Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

Jerry Hayes, son of James and Joan Hayes, grew up in a family of 7 (6 brothers) in Duluth, Minnesota playing hockey for Lower Chester in an association that consisted of close to twenty different "rink" teams playing most practices and games outside.  He went on to Duluth Central high school and participated in three sports while at Central graduating in 1985. Jerry attended the College of St. Scholastica and was a four year letter winner and captain of hockey his senior season. Jerry finished in the top twenty all-time for scoring upon finishing his playing career in 1989.  During his 5th year of college, Jerry was given the opportunity to coach hockey at Hermantown high school under head coach Cliff Ashby in 1990.  

Jerry graduated from St. Scholastica in 1990 with a B.A. in teaching of social studies and a B.S. degree in exercise science. Following graduation he received a teaching position at Toivola-Meadowlands high school and became the head football and head track coach while still maintaining the assistant hockey position in Hermantown.

In 1992, Jerry and his family moved to the Twin Cities and he served as an assistant coach under Bill Ross, his former college coach, at St. Paul Academy high school.  Jerry while serving as varsity assistant coach, was also the head J.V., and middle school coach at S.P.A.  During the summer months he worked for Mike Foley at Foley's legendary hockey school in St. Paul.  In 1994, Jerry was offered a position as assistant coach under Tom Doig at Mounds View high school while teaching at St. Odilia school in Shoreview.  While serving as Tom's assistant varsity coach, Jerry again served as head coach of the Bantam B team.

In 1995, Jerry accepted the head boys hockey coaching position at Minneapolis Southwest high school.  While at Southwest, his teams earned three Minneapolis City Conference Championships.  He also served as the youth hockey director for the Southwest Hockey Association.  To be awarded the Dave Peterson award had special significance for Jerry as Dave Peterson's accomplishments and legacy was, and is still revered in the Southwest hockey community.

In 1998, Jerry was offered the head coaching position at Apple Valley high school and a teaching position as social studies teacher.  Jerry continued to run summer skills clinics for Apple Valley youth players for 14+ years, and has coached numerous Select 15, 16, and 17 teams.  Jerry also coached in the Ted Brill Great 8 Festival on a couple of different occasions.

In 2007, Jerry was offered the opportunity to become the Player Development Coordinator, and A.C.E. Director for the Apple Valley Hockey Association.  In addition to those roles Jerry served as a member of the Minnesota Hockey ADM Advancement Committee to help with the transition to USA Hockey's new initiative. 

It goes without saying that without the support of Jerry's family, and his wife Michelle, he would not have been able to have been involved in hockey as he had all those years.