| All aboard! |
|
Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 9:37 pm
|
 Email  Print
|
When the Southern Minnesota Express hockey team rolled into town three years ago, there were great expectations that this team would be the Little Engine That Could. And, at first, that seemed to be the case. In its first year playing Junior A hockey, the expansion Express qualified for the Robertson Cup Championships and finished third in the NAHL. Not bad. And local hockey enthusiasts rewarded the effort with an average of more than 850 fans showing up at the home games.
But somewhere along the line, the hockey train got derailed and when it tumbled from the tracks, it took its fan base with it. Then, when news that the team was skipping the light fantastic out of town started to circulate, the crowds dwindled. The team estimated there was an average of about 600 in attendance last season, though other observers say that the estimate is on the generous side.
The original Express has rolled out of town, but a new NAHL team — now dubbed the Owatonna Express — will be playing. And the new management is doing everything it can to erase the memory of that derailment. By the looks of it, the new team is doing everything right.
First, the team differs greatly from the former team in that its ownership is local. More than 40 local hockey fans said that it was important to have Junior A hockey here and invested their money into keeping the Express on track. That local ownership should translate into local commitment to and support of the team. It’s not just a team; it’s a local team. It’s our team.
Second, the team has taken steps to ensure that this is a winning team. The owners hired back Pat Cullen to coach the team. Cullen, who had been the team’s coach during its most successful run, was fired last season after the first Express team came under new ownership — an ownership that seemed more committed to moving than to winning. By hiring Cullen, the new owners showed they were committed to winning.
Finally, the new management team has been in the community not only drumming up support, but listening to disgruntled fans who were upset at the way the team was handled — or mishandled — in the past. What the new management is showing the community is that what happened in the past is in the past. It’s a new team with new owners that deserves renewed support.
Yes, the Express is back on track and ready to roll. We all need to jump aboard.
Owatonna People’s Press editorials are the opinion of the Press editorial board. Other editorials, columns, letters and cartoons appearing on this page are the opinions of the authors and artists and not necessarily the People’s Press. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Jobs | Top Homes | Top Cars
| Top Jobs | Healthcare
Work as a contractor
completing insurance
... | Master\'s level
Mental Health
Clinician Wanted
Part - ... | General
Detention Center Social Worker
South Central ... | General
PUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE TO WORK
If you are 55 or... | United States Census 2010
It\'s In Our Hands
Apply Now!
T... |
| Top Homes | Available 2 BD
Upper, $650/Mo. Owatonna
507-213-9862... | Available Now
Upper 1 bedroom in Owat
$485. includes heat,... | 1 & 2 BD APTS
IN OWATONNA
& MEDFORD
24 hr approval!
Im... | 1 Bedroom, Owatonna
Non-smoking, Appl, A/C, Heat, Garbage,... | Large 1 bdr $545 or
Large 2 bdr $625
Balcony, A/C, Heat,
... |
| Top Cars | 1995 BONNEVILLE SSEI Red, super charged & pretty 1 small rus... | 1997 Ford F350
1 ton dually , white recent brake, tires a... |
|
Digg
Del.icio.us
Facebook
MySpace
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo!
