Hockey talent runs deep on the North Shore, and the PeeWee boys hockey team is no exception. Comprising of thirteen players from Two Harbors, five from Silver Bay, and one from Grand Marais, this squad has gelled into a force to be reckoned with. They’ve excelled on the ice, winning an impressive nineteen straight games and emerging victorious in their last three tournaments.
“They get along well,” said Head Coach Josh Klemmer. “They’re coming together as a team.”
Klemmer, a Silver Bay native, has been coaching for eight years and also assists with Mite 2, where his two daughters play. He enjoys the role, sharing, “I like watching the kids improve and get better. I like seeing them when they’re successful and having fun.”
The team consists of twelve and thirteen-year-old boys, with about half returning for their second year in PeeWees. Klemmer noted that the younger players have shown the most improvement this season. He has also watched the team’s chemistry grow stronger as the season progresses.
“We started off the season by going one and four,” he said. “There was a turnaround.”
When asked what may have sparked that streak, Klemmer replied with a laugh, “I think the coaches got things figured out!”
He went on to explain, “A lot of teams start earlier than us. We start late. So, our first few games we were playing teams that were already six to seven games into the season. We don’t get ice early, so we generally improve more than those teams that have already been playing.”
It didn’t take long for the team to catch up once the other teams were warmed up. They quickly found their stride, piling up wins and capturing first place in tournaments in Two Harbors, Hibbing, and most recently, Silver Bay. Earlier in the season, they also secured a third-place finish in a tournament in Hutchinson. “Most of the scoring is coming from five second-year Pee-Wees,” wrote Assistant Coach Nolan Koskela. “However, controlling the puck and keeping the opponent from scoring is a full-team effort. Blocking a shot and defending in front of the net helps the team, too. The players have really come together throughout the season to improve skills and learn how they can best contribute.” Koskela is from Two Harbors and has been coaching for three years. When he reported to us that the team had hit a sixteen-game winning streak, he advised the team was averaging eight goals and three games against. Their dedication and hard work have earned the team the top spot in the district, and they will soon begin playoffs on February 15th. Congratulations to the PeeWee team on their nineteen-game winning streak and best of luck as you enter the playoffs!
