JOHN R. DALE YOUTH HOCKEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
John R. Dale was born in Menomonie, WI and lived his early life on Oaklawn Farm with his parents, Richard and Dorothy Dale, and sisters Diana and Cari Jo. His love of family, friends, and the land surfaced early in his life and remained with him always.
John was active in sports. From the time he first put on skates, hockey became a passion of his. Temperatures below zero could not discourage him and his friends from skating on any ice they could find, especially the outdoor ice at the Rec Park when it became available.
When John turned 8 years of age, he was signed up as an initial member of the newly-formed Dunn County Youth Hockey Association. He spent the next seven years skating for the Dunn County Cougars and was part of three WAHA State Championship teams. John moved on to Menomonie High School and was a player on the first hockey team to be sponsored by the school in 1980. It was through hockey that John met Ed Roethke, who was his coach for all his youth hockey and high school years. Ed would become one of John’s mentors, his role model, and friend.
John married Julie (Knopps) in 1996 and moved to Hastings, MN, where hockey again became an important part of his life when his son Jake joined the Hastings hockey program. John became a proud and longtime coach of Jake’s hockey team. John, along with Julie and daughter Jenna, never missed a game.
It is in loving memory of John and for the friends he had yet to meet that this scholarship has been established by his family and many friends to provide one youth member from the greater Menomonie area with the opportunity to participate in the Menomonie Youth Hockey Association’s “Squirts” or “U10” program. Applicants must have completed the “Mites” program and include a written submission of why playing hockey is important to them. Preference is given to those who have siblings in MYHA.
One or two scholarships shall be awarded annually to cover the full registration cost published by the Menomonie Youth Hockey Association. Currently, (2) scholarship recipients are chosen each year and awarded a $500 scholarship each.
SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA
- Applicants must be currently enrolled in Menomonie Youth Hockey as a member in good standing and be a “mite” program graduate.
- Applicants must be enrolling in the Menomonie Youth Hockey “Squirt” (male) or “U10” (female) program.
- Preference is giving to an applicant with siblings in a MYHA program.
- Youth applicants must submit a written statement: “In 50 words or less answer the question Youth Hockey is important to me because…?”
An additional statement of 50 words or less may be attached to the application by the parent/guardian.
Application forms are submitted and processed by the Menomonie Youth Hockey Association. Visit their website to apply. The application is found at the bottom of the MYHA Registration Page. The deadline is typically in October annually.