Numbers in the New Ulm-Sleepy Eye Youth Hockey Association are at an all-time high, Geoff Torzewski, Director of Hockey Operations for the NUSEHA said.

“We are growing — we are at 302 total registered skaters between New Ulm and Sleep Eye for the Association,” he said. “This is the first time in quite a few years where we have hit that 300 mark. And the majority of them (179 skaters) are in that 8U level. Now our goal is to retain those numbers as they progress to grow the Association.”

Torzewski said that the numbers are the kind you would see at the high-end level Class A Associations.

Like any solid overall program, retaining the number of players is a big key to not only the success of the youth programs but also to be a feeder system for the high school level program.

“We want to be able to give ice time for all of those kids at every level so we can develop them and ultimately to get to the high school level,” he said. “And another goal ultimately is to have more players play hockey beyond high school as well. We want to make sure that our players have that ice time at all of those levels.”

Torzewski said that one goal is to have teams in the NUSEHA play competitive teams.

“This year we are able to combine with District 5 northern teams) for a lot of our levels for Bantam, PeeWees, 10U and 12 U and Squirts. And we are going to tournaments in Rochester — Proctor with our Bantam A team. We are going to Northfield so we are going out to places that have very successful youth associations.

“That is a good way to gauge where we are at as an association with some of the best in the state.”

Torzewski said that the long-term goal of the youth level is to ultimately have the high school level teams be considered one of the best Class A level teams in the state.

“And from a short-range goal, I want to be able to see our youth teams go beyond the district tournaments and make it to state. In 2020 our Bantam As made it to state, but COVID shut that down. I want to see both our boys and girls teams get through the districts and do good things at the region level to get to state — that is an attainable goal based on the talent that we have in the association. I want to see that in the near future. And maintain that success long-term.

“The goal for all of our players is to get that Eagles jersey for the high school level, be it boys or girls. When we see our high school team play in a sectional final or in St. Paul, then it comes full-circle.”

UECKER TIED WITH DAVIS

New Ulm Eagles hockey forward Austin Uecker enters his senior season with 122 career points and tied with Judd Davis for 15th place on the All-Time New Ulm boys hockey career points list.

Braxten Hoffmann is New Ulm’s All-Time career points leader with 181.

BASKETBALL SUCCESS LOCALLY THIS YEAR

This could well be the most successful high school basketball season in New Ulm in a long time.

The Minnesota Valley Lutheran Charger and New Ulm Eagles boys teams will be top teams for sectional crowns as will be the Eagles’ girls team.

And several Eagles basketball players can achieve career marks this year.

New Um High School’s Colton Benson enters this season with 1,409 career points and needs 35 points to break Reece Melby’s career mark of 1,443 and become New Ulm High School’s All-Time boys career basketball scorer.

And James Osborne is at 970 career points and will join brother Charlie Osborne (1,135 career points) in the 1,000-point career club for New Um High School.

Eagles girls basketball player Daviney Dreckmann will also join the 1,000 career point club as she comes into this year with 965 career points.