All-American Girls Hockey Tournament acknowledges past, present and future

NATIONAL SPORTS CENTER – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Sara Soli, National Sports Center, 763-717-3874, [email protected]

All American Girls Hockey Acknowledges Past, Present and Future

A Place in Minnesota Hockey History

BLAINE, Minn. (Nov. 11, 2019) – What girls’ hockey in the state of Minnesota looks like now, comes from the years of effort put on at The All American Girls Hockey Tournament. 27 years of tradition continues at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Nov. 15 – 17, 2019. The weekend tournament features scheduled appearances from U.S. Olympic Hockey players who are being honored, a tribute wall to some of Minnesota’s greatest female hockey players and exposure to some of the best female hockey in the region.

There are currently 12,228 registered female hockey players in the state of Minnesota who are 19 or younger. That wasn’t the case in 1993, when the only competitive female hockey you could find was being played at Northeastern universities. The All American Girls Hockey Tournament was established to encourage Minnesota universities and high schools to expand the exposure of the sport by hosting the largest female-only hockey tournament in the Midwest. The Mighty Ducks Grant provided the National Sports Center with four more ice rinks meant to conquer Title IX goals and make ice time equitable for girls who battled for appropriate ice times. Now, there’s 62 girl’s hockey teams participating in the tournament who have never known a time without multiple Division I women’s teams and even a professional hockey team in the State of Hockey.

“It’s important to recognize how much girl’s hockey has changed for the better in the state of Minnesota over the last 20 years,” mentioned Minnesota Whitecaps forward Winny Brodt-Brown. “The tournament brings together thousands of girls who love hockey just like me. It’s not only one of the longest-running tournaments at the National Sports Center, it’s a celebration of all female hockey players.”

About the National Sports Center

The National Sports Center is the world’s largest amateur sports facility. The NSC operates over 100 unique programs and events in a variety of sports as well as hosting numerous national and international competitions. These events draw over 4 million visitors each year, making it the most visited sports facility in the state. Components of the facility include a 690-acre campus; eight sheets of ice, a 5,500-seat soccer stadium, a convention building, Victory Links golf course, an indoor Sports Hall with a full turf field, a residence hall, and over 50 soccer fields. The National Sports Center also reigns as the training grounds of Minnesota United. The National Sports Center generates over $83 million in annual economic impact for the state of Minnesota.