal would increase the number of regular-season games from 20 to no more than 24. Those four additional games are intended to be played on Friday nights, Saturday, or when Member Schools have mutual days off from practice. The 24 games in 20 dates would be optional for Member Schools.
- Clay Target — This proposal would add a girls-only division to the individual competition of the state tournament. Currently, the top 100 participants, boy or girl, based on their conference season average, qualify for the individual competition. The proposal keeps the top 100 open competition and would add an additional 25 female participants that would compete in a girls-only individual division. A girls-only division is already used during the regular season and other events.
- Music — This proposal adds Guitar as its own category for music contests. Currently, Guitar participants have been grouped in the “other” category. The proposal would add Guitar as its own category with these events: Guitar Solo; Guitar Ensemble (2-4 participants); Guitar Ensemble (5-16 participants) and Guitar Orchestra (8-30 participants).
- Speech — This proposal would allow body contact during the introductions of the Duo Interpretation. Examples include shaking hands, a dance move, etc. In the Extemporaneous Speaking category, a proposal was made to permit student participants the use of computers and the internet to conduct research during the preparation period.
10B: Approved Music List
League Staff shared information on the work being done by the League’s Music Advisory Committee to update the Approved Music List for section contests. After a study and feedback from music educators, the current operating list was determined to be outdated and lacking representation of diversity and not representative of the evolution of today’s educational music. Amanda Kaus, the MMEA representative on the Board of Directors, and Paul Kile, the director of bands at Edina High School, are leading this diversity project that aligns with board strategic directions.
10C: Cross Country eligible officials
League Staff shared a recommendation on the registration and next steps toward having at least one eligible cross country official present at each cross country meet.
10D: Competitive Section Placement and District Football for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025
League Staff shared the timeline and processes for Competitive Section Placement and District Football for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.
Committee Reports
11A: Eligibility Committee
The Eligibility Committee reviewed the recently amended language for bylaws 110 and 111 and reminded the Board of the modified aspects of the eligibility review process. The committee reported was approved as presented.
Information Items
- Next meeting: Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, League Office
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It looks like the Crookston Pirate Girls Swim team only has four girls out this year. Obviously, that is half of the eight the school has told the girls they need to have a team. With that said, they will have a co-op with the Fosston/Bagley Seals. I am not sure how long this will last with only four Crookston swimmers, but they will have a chance to swim this year.
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Crookston High School Athletics will conduct the first week of Fall Sports practices starting Monday, August 15. We have the first week schedules below –
Volleyball: (7-12)
Aug. 15 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 5-7:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 16 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 4-6:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 17 – Weights & Practice 6-9:00am
Aug. 18 – Weights 6-7:30am, Practice 4-6:00pm (at UMC)
Aug. 19 – Weights & Practice 6-9:00am
Boys Soccer: (7 – 12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 7:15-9:15 am
Aug. 16 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 17 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 18 – Practice 7:15-9:15am
Aug. 19 – Practice 7:15-9:15 am (Intra-Squad Scrimmage)
Girls Soccer: (7 – 12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am & 4:30-6:30 pm
Aug. 16 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am & 4:30-6:30 pm
Aug. 17 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am @ Castle Park
Aug. 17 – GK Practice 3-3:45 pm, Practice 3:30-5:30pm
Aug. 18 – Practice 6:30-7:30 am @ Veterans Memorial Walkway
Aug. 18 – Practice 3:30-5:30pm
Aug. 19 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
Football: (9-12)
Aug. 15 – Practice 6:30-8:30am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Aug. 16 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
SR/JR Weights – SO/FR Breakfast 8:30-9:30 am
SO/FR Weights – SR/JR Breakfast 9:30-10:30 am
Aug. 17 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Aug. 18 – Practice 6:30-8:30 am
SR/JR Weights – SO/FR Breakfast 8:30-9:30 am
SO/FR Weights – SR/JR Breakfast 9:30-10:30 am
Aug. 19 – Practice 6:30-8:30am, Breakfast/Chalk 8:30-9:30am, Practice 9:30-10:30am
Girls Tennis: (7th-12th) at CHS Courts
Aug. 15 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 16 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 17 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 18 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Aug. 19 – Practice 8-10:30 am
Swimming: (7 -12) TBD
Crookston swimming will co-op with the Fosston/Bagley Seals and the schedule and everything with the co-op will be hammered out soon.
BEGINNING: AUGUST 22
Football: (7th and 8th grades)
Aug. 22 – Equipment Handout 5-6:00 pm, Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 23 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 24 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 25 – Practice 6-8:00 pm
Aug. 26 – No Practice
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The 2022 Pirate Football schedule has been released and it is below –
Thursday, September 1 – AT Osakis – 6:00 PM
Friday, September 9 – host Barnesville – 6:00 PM
Friday, September 16 – AT Hawley – 7:00 PM
Friday, September 23 – AT Frazee – 6:00 PM
Friday, September 30 – host West Central Area – 6:00 PM
Friday, October 7 – host East Grand Forks – 6:00 PM (Homecoming)
Thursday, October 14 – AT Pillager – 6:00 PM
Wednesday, October 19 – host Staples-Motley – 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 25 – Section 8AA quarterfinal playoffs 6:00 PM
Tuesday, October 29 – Section 8AA semi-final playoffs 2:00 PM
Friday, November 4 – Section 8AA Championship at Fargodome 8:00 PM
FOR ALL THE PIRATE FALL SPORTS SCHEDULES – CLICK HERE
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Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton’s Owen Leach has received an offer to play basketball at Minnesota-Duluth.
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The Minnesota Wild announced that Warroad will host Hockey Day Minnesota 2024, presented by UnitedHealthcare. The Warroad Athletic Complex on Elk Street will serve as the venue for the 18th annual statewide hockey celebration.
The announcement was made by Minnesota Wild and Bally Sports North Analyst, Wes Walz, and Bally Sports North Play-by-Play Announcer, Anthony LaPanta, at the Warroad Celebrity Golf Tournament today. Additional details, including the date, match-ups and the official schedule for Hockey Day Minnesota 2024 will be announced at a later date.
Hockey Day Minnesota 2023 will be hosted by White Bear Township on Saturday, Jan. 28. Polar Lakes Park will serve as the venue for the 17th annual statewide hockey celebration.
About Hockey Day Minnesota
Hockey Day Minnesota originated in 2007 by the Minnesota Wild to celebrate the game that has made Minnesota the “State of Hockey”. It is produced in partnership with Bally Sports North, Minnesota Hockey and the respective local community that serves as host each year. Previous locations include Baudette Bay (2007, 2008), Phalen Park (2009), Hermantown (2010), Moorhead (2011), Minnetonka (2012), Grand Rapids (2013), Elk River (2014), Saint Paul (2015), Duluth (2016), Stillwater (2017), St. Cloud (2018), Bemidji (2019), Minneapolis (2020), Guidant John Rose MN Oval (2021), Mankato (2022) and White Bear Township (2023).
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TJ Oshie‘s #19 was retired by Warroad High School last week. Nobody will wear #19 for Warroad Boys Hockey again.
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The Northern Sun Conference released the Football Coaches Poll this week and Augustana and Bemidji State have been picked to finish 1 and 2 in the conference. As a BSU alum, it is great to see the job Coach Bolte is doing and hopefully they live up to expectations! Year after year one thing doesn’t change. The top five are almost always Augustana, BSU, Duluth, Mankato, Sioux Falls, and Winona. This year is no different.
This year’s poll is below.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Volleyball team has released its schedule for this fall. The schedule is below –
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The 2021-22 NHL season set a record for the most players from NCAA College Hockey ever with 349 players. Still none from Club Hockey. There are some more interesting numbers from NHL media, as far as opening day numbers go. The last stat is crazy. I have listed it below –
721 – Number of players on official season-opening rosters
310 – Number of Canadian players, the most of any country (43.0% of 721)
284 – Number of players age 25 or younger (39.4% of 721)
190 – Number of U.S. players (26.4%) – last season, 164 U.S.-born players skated in their team’s opening game (the most ever)
158 – Number of players age 23 or younger (21.9% of 721)
91 – Number of undrafted players (12.6% of 721)
35 – Number of players who have yet to play an NHL regular-season game – the Sharks top all clubs with four such players (Jonathan Dahlen, William Eklund, Santeri Hatakka and Jasper Weatherby)
22 – Number of birth countries represented
16 – Highest representation of one country on a single roster – the Oilers have 16 Canadians
10 – The most countries represented on a single roster, with the Blue Jackets (USA: 6, CAN: 4, SWE:3, CHE: 2, FIN: 2, RUS: 2, CZE: 1, DNK: 1, FRA: 1, LVA: 1) leading the list.
52 – Players born in the 2000s, with 26 of 32 teams carrying at least one
11 – Number of teenagers, including two 18-year-olds: Ducks forward Mason McTavish and Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger
2 – Players who skated in an NHL game in the 1990s (Zdeno Chara, NYI; Joe Thornton, FLA)
1 – There is one player with experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs who has yet to appear in an NHL regular-season game: Avalanche forward Sampo Ranta
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The Crookston Blue Line Club Golf Scramble fundraiser will be held on Friday, August 19th at Minakwa Golf Course. The scramble will have five-person teams with a cost of $375 for a team or $75 for individuals. Registration will start at 8:00 a.m. with a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start. For more information and to register contact Kristy Swanson at 218-289-0576 or email Crookstonhockey@gmail.com.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston softball program is hosting a pair of camps this summer. The Golden Eagles will hold a youth camp for grades 2-7 August 13 and a prospect camp August 14 for grades 8-12. The cost of the camp is $50 per player.
The youth camp will commence with grades 2-4 participating from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. August 13 on the Minnesota Crookston softball field. Players are asked to bring a glove, cleats, helmet, and bat. The camp will commence for grades 5-7 at 1 p.m. and be completed at 3:30 p.m.
The prospect camp will cost $85 per player and will run from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. August 14, and then pick back up from 1-3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a glove, cleats, helmet, bat, and softball pants. The camp will take place at the Minnesota Crookston softball field.
To register for the camp visit University of Minnesota Crookston Softball Camps (umcsportscamps.com). If you have any questions you can contact Head Coach Nick Weinmeister at 970-203-5960 or Assistant Coach Ashton Sangster at 479-353-6094.
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JOKES
I’m so tired of Millennials and their attitudes….
Always walking around like they rent the place.
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Walking through Chinatown, a tourist is fascinated with all the Chinese restaurants, shops, signs and banners. He turns a corner and sees a building with the sign, “Hans Olaffsen’s Laundry.”
“Hans Olaffsen?”, he muses. “How the heck does that fit in here?”
So he walks into the shop and sees an old Chinese gentleman behind the counter.
The tourist asks, “How did this place get a name like “Hans Olaffsen’s Laundry?”
The old man answers, “Is name of owner.”
The tourist asks, “Well, who and where is the owner?”
“Me, is right here,” replies the old man.
“You? How did you ever get a name like Hans Olaffsen?”
“Is simple,” says the old man. “Many, many year ago when come to this country, was stand in line at Documentation Center. Man in front was big blonde Swede. Lady look at him and go, “What your name?” He say, “Hans Olaffsen.” Then she look at me and go, ‘What your name?'”
“I say, Sem Ting.”
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A mother and her young son were flying Southwest Airlines from Kansas City to Chicago. The son turned from the window to his mother and asked, “If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don’t big planes have baby planes?”
The mother said, “Well, maybe that’s something you could ask the stewardess.”
So the boy asked the stewardess, “If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don’t big planes have baby planes?”
The stewardess responded, “Did your mother tell you to ask me?”
The boy admitted that this was the case. “Well, then, tell your mother that there are no baby planes because Southwest always pulls out on time. You can ask your mother to explain it to you.”
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How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST email me at chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Elise Tangquist, is the Assistant Girls Volleyball and Assistant Girls Golf Coach this year at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.
Katherine Geist, a sophomore, is running track for Carleton College.
Emma Boll, a freshman, is playing softball at Northwestern University in St. Paul.
Emma Borowicz is a freshman running track at Minnesota State Mankato.
Ben Trostad is a senior playing Men’s Golf at UMC.
Kaleb Thingelstad is a freshman playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University. KWU is done for the fall season.
Joslynn Leach is a freshman playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a sophomore playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, is a junior playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Germany, for Düsseldorf EG.
Gretchen Theis is a sophomore at NDSU on the Equestrian team.
Kate MacGregor is a senior swimming at Minnesota State Moorhead.
Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Nick Garmen is a junior playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball coach.
Jeremy Lubinski is a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekken is the Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach
Brock Hanson is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Ben Halos is a Pirate Baseball assistant coach.
Alex LaFrance is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Jeff Perreault is the Pirate Girls Golf head coach
Wes Hanson is the Pirate Wrestling Head Coach and assistant boys golf coach
Kevin Weber is a Pirate Boys Basketball volunteer assistant coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Sam Melbye is the Pirate Boys J.V. Hockey coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Colton Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach
Non-Crookston High School coaching –
Collin Reynolds is the head baseball coach for the University of Colorado Buffalo Club Baseball team.
Trent Stahlecker is a School Security Specialist & he works for the Brevard Public Schools, Florida
Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown
Josh Edlund is the head football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.
Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach in Champlin Park
Jeff Olson is Head Wrestling coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.
Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.
Katy Westrom, is Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.
Matt Harris, is an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.
Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of Wyoming
Mike Hastings is the Minnesota State Mankato Men’s head Hockey coach
Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Thief River Falls High School
Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football and volleyball and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for the Bison media relations
Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College
Chris Myrold is the Director and Fitness at Mission Ranch and Fitness in Camel, California.
Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis
Ben Andringa is serving our country with the Army and is been deployed to Iraq for nine months.
Jarrett Butenhoff is serving our country with the U.S. Navy
Joshua Butenhoff is serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.
Peter Cournia is a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and also a grad of West Point and is currently is serving in the U.S. Army.
Erik Ellingson is serving our country with the U.S. Air Force at Minot.
Philip Kujawa class of 2004 from Crookston High School. He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.
Rob Sobolik is the General Manager of the Fargodome
That’s it for this week. Thanks for the comments and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mail chrisjfee@yahoo.com or call. Thanks for reading and listening to KROX RADIO and kroxam.com.
