Located around a chain of lakes at the intersection of highways 90 and 35 in south-central Minnesota is Albert Lea, a proud hockey town if there ever was one.
Now, Albert Lea may be more well-known nationally as the former home of one of America’s favorite TV moms, Marion Ross, and it may not have the State Tournament stature of other State of Hockey hubs, but with its thriving youth association, historic facilities and an engaged local infrastructure, it is without question a respected hockey community where a passion for the game has been present for many decades.
“For as long as I can remember, we’ve always been a really strong hockey community,” said Abby Leach, a second-generation player from Albert Lea who is in her first year as president of the Albert Lea Hockey Association. “The other night I drove past two or three outdoor rinks on the lake, with the lights up. People here are really into recreation, navigating our lakes and enjoying the outdoors. Hockey is a big part of that.”
GROWING THE GAME
While Albert Lea has maintained a solid hockey foundation and positive player retention rates, like many smaller communities in Minnesota, it can’t just rest on its laurels. ALHA leadership both past and present have made continuous growth a priority. The local business community, government and close to 100 volunteers have joined in efforts to grow the game in Albert Lea, with a variety of initiatives and events created to fundraise, drive awareness and ensure lower fees for its hockey families.
“Our association is strong and we have an awesome board with many years of experience and also some new blood with great ideas coming in,” said Leach, who replaced longtime ALHA President Todd Ulve at the start of the 2025-26 season. “We have a golf tournament in the summer which raises funds for our association and the girls’ and boys’ high school programs. We have our dasher board program, charitable gambling in a few local establishments as well as Hockey Day.”
According to Leach, all of Albert Lea’s teams get to play on Hockey Day, and the event is supported community-wide, whether by “volunteering at activities, donating brats or burgers, making contributions or just coming out to watch,” she said. “A lot of teams like coming down for Hockey Day because it’s a jam-packed day of games, skills competitions, T-shirts and a lot of fun things for the kids.”
Another key aspect of growth in Albert Lea is focused on bolstering the culture and the connections between the younger players and the Tigers’ high school programs.
The “Tiger Buddies” program, run through the high school boosters, matches up high school players with boys and girls in the youth programs, at the U10, U8 and Squirt levels. They participate in events together such as open skates, autograph sessions, pizza parties and joining players on the ice for high school player introductions. Last year, the girls high school team and youth girls shared a bus to a Minnesota State game.
“When you’re a young hockey player you look up to the high school players, that’s who you want to be some day,” said Ulve. “So, to get those kids together is something special.”
FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT
There have been substantial efforts to improve the on-ice performance in Albert Lea as well, including an emphasis on a more competitive experience at the younger ages, with Try Hockey for Free, Learn to Skate, the Mites program and a recently added U8 level. But Ulve is quick to point out it’s not about wins and losses.
“We don’t focus on winning, we focus on growing and skill development,” said Ulve, who, while association president, had four sons go through the program, one of which is currently skating for St. Norberts. “We’re developing the future. Some of our lower-level teams may not win a lot of games, but as they go through the system, we help turn them into a team that knows how to win and can win. And, we have great coaches at all levels.”
One of those coaches is Matt Tubbs, who wears several hats for Albert Lea hockey including coaching coordinator for the association, girls’ high school assistant coach and goalie instructor, among others.
Tubbs says the hockey community as a whole focuses on allowing kids to have affordable access to hockey in a positive, uplifting and supportive setting.
“It starts with our Mites, with station-based practices, focusing on the ADM Model,” Tubbs said. “We’ve also partnered with a gym in town that does our dryland training. We have weekly dryland sessions for shooting, passing, stickhandling, along with some intro to weightlifting, which has been really helpful. We also have a camp for goaltenders, with the high school goalies out there in their gear running the stations for the kids. There are smiles everywhere and the kids are having a blast.”
THRIVING GIRLS PROGRAM
At the high school level, while the boys’ side has produced its fair share of successful seasons, including reaching the Section 1A championship game multiple times, the girls’ program has made the biggest impression in recent years. In 2022, the girls won their first-ever section title and earned their first trip to St. Paul for the Class A state tournament. They qualified in 2023 as well, falling in the state quarterfinals in back-to-back seasons. The last two years, they’ve reached the section finals.
“The growth of the girls’ program has been really cool to see,” said Leach, who served as an assistant coach for the girls’ high school team in 2017-18. “I started playing U12 the second year we had girls’ hockey in Albert Lea. So, to see the change from back then when I was 10 years old to what it is today, it’s a night and day difference. We have close to 100 girls playing in our association now. About half of those are U10 or younger. When I started, we had maybe 12.”
HOME ICE ADVANTAGE
The home of hockey in Albert Lea for nearly 50 years is the legendary Albert Lea City Arena, a two-sheet facility known for its vintage feel and barrel-shaped roof. One of the two rinks inside was re-named in honor of longtime Albert Lea boys’ head hockey coach Roy Nystrom. The Arena has become an integral part of Albert Lea’s hockey reputation and a source of pride for the community.
“It’s really a legendary arena,” said Ulve. “When you walk in you see the exposed wood beams and you can feel the history. It’s cool as heck. Teams from all over are honored to play there.”
A nearly $10 million referendum to fund the renovation of a number of recreational buildings in town, including Albert Lea City Arena, passed in April of 2024. According to a release, the funds earmarked for the Arena will go toward expanding the building’s lobby, replacing the ice rink’s decades-old refrigeration system and making roof improvements, among other issues. The referendum approval marked the latest big example of how important hockey is to the community and its willingness to support the sport’s growth in Albert Lea.
“Everyone involved understands the economic impact hockey brings to the table and that the game is at the forefront of people’s minds in the winter in Albert Lea,” said Ulve. “I was really proud of our board and our hockey community when we got this thing done. It shows our commitment to hockey in general and that we’re going to have a strong program for years to come.”
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