Cottage Grove Ice Arena to host SEC Hockey Day on Jan. 14

South Washington County will be at center ice next week.

The Suburban East Conference will hold its second-annual Hockey Day on Saturday, Jan. 14, at Cottage Grove Ice Arena.

For the SEC Hockey Day, the 10 boys hockey teams from all the conference schools will play throughout the day on the two rinks at the newly renovated Cottage Grove Ice Arena.

The SEC Hockey Day originated last year as a way to showcase the players from the 10 Suburban East Conference schools in a tournament-like setting. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students and will allow admittance for all five games throughout the day provided fans do not leave the arena.

In addition, this year, all the conference schools will be participating in the Coaches Helping Eliminate Cancer in Kids (CHECK) fundraiser. The CHECK fundraiser is sponsored by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association to help support families that are affected by childhood cancer.

For the past four seasons, the Park and Woodbury boys hockey teams have helped to raise money to benefit the CHECK program. Last year, students at Park and Woodbury raised a total of $3,015.22.

As part of the fundraising efforts, the Park and Woodbury teams annually take part in a friendly wager that has the coach of the team that raised the most money present the other with the rival’s jersey to be worn during the first period of the game. Last season — for the fourth time in four seasons — it was Park head coach Jay Moser begrudgingly wearing the Royals sweater.

This year, all 10 conference teams are participating in the CHECK fundraiser and jersey-swap wager.

The CHECK program began as an effort to assist Peter Eigner, the son of Ty Eigner of the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association.

At the age of 4, Peter was diagnosed with a form of stomach cancer, underwent two life-threatening surgeries and two years of treatment, but is currently cancer-free. He attended the check presentation ceremony two years ago at the Bielenberg Sports Center and is currently cancer-free.

Students from schools across the state raise money for CHECK, and kids like Peter Eigner, by making donations at their respective schools. Historically, Woodbury and Park have been two of the leading schools in the fundraiser. They have raised over $12,000 as a district overall. Last year, both Woodbury coach Wes Bolin and Moser were awarded plaques from the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association in recognition for their support of the CHECK program.

Donations to CHECK will be accepted at the arena on the 14th. More information can be found at www.checkfoundation.org .

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