2023 Opportunity Grants Awarded
14 Youth Hockey Organizations Benefit from Coach Sauer Foundation
The Coach Sauer Foundation is proud to announce that 14 youth hockey organizations from throughout Wisconsin have received grants for the 2023-24 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 fourth time. This year’s event will be held Nov. 4-5 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
Altoona,
Baraboo,
Chippewa Falls,
New Richmond,
Onalaska,
Oregon,
Reedsburg,
Sparta,
Tomah,
Viroqua,
Washington County,
West Madison Polar Caps, and
the Madison Dragons, the girls’ team which is a member of the Madison Patriots.
In the past six years, we have provided over $61,000 in opportunity grants to 33 different organizations This year our supporting efforts will help grow the game, expand opportunities for girls to compete, and honor the memory of a young player who tragically lost her life in an accident earlier this year.
The announcement of grants was made last week at our annual fundraising event in Madison where University of Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings was the featured guest.
Each June, we sponsor the Coach Sauer Classic, which this year welcomed 20 high school teams from across the state, and this March we hope to add a youth tournament to the mix.
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, Jack Redman of Onalaska Co-op, spoke at our fundraising event.
