dudes tryna figure out how hes gonna get a buzz at the highschool game, hes already a minnesotan

The purest hockey tournament on the planet.

As a Minnesotan, you grow up being told the HS hockey tourney is the top HS sporting event in the country. I believed that as a kid and I know it as an adult (I waited 10 years for season tickets to the tourney). I always try to tell outsiders how special it is and how it should be on everyone’s bucket list and how you don’t need to know anything about the teams. This is why I am so happy you put this video together as an “outsider.”  Your takes on the tourney explain exactly why it is special for anyone to see this annual gem.

Every US Gold medal team has had a kid from Warroad.

live sport with a pretty full crowd is unrivalled. what a feeling for those kids

Thanks for showing love to the small schools. Not to take anything away from the larger schools, but for the small schools, making a deep run in the tournament is often the only time there is attention and recognition given to your school and town.  I grew up in a small town in Ohio (~500 kids in the high school) and when our teams would make it to the regional and state tournaments, they would not only early release or cancel school (depending on what time the game was and how far away it was), but they also would have a bus for students to ride to be able to go to the game.
I think my high school principal did a great job of summing it up: "You're not just representing yourself, your team, or your school; you're representing all the students at the elementary school who painted posters with words of encouragement, all the people around the community who donated to your fundraisers, and all the people who support you for the simple reason that you wear our school's colors and name on your chest."

"least they don't give you a stuffed animal" had me rollin 🤣😂🤣

My dad took me to these as a kid in the 90's from Moorhead. We must have went to about 8 of them in a row. The Spuds were known for their runner-up status for decades. 0-8 in finals. So these tourneys always ended on a sour note for us, but they were a blast to be at. We decided to go back in 2025 for the first time in over 20 years and the Spuds got that glorious first title. I can tell you that being at that game was the best sporting event I've ever been at in my life.

This year, we were truly blessed with two EPIC championship games.  Glad you enjoyed it.

Only thing missing was a little mention of the level of play at The Tourney. These high school kids are absolute beauties, playing the best of the best in an incredibly skilled sport.

What a year for the MN HS Hockey Tourney! Absolutely epic Championship Saturday! See you there next year!

I take off work every year !! Dad took me out of school every year to go as well, season ticket holders for 15+ years! One of the best weekends of the year

Only been once when I had to be in St. Paul for  court. Saw Moorhead and Edina. Live in Fargo, across the river from Moorhead. Sat in the back of Moorhead section and it was so much fun as the Edina kids and Moorhead kids did cheers back and forth (good natured). Moorhead won.

And definitely cheer for Moorhead.  They had been in the finals 8 times and had never won until last year. The win in back to back years was a dream come true for those kids, and the town.

After already knowing how the AA championship game went. I got goosebumps when you said that you were disappointed that it was a boring game after the first period.

The old days at the Civic center were the golden years. You could sneak booze in back in those days and the upper level was a student section frenzy. No suites, no club level, all hockey for 4 days

It’s definitely way more chill now than back in the early 2000’s. People including myself were getting absolutely hammered before noon.

Warroad is a tiny Town but kids move from around the country to play hockey there

This event should be nationally televised. It's by far the best high school event in the world! Ever since 1982 in junior high, I got to skip school...to watch it on TV. And as an adult, I took off work. And I had the same tradition with my kids who are both in their mid 20's now. Except we got to finally attend the games. We have had "Tourney Season Tix" for the last 18 seasons. There is currently a 10-year waiting list for those tickets. Luckily, I only had to wait 3 years back in 2006. Back when my kids were 7 & 5.

We're proud of our kids.  They play pretty well, don't they?

Years ago I was friends with a guy who moved from another state to Minnesota to coach hockey.  I remember what he said: "There are no tripods in Minnesota!"

You didn't get the atmosphere of the hotel parties during the tournament. There was a group from the Iron Range that used rent a suite and host the Iron Range Hospitality room every night of the tournament.   Booze, beer, and sometimes squeeze box music till all hours of the night.  College Hockey coaches were invited to come and interview Iron Range Prospects at the suite.   Nothing compares to the parties we had in those years.   It was the best of times, always cheering for the northern teams and against Edina (E-very D-ay I N-eed A-ttention)