DU Alum Helps Hockey Become "The Official Sport Of Minnesota"

It took a DU Alum to help make it happen, but hockey is now the "Official Sport of the State of Minnesota."

From: WCCO Website

Hockey becomes the official state sport of Minnesota Wednesday.

Two hockey fans in the Legislature, Sens. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, and University of Denver hockey alum David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, put the proposal in an economic development bill signed into law last month.

Fifth-graders from Groveland Elemnetary School in Minnetonka originated the idea two years ago when they visited the Capitol. They told Olson Minnesota should have a state sport and two of them pushed for hockey.

The senators agreed. They cited many reasons, from the extensive boys and girls hockey programs, to the state's five NCAA Division I college teams to its NHL team the Minnesota Wild.

Olson said it took work to get a hearing on the proposal, and once they did, they didn't waste time getting it passed. "We did it for the kids," she said.

Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm grew up playing hockey in Chisholm, continued at Denver University and then played professionally in Italy for 16 years, including skating in four world championship games and the 1984 Olympics, according to the Pioneer Press.