12 Youth Hockey Organizations Benefit from Coach Sauer Foundation

Written By Carl Frederick

The Coach Sauer Foundation is proud to announce that 12 youth hockey organizations from throughout Wisconsin have received grants for the 2024-25 season.

The Foundation was formed as a vehicle for continuing to use the sport of hockey to improve the lives of others. Thanks to the generous support of the hockey community, we have been able to help both able bodied and disabled hockey organizations across the state to expand access to our great sport.

The Coach Sauer Foundation will also continue to be the primary sponsor of the Regional Disabled Hockey Festival for the fifth time. This year’s event will be held in the spring of 2025 at Madison Ice Arena and will feature sled hockey teams from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana and Iowa.

This year opportunity grants were awarded to applicants from youth hockey programs in

  • Ashland,

  • Chippewa Falls,

  • Hayward,

  • Middleton,

  • North Lakeland (Manitowish Waters),

  • LaCrosse,

  • Onalaska (Tornado Youth Hockey),

  • Sauk Prairie,

  • Somerset,

  • Tomah,

  • plus the West Madison Polar Caps, and

  • the Madison Patriots.

In the past seven years, we have provided over $73,000 in opportunity grants to 38 different organizations. This year we awarded grants to Ashland, Hayward, Middleton, North Lakeland and Sauk Prairie for the first time. Hopefully, our supporting efforts will help grow the game and expand opportunities for girls and boys to compete and learn to love the game

Each June, we sponsor the Coach Sauer Classic, which last season welcomed 22 high school teams from across the state.

The annual Jeff Sauer Award is another key part of our mission. Following the example of the Hockey Humanitarian Award, which is presented annually to college hockey’s finest citizen, the Jeff Sauer Award recognizes Wisconsin high school hockey players—male or female—who give back to their communities in the true humanitarian spirit. Or, more simply put, we look to reward good high school hockey players being great people.

Last season’s winner was Autumn Cooper of Superior who is playing college hockey at Bemidji State.

Carl Frederick
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2024 Opportunity Grant Announcement