“The original Herb Brooks statue is owned by the Herb Brooks Foundation and the Herb Brooks family decided that the best place for that statue to be moved to is the National Sports Center,” said National Sports Center chief communications officer Barclay Kruse.
The Schwan Super Rink at the National Sports Center is already home to the Herb Brooks Training Center, where athletes can train off the ice, and that building will soon hold the statue.
“One idea would be to build out an alcove, a lobby area right in front of the main entrance, locate the statue in the lobby area and put in some educational exhibits that would enhance the statue. Historical references to Herb and what he means to Minnesota hockey and hockey all around the world,” said Kruse.
With his dramatic Olympic victory, it’s clear that he means a lot to hockey.
“We feel their is a real important legacy here that we have to create. This is the busiest hockey venue in the entire state of Minnesota. More hockey players come through these doors that any other arena in the entire state. We have generations of kids now coming, many of whom don’t know who Herb Brooks is. A generation from now this will be even more so. We feel the responsibility to educate future generations about who Herb Brooks is and what his influence was and what a great opportunity to do that,” said Kruse.
Youth players who are learning about Brooks through the training center in his name, will soon be able to learn even more about all of the ways he helped hockey, and all of the ways he helped the National Sports Center.
“The National Sports Centers connection to Herb Brooks is completely authentic. It goes back a long ways. The Herb Brooks Foundation offices are right here on our campus. Herb Brooks himself was a member on the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission for six years, two different terms and was appointed three times. He helped lobby to get the Schwan’s Super Rink built. In fact I think it’s safe to say that without his support and Herb’s presence going to city council meetings and hockey association meetings, we would not have been able to get the partners on board to build this arena. He actually helped get the original National Sports Center built. Even though we didn’t have an ice arena on the campus at that time he just believed in youth sports. A lot of us have really fond memories of Herb and it’s a big deal for us it’s a big honor to have that statue here and we’re very honored the family decided we’re the place for it,” said Kruse.
