Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

A graduate of Moorhead (MN) State College, Ted’s involvement with amateur hockey began in 1962, when he organized the youth hockey program in Moorhead.  For the next 22 years, Ted coached youth hockey in St. Paul and Grand Rapids, MN.

While serving MAHA (today known as Minnesota Hockey), he served as President from 1980 to 1983, and organized and implemented various coaching-related programs.  As the Minnesota Director of USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program from 1974 to 1982, Brill established and administered the program and its clinics throughout the state, and later led the drive to implement an Initiation Program in Minnesota.  As Minnesota Hockey Vice President for Player Development, Ted crafted and put in place many programs that still flourish today: The Satellite Training Program (STP), High School Maroon and Gold, Great Eight All-Star Series and Minnesota’s effective advanced programs and tryout processes.

The Maroon & Gold Series was designed to provide an enjoyable and challenging hockey experience for Minnesota's finest high school seniors players and coaches.  It was the hope that through participation in the series, every student athlete involved would be afforded to showcase the athletes unique talents and receive educational opportunities as a result. 

The format pitted talent from Team 'Metro' Maroon - Twin Cities & Southern Minnesota from (Sections: 1, 3, 4, 6)  vs. Team 'Outstate' Gold - Northern Minnesota from (Sections 2, 5, 7, 8)  in a x2 game series, often seeing x1 game played in Northern Minnesota, and x1 game in Twin Cities/Southern Minnesota.  The teams were coached by Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association Coaches of the Year from the corresponding sections, and were picked by collegiate coaches and professional scouts with typically 42-46 skaters rostered total between the two teams.

Many players that participated in the Maroon & Gold series, went on to represent Minnesota in National tournaments - namely the Chicago Showcase where Maroon & Gold skaters went undefeated and won the Chicago Showcase championship, additionally numerous Division 1 players and NHL players showcased their talents in Maroon & Gold series, all before many numerous collegiate coaches and NHL scouts in attendance that were present in the stands eagerly awaiting to sign many athletes.  The Maroon & Gold series was later renamed the 'Great 68's' (after 68 total athletes selected), with the series name change occuring in 1996 when the format change took place.  With the name change, the season ending all-star event moved from 2 rosters, to 4 total teams: Team Southeast Reds (Sections 1A & AA/2A & AA), Team Southwest Maroons (Sections 5A & AA/6A & AA), Team Northeast Golds (Sections 3A & AA/7A & AA) & Team Northwest Maroons (Sections 4A & AA/8A & AA).  With the new format in 1996, the players were now selected by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association and continued to again only be for those returning senior players. 

"It's a big opportunity for these kids.  It's a showcase of Minnesota high school hockey talent.  There is always tons of scouts there, and if the kids play well, they may garner some merit out of this thing" - Longtime Albert Lea Coach Roy Nystrom 1996. 

Much of the proceeds from the games were donated to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth.  Today, the series has morphed into the CCM High Performance Ted Brill Great 8 Festival, which today features four teams of high school juniors and four senior teams played at Wakota/Doug Woog Arena in South St. Paul.  Prior to this page being created on VMH, no where on the internet have these participating players been remembered - other than in old programs tucked away in scrapbooks of these series.  VMH is proud to have brought these rosters back to life, and celebrate the amazing accomplishments these young athletes made in the State of Hockey.