House a Northstar Knight
The Northstar Knights are looking for host families to house Northstar Knight players. Hosting a Northstar Knight is an opportunity for families to develop a deep connection with young men during an important time in their life. Our student-athletes come to Alexandria, Minnesota from all over the United States and our host families play an important role to love, teach, and help these young men grow. The Knights players will stay in Alexandria from September 2023 through May 2024. Please contact Mark Abalan ([email protected]) or Dallas Steward ([email protected]) if you are interested!
Northstar Knights 23-24 Season Preview
The Northstar Knights are excited to announce we will be fielding both 16U and 18U AAA teams for the upcoming 23-24 season. Athletics, Academics, and Discipleship will continue to be the foundation of a NorthStar Knight. This includes an elite schedule of 50-60 games playing nationally ranked opponents, an academic platform through Liberty University Online Academy with the focus on training Godly men through mentorship, daily chapels, and bible studies. If you are interested in learning more, please contact our coaching staff.
Dallas Steward Interim Executive Director [email protected]
Rylan Galiardi 18U Head Coach [email protected]
Mark Abalan 16U Head Coach [email protected]
Knights Alumni Spotlight - Jaxon Grosdidier
Name: Jaxon Grosdidier
Years played at Northstar: 2020-2022
Current Team: Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)
This senior spotlight features a man for the limelight. If there’s a camera rolling or a photo about to be taken, you better believe Jaxon Grosdider will be nearby. Jaxon brought life and energy to the locker room during his time at Northstar but was also a fantastic mentor and friend to anybody who stepped foot on campus. As light-hearted as the guy is, he's also tough as nails (as you will see later in the interview) and is a warrior on the ice and for the Lord. Please enjoy this final alumni spotlight from Jaxon Grosdider!
What are you up to at the moment?
Right now, I'm playing for the Aberdeen wings in the NAHL. This year, I went through a lot of trials. I started the year playing well and then I got hurt after eleven games and broke my face and then had to have surgery and then had to endure a long recovery. About 1 month ago, I was able to return with the team and start practicing and now that the season is over, I’m training and working out for next year.
What led you to Northstar?
I ended up coming here because I played with Talon Sigurdson's younger brother, Quentin, in Sioux Falls when I was 13 and my mom they saw Northstar play in Sioux Falls and saw him prey as center ice and my mom said if I send you off anywhere then you're going there so then we waited for them to have U16 team and then contacted Tim and then they responded and then I came here for a camp and then I came here
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
Northstar had a huge impact in my spiritual life. Before I always went to church on Sundays and had a Bible next to my bed but I never like opened the Bible except for Sundays and never really knew what a relationship with Christ was but then when I came to Northstar, I got to grow in my faith and I just got a new relationship with Jesus and a true meaning of what it looks like.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
Northstar improved my skills a lot. They taught me how to work hard every single day and every single practice. The two-a-day skates were awesome with the skill skates in the morning and then a team practice in the afternoon but Dallas (Steward) and Gali (Rylan Galiardi) did a really good job with us last year just pushing us to be our best and the guys around me. We had a really good group of guys and we all just wanted to compete day in and day out.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
This year, I learned a lot and Northstar actually got me ready for it by just serving everyone around me whether I'm playing or being scratched. If I was scratched, I would just show up and do anything the equipment manager would need so that the team could go out and perform to their best abilities and get a win. In juniors, we have a lot of free time because we would skate and workout from 8:00 to 10:30 every morning and then we had the rest of the day off so I learned how to use my time wisely and ended up getting a job so I'd work for like 3-4 hours a day and then I would usually just go hang out with the boys and then eat dinner and then go to bed.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
So some advice I'd give to the current and future Northstar Knights players is just be open to new things that the coaches want you to do. Be coachable and work hard but also have fun because Northstar was super fun when I was there and the brotherhoods that I built with my teammates and even like the younger 16U team at the time were awesome and I still keep in contact with them every day
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
My favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 (For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope - NLT). This verse helped me a lot this year through my injury and everything. I liked it because I knew that God's plans were much greater than mine and I grew closer to Him through my injury and I leaned on Him a lot more.
What was your favorite memory at Northstar?
My favorite Northstar memory would be the mission trip to Iberia, Missouri when we took the 18U team in April 2022. It was awesome because my group was unbelievable and we were so much fun and got along really well. At the beginning of the trip, we had to pick up T-Johns (Tyler Johnson) from the airport in Kansas City and we showed up like 3 hours early and Gali took us to the YMCA and we played about two hours of lightning. After we were done, we realized our van smelled so bad and we couldn't figure it out. We searched the whole van but couldn't find the source so we just kept driving and it still smelled terrible. Then we showed up to the campsite and it was like probably 1:00 AM and everyone's sleeping as we all barge in the door making a lot of noise and we all get settled for the night and then the next morning we wake up and find out that Huntsy (Nathan Huntington) had a chicken breast in his backpack that's been there for about two weeks and that was the rotten smell that we were smelling. There was also a day on that mission thrip where I had all these essential oils and Gali would always make this little tea concoction to always drink. Ryan laubach tried the oregano oil and he was like “oh that's bad” and then we got Oly (Carter Olson) to try it and Oly just started sobbing because it was so hot which I don't blame him because that stuff is really hot and then Carto tried it and he was in a lot of pain too and it was hilarious.
What's next for you?
Next year I'm planning on returning to Aberdeen for my second year of juniors and hoping to maybe get a look from a D1 school and go from there with my life.
Northstar Knights see 7 players picked in the 2023 USHL draft
Alexandria, MN (May. 9, 2023)
For more information, contact: Johnny Van Atta, Director of Hockey Operations (615) 830-1113, [email protected]
Last week, the Northstar Knights saw 1 alumni, and 6 current players drafted in the 2023 USHL draft. The USHL Draft takes place during the first week of May each year and is completed in two “Phases”. Phase I of the Draft is ten rounds of “Futures” age players only, which are U-17 players for next year’s season (2007 birth year players only for the 2023 Draft). Phase II of the Draft will take place the following day beginning with round one. This draft is open to players of all ages eligible to play junior hockey and are not currently protected by another USHL team.
The Knights saw their first 2 players selected in Phase I of the draft. Brady Krey was selected in the 5th round, 73rd overall by the Omaha Lancers. In 12 games played this season, Krey was outstanding in net posting 2.25 GAA and a .909 SV% to go along with a record of 8-3-0 and 2 shutouts.
Bode Laylin came off the board shortly after as he was selected in the 6th round 79th overall by the Tri City Storm. Laylin was banged up for most of the season but when he was on the ice, he showed he can be a dominant player for years to come. In 38 games played, he scored 21 points (2G, 19A) and his 0.55 points-per-game ranked 2nd on the Knights defensemen. He was also one of 2 players on the team to not take a penalty all season alongside Conor Watson.
In the Phase II draft, Caleb Elfering was the first Knight to be drafted as he was selected in the 10th round, 143 overall by the Green Bay Gamblers. Last season, Elfering scored 62 points (22G, 40A) in 56 games played and was the leading scorer of players returning this season. His production grew this season as Elfering led the team in points with 72 (33G, 39A) in 52 games played. He also played in 3 games this season with the Wenatchee Wild in the BCHL where he scored 1 goal.
Joe Stauber was one of 3 Knights drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers as he was selected in the 12th round, 174 overall. Stauber came to Northstar this year after he played for Duluth-Marshall High School in Duluth, MN where he scored 19 points (6G, 13A) in 20 games. This season, Stauber was a welcomed physical presence to the Knights blueline where he also chipped in with 29 points (9G, 22A) in 52 games played.
Kade Peterson was selected in the 13th round, 198 overall by the Fargo Force. Peterson played for the Knights from 2019-2021 where he scored 58 points (25G, 33A) in 95 games played. Following his time at Northstar, Peterson played with the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL from 2021-2023 where he totaled 81 points (39G, 42A) in 117 games played. He will look to join fellow Knights Alumni, Jakob Stender, Jacob Napier and Anthony Menghini to suit up for the Force.
Jake Spraetz was selected in the 14th round, 204 overall by the Sioux City Musketeers. Spraetz joined the 16U Knights this season from the Arizona Jr. Sun Devils and his speed on the ice would terrorize opposing defenseman. In 46 games played Spraetz scored 40 points (19G, 21A) and was also a threat on the penalty kill by leading the team with 7 points (2G, 5A).
Brayden Berg, a local Alexandria, MN native was the final Knight drafted as he was selected in the 12th round, 174 overall by the Sioux City Musketeers. Last season for the 16U Knights, Berg led the team in points with 53 (30G, 23A) in 43 games played. This season for the 18U Knights, Berg put up 40 points (16G, 24 A) in 51 games played.
The Northstar Knights are proud of all the hard work these boys have put in this season and look forward to the impact these players will have on their junior teams and beyond!
Knights Alumni Spotlight - CJ Kier
Name: CJ Kier
Years played at Northstar: 2020-2022
Current Team: El Paso Rhinos (NAHL)
This next alumni spotlight is a really special player and has a heart for the Lord. He is a man after God's heart and a true disciple of Jesus Christ. This guy is the definition of what Tim Jackman emphasizes in “secret training”. He is always at the rink early and is constantly stretching out before and after practices. The way he trains and takes care of his body resembles habits of a professional athlete. This man we have up is none other than CJ Kier. Kier came to Northstar following 2 successful years in the Colorado Thunderbirds AAA program. He played on the inaugural 16U Knights team in the 2020-21 season and then on the 18U Prep team in the 2021-22 season. In 31 games played with the 18U Prep team, Kier boasted a 1.16 GAA and a .941 SV%, both of which ranked 1st place in all 18U AAA goaltenders. Along with partner, Logan Verpoort, the goaltending was the backbone to helping their team claim the 2022 NAPHL Dixon Cup. His stellar season with the Knights led to Kier signing a tender with the Bismarck Bobcats of the NAHL. This season, Kier played 4 games with Bismarck before he was traded to the El Paso Rhinos. With the Rhinos, Kier had a 3.19 GAA and a .907 SV% through 11 games. In his final game of the year, Kier helped lead his team to a 4-2 victory over the Shreveport Mudbugs by making 32 saves on 34 shots against. With a strong finish to his junior season, Kier has a lot to look forward to headed into next season.
What are you up to at the moment?
At the moment I am at home getting ready to train in the offseason. I just got back on Sunday (4.16.23) from the season and just getting ready to work for Mountain High Hockey Goalie Club this summer and then putting work in the gym to get ready for next season.
What led you to Northstar?
It's kind of a long story. In short, A family friend said he heard about the program and thought it would be a perfect fit for me. At the time I wasn't a Christian but the summer coming into Northstar, I became a Christian and that's when I knew that Northstar is where I needed to be. So after our family friend brought up Northstar, that's when me and my dad had to consider leaving the program that I was in which was a top-10 program in the country which was a very difficult decision for us. We spent months going on and off about whether we should leave or whether we should go to Northstar. One week it would be, yeah we're for sure staying, and the next week would be, we're for sure leaving. Eventually, it became such a hard decision that my dad decided to pray about it and the next day after my dad prayed about it we got a sign from God that was as clear as day and that's when we made the decision to come to Northstar.
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
A big thing that Northstar taught me was how to live like a Christian and to show everyone what it means to be a Christian - to be in the Bible and that people are watching the way that you live your life. Tim (Jackman) would always say a thing that I thought was pretty cool. It was, instead of walking into the locker room and saying “here I am”, you walk into the locker room and say “there you are”. You put your pride behind you and you go to serve your teammates and be there for them and just be a light to them. I struggled with a lot of persecution this year throughout junior hockey but it ended up opening doors for me to share the gospel with my teammates and I wouldn't have been able to do that had I not gone to Northstar.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
Northstar taught me how to work and grind through things. Junior hockey can definitely be a grind through training camp and bag skates. At Northstar, Tim taught us to push through that and also in the workouts with Frito (Josh Freitas), it taught me how to push through the pain and just keep working to get better and stronger.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
In junior hockey, everything has to be earned and that was something that I think kind of caught everyone by surprise. I personally came in and had an opportunity to play and maybe didn't play my best and therefore, I didn't get to play. I didn't get another opportunity to play for another month after that and that just shows in junior hockey, you have to perform if you want to keep playing. That's definitely a big hardship of junior hockey as well as being a Christian. If you’re a Christian in junior hockey, you might be persecuted for what you believe in. It's just a different lifestyle that some people live and not being in that “Northstar bubble” but these are all things that through juniors, you learn how to get through it and it only makes you better going through these hardships and adversity. Junior hockey is just full of adversity no matter if you’re the best player on the team or not.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
I know Northstar teaches a lot on not being prideful, but I think going into juniors you're always expecting something. My advice to the guys would definitely be do not expect anything going into juniors. You have to earn everything and nothing is given to you. You might be given an opportunity, but if you don't perform, that opportunity is going to be taken from you. It’s a business and you have to earn your spot every single day.
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
The verse that helped me get through this past year was Exodus 15:3 which is “the Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name” because with as much adversity as I faced this year, that kept me going knowing that the Lord is a warrior and he can get us through anything. I just think that's such a cool scripture that the Lord is a warrior and I think that shows that we're called to be warriors as well.
What was your favorite memory at Northstar?
My favorite memory at Northstar would be just spending time with guys in the locker room before and after games and before and after practice. We just had such a tight bond with the guys there.
What's next for you?
What's next for me is to just put in the work in the offseason and make sure that I can be the best that I can for next season.
Bonus Story
I feel like this picture below sums up the kind of person that CJ is. On February 5, 2022 the 18U Knights were playing in Des Moines against the 18U Jr. Buccaneers. The previous 3 matchups during the season were dominated by the Knights, however this game was a very tight matchup with both teams battling with a 1-1 score nearing the end of the 3rd period and with identical shot totals of 40 for each team. With less than a second remaining in the game, Caleb Elfering scored the game winning goal which sent the Knights teammates into a frenzy to maul Elfering in the corner of the rink. But as all the players were charging to Elfering, one player was missing. Instead of skating immediately to celebrate, Kier skated directly to the Des Moines goaltender who had given up the goal to comfort him and recognize a well fought battle between the two. Acts of sportsmanship like this are amazing to see and even more so to see from a 18 year old kid. All of here at Northstar are proud to have a Godly man like Kier to carry on the legacy of what it means to be a Northstar Knight.
Knights Alumni Spotlight - KJ Hjelm
Name: Kaden (KJ) Hjelm
Years played at Northstar: 2019-2021
Current Team: Bethel University (NCAA DIII)
This next player up on our Knights Alumni spotlight is KJ Hjelm. Hjelm came to Northstar in 2019 from Omaha, Nebraska where he spent time in the Omaha Lancers AAA program. In his 2 seasons at Northstar from 2019-2021, Hjelm suited up for 88 games where he scored 43 points (13G, 30A). His 88 games played is a true feat considering how banged up he was during his time at Northstar which will be covered later in the interview. Upon graduation from Northstar, Hjelm played for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL in the 2021-22 season where he scored 14 points (7G, 7A) in 59 games played. During the 2022-23 season, Hjem suited up for 20 games with the Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL where he scored 6 points (0G, 6A) before leaving to pursue other opportunities. “KJ and his family were extremely persistent in attempting to become a Northstar Knight”, said coach Tim Jackman. “He attended 3 to 4 camps before being given a position on the Knights and we felt like how can we not take this young man who wants to be a Knight so bad. He never wasted a day here, and he is a very humble, hard-working man and he loves the Lord.” Please enjoy this interview catching up with KJ Hjelm!
What are you up to at the moment?
I am in my first semester at Bethel university after playing my second year of junior hockey. I played last year in Kenai, Alaska for the Kenai River Brown Bears as my first year of junior. This season, I started with the Lone Star Bahamas in Fort Worth, TX. I was there for about 3 months before I just didn't feel at peace where I was and I just felt a better calling and a bigger calling and it led me to Bethel. I knew (Bethel Head Coach) Chris McKelvey through FCA and Northstar camps in the summer and I reached out to him and I had plans to come the following year and I was like “hey can I come in early” and he said “of course” pretty much. I have been here at Bethel since the beginning of January and I haven't looked back. Time flies here and I'm really grateful to be here and the connections I've made and the faithful environment I'm in.
What led you to Northstar?
I was 16 years old and I was baseball player and a hockey player and I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. There was an injury in baseball that led me to either get surgery or remain playing with a torn shoulder and obviously you can't play with the torn shoulder, so that ended my baseball career. That led me to looking into options outside of Omaha and I had a coach in California when I lived there in 4th grade who played at Army with Rick and he recommended Northstar to me. We looked at it a little bit and I was obsessed with the hockey part of it, as many people can relate to, and I went to my first FCA camp in May of 2019. I was moved by so many leaders there and really experienced God for the first time in my life, which is pretty cool, and I'm grateful for that. I was just 16 years old and I didn't make the team right away and they wanted me to come back to the camp in June and that's where they offered me a spot on the Knights and I took it and I spent my junior and senior years at Northstar and that's where I gave my life to Christ in February of 2020 and got baptized with some of my best friends and that's something I'll always remember.
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
JO (John Olver) always said just to be a warrior, whether that's on the ice or in my spiritual life. There was a lot of junk and hard times thrown at me and I think what I've taken from Northstar is being strong in my faith and being bold and learning what it means like to follow Christ and to be confident in Him through the ups and the downs and just knowing that you have a secure place in heaven is one thing I really took away from Northstar. It has given me peace about a lot of things in life that I wouldn't have had before.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
Northstar transformed me to be strong and to have the winner's mentality. I learned to have the mindset to be fearless when I go on the ice that I am playing for an audience of 1 and that's what drove me. It took a while, but it's what started to drive me during the 2nd half of my first year and it's something I stuck to the rest of the time there. In juniors, I feel like the area that I grew the most was my hockey sense and just puck battles. I learned how to battle and be tough for my size. I was always worried to put myself in the frontline of battle just because I was a smaller guy and of course it came with lots of injuries but that's definitely how Northstar changed me - to be a warrior and to be fearless. During my time at Northstar, I had one shoulder separation, two AC joint separations, I tore my hip flexor and I broke my wrist as well and I think I missed maybe 10 games in 2 seasons. It made me grateful just to be able to play and I'm thankful I went through those trials.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
The main take away was how you are solely judged on performance, which is something that if I didn't go to Northstar would would haunt me for sure. Since I am grounded in my faith, I didn't really let that bother me too much I. I knew I had a bigger purpose, and there can be a lot of darkness around juniors as well. I was used to being close with my teammates at Northstar and that was something that was hard for me as well. I was fortunate enough to play a year with Northstar alumni, Luke Anderson, in Kenai and we started our own Bible study as a team and about three months in we got to the point where we had about 15 guys coming and just getting together and breaking bread with the boys and just having a good time. The Bible studies challenged me and my faith too because there were lots of questions from the guys because we might now have had right answers at times but it 's something that I always I always look back on.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
My advice would be to just embrace the moment when you're there. I look back all the time at my two years and I wish I could have embraced what I had and the environment that I was in because the minute you step out of there, you realize how much you miss it. You'll never get the opportunity to be together with the boys so I think that's another thing to take away is the connections you build because there you're making brothers for life there. You spend a lot of time there, and you get to hone in on your skills not only on the ice but in the chapel and the weight room because life gets pretty tough outside of there. There are lots of things that get thrown at you when you're there and it seems like a lot, but it is something I would trade any day to go back.
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
My verse that I have had since my senior year my billet mom made me a blanket and it I look at every night it's 1 John 4:12 (NIV) and it says, “no one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives within us and his love is made complete in us.” For me being at college, I think it's so important because I feel this love from people who share the same faith as me and I just feel the presence of Jesus through people I meet and it's my goal to for them to feel the same presence that I do and love people back so that's definitely a verse that's stuck with me for a pretty good reason
What's your favorite Northstar memory?
My favorite memory probably was the senior trip at the Cullen's cabin. I'm not going to say anything because I don't want to spoil it but I felt like the Holy Spirit was talking through me the whole night and I've never felt that before. We got to share so many stories and there was so much laughter. Another favorite memory was from the trip down to Dallas where we won the NAPHL Championship. It was when the whole state of Texas froze over and the power kept going out in the rink and the lights turned off and we’d have to go into the locker rooms each time for like an hour. On top of that, the game went to overtime so I think it was like a 12:00 PM game, but we weren't out there until around 6:00 PM. When we left, it was about -20 degrees outside and the bus broke down at a gas station in the middle of nowhere in Kansas around 5:00 AM. The nearest hotel to stay at was 30 minutes away and we had to have a local bus company to help us get to the hotel so it was around 7:00 AM by time it finished. It was fun though and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Finally, it's not one specific memory, but just being arm in arm with each other every morning with the boys at Chapel and just praising the Lord was something that was the most powerful consistent experience through my time at Northstar which is something that relates to God is his consistency in the way He works.
What's next for you?
I will be attending Bethel University for the next four years. I'm very excited about my future here to grow spiritually, academically and to play for Chris Mckelve. It reminds me a lot about Northstar being here and I'm just very peaceful with where I'm at and I'm very excited for the next four years.
Knights Alumni Spotlight - Reese Laubach
Name: Reese Laubach
Years played at Northstar: 2020-22
Current Team: Omaha Lancers (USHL)
This Northstar Knights Alumni Spotlight features Reese Laubach. Laubach is a San Jose, CA native who played for the 18U Knights during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. During his time at Northstar, Laubach lit up the record books, ranking first all time in goals (84) and points (177) and 2nd in assists (93) while also helping his teams win 2 NAPHL championships. His dominant play on the ice led him to be selected by the Youngstown Phantoms in the 3rd round of the Phase 2 of the USHL draft in 2021. He then committed to NCAA powerhouse, Minnesota State-Mankato in the fall of 2021 and followed that up by being selected by his hometown team, San Jose Sharks, in the 7th round of the 2022 NHL draft. This season, Laubach was traded from Youngstown to the Omaha Lancers where he has put up 20 points (5G, 11A) in 33 games played. In his final game of the USHL season, Laubach recorded a hat trick against the Sioux City Musketeers. As prolific as he is on the ice, Laubach is an even better man off the ice and someone you definitely would be blessed with to have in your life. Please enjoy this interview from the man, the myth, and the legend, Reese Laubach.
What are you up to at the moment?
I am in Omaha at the moment playing for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL. We are just finishing up the season - we have got one weekend left here and I just want to finish strong. Unfortunately we're not making the playoffs this year but I am just looking forward to a good summer of training and just getting better and coming back next year and being better. This year has been good for me but it has also been really hard. Juniors has been a tough transition for me but I got put into a pretty good situation in Omaha with a pretty good group of guys, so since the trade here, it's been awesome.
What led you to Northstar?
JO had reached out to me a few times before my 16U year and eventually I ended up telling him no and I actually was going to stay in San Jose for another year. Then when COVID happened, thankfully Northstar kind of opened up the opportunity and a spot opened up for me again and I was able to take the opportunity to go to Northstar and that was probably the best decision of my life to go there.
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
Northstar impacted my spiritual life by teaching me how to have my own relationship with God. I've been able to stay in the word pretty frequently and I've been able to reach out to some guys. I have a pretty good group of Northstar guys so we all kind of keep each other accountable and we can check in with each other and just talk man-to-man and not really have to be weird about it or anything but Northstar definitely taught me how to have my own faith.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
Northstar grew my on and off ice skills a lot obviously with all the all the things you have at Northstar with the awesome weight room and the 2.5 hours of ice each day. If you love hockey, it's hard not to get better so just really buying in and giving everything you got and pushing yourself so much. Just push yourself every day to get better and obviously with the guys we had, we had a pretty good group, so a lot of us were pushing each other obviously on the ice but in the weight room too and just being competitive and like I said pushing each other to get better.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
Probably just trusting that God has a plan for you no matter what. I went through a pretty tough situation at my previous team where it just wasn't a very good fit for me and I had to really lean into my faith and trust that what I was doing there and that the group of people I was surrounded with was all for a reason and it was all for the purpose of helping me in the future.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
My advice would be to take full advantage of the time you get at Northstar. If I could, I would go back there in a heartbeat. I loved every minute of the 2 years I was there so don't be so worried about moving on to juniors and moving to the next level in hockey. I guess just take advantage of what you have in Northstar and the people you have that you're surrounded with.
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
My favorite verse is Galatians 6:9 (“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” - ESV) which my version says, “let us not become weary and doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up”. That verse meant a lot to me for a while and it's a verse I've been able to lean into this year and it really describes how my year has gone just knowing that everything going on is for a purpose other than what we see now.
What was your favorite memory at Northstar?
Winning the 2 Dixon Cups was great obviously and we had to work pretty hard for that, but I would say my favorite memory at Northstar was probably the mission trip we took last spring to Iberia, Missouri. Just being with that group of guys and we all got so close and came together for that week to help a community that really was in need I thought that was pretty awesome.
What's next for you?
Well obviously the plan for now is to play one more year at juniors and then head to college but right now I'm just honestly more focused on my training and getting better this summer so I can be a dominant player and play well next year.
Knights Alumni Spotlight - Christian Carto
Name: Christian Carto
Years played at Northstar: 2020-2022
Current Team: New Mexico Ice Wolves (NAHL)
Today’s Alumni Spotlight features Christian Carto. Carto played on the 18U Prep team for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 season where he suited up for 68 games played and added 11 points (1G, 10A). This season, he played in 9 games with the New Mexico Ice Wolves in the NAHL and 6 games with the Granite City Lumberjacks of the NA3HL before his season ended from an injury you’ll get to hear about later. While Carto wasn't known for lighting up the scoresheet, he more importantly would light up the locker room or classroom with his smile. This guy truly lives out James 1:19 of being quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. He is a warrior for Christ and wise beyond his years. The other week, Carto came through Northstar to train for a couple days and I had the chance to grab lunch with him and it was very encouraging to hear how God is working in his life and just share fellowship with each other. He is a light to be around and his humility is infectious and the impact he had on Northstar during his time here will last a lifetime. We hope you enjoy this next interview with Christian Carto.
What are you up to at the moment?
Last season I played junior hockey in the North American Hockey League in New Mexico. My first year of juniors went great. Everything that I was taught here at Northstar prepared me for junior hockey and my faith was definitely tested but I felt prepared and ready to stand strong for Christ through the temptations that I faced while I was battling for playing time throughout the season. I feel like God truly worked through me a ton and I was able to minister to my teammates through my play on and off the ice. Unfortunately in February my season was ended short as I took a slapshot to the face and broke a bunch of bones in my face and in my jaw and had to have my jaw wired shut so my season ended short. As of now I'm planning to go back down to New Mexico next year and finish my last year juniors down there and hopefully the goal would be to play Division 1 hockey afterwards.
What led you to Northstar?
I first heard about Northstar and FCA Hockey in Atlanta, Georgia when I went to a camp down there when I was about 7 or 8 years old and immediately I knew that it was a place where I wanted to be when I was older and I made it a goal to get there. I played Minnesota high school hockey my sophomore year in Wayzata and came to a camp here in 2019 and I received my first Northstar Christian Academy hat which I was in love with but I told myself that I wouldn't wear that hat until I came to Northstar. I sat on my desk and I looked at it all year as I played high school hockey and I continued to stay in touch with Rick and JO and my junior year I ended up making Northstar which was a very happy day for me. When I signed the contract, I proudly put that hat on and ended up coming to Northstar for my junior and senior years.
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
Coming to Northstar I was strong spiritually. I had been raised in a Christian home as both my mom and dad are strong in their faith. Before coming to Northstar, I would say that my faith was my parents’ faith and I didn't walk in my own faith and kind of stand up for myself so coming to Northstar, I was turned from a boy into a man and I was taught how to stand up for my own faith and make my faith my own. Not only did I expand my knowledge biblically, but I learned more about God and how He is working in my life and how I can trust Him in times of adversities. Going into junior hockey, that has been something that I've been able to apply so much. I was the only Christian on my team in New Mexico this year which made it tough because I was definitely an outlier and an outcast to some of my teammates, however just being able to exemplify God's love and His care and forgiveness to those around me allowed my teammates to respect me and ultimately treat me like one of the boys. It gave me the opportunity for them to open up to me and asked me questions about my faith and what I stood for and why I was different and it allowed me to plant seeds as to what God's doing in my life and how it can change theirs as well, so I'm so appreciative of Northstar for giving me the opportunity to build the foundation of faith that I have now.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
When I came to Northstar I was very brutal at hockey, in the nicest way possible. I couldn't skate, I couldn't pass much and couldn't really shoot the puck. I knew I had my work cut out for me and my ultimate goal was to play in the North American Hockey League. I think if you would ask any coach around here, they would have said that that goal was near impossible and I give all the glory of God for allowing Him to make that happen. I definitely give thanks to coaches like JO and Tim Jackman. Skating every day, two practices a day, with constant individual focus allowed me to become a better player on the ice. JO and Tim would both take personal time out of their day to help me get better on the individual things that I needed. Coaches like Dallas would also watch film with me on the sides when I wanted to, which would help me with the mental aspect of my game and doing this each and every day for two years allowed me to become the player that I wanted to become. It wasn't always easy at times. My first year here, I played minimal games and I was filling water bottles for mainly the entire season and my second year even I didn't play as much as I wanted to and I doubted my success at sometimes but through constant belief in the path that I was on and through belief in my coaches I ultimately landed at the spot where I wanted to be and I thank God for that.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
I think that the main difference from Northstar and junior hockey is the care of the people around you. At Northstar the coaches, staff, and players become your family and the doors are always open for you to ask questions to open up to be vulnerable and to get prayer if you need it. I just really learned to appreciate here at Northstar is how open and honest these coaches are and how encouraging they are. One thing that I would say that helped me through it all was continuing to remain in the word and looking at all these guys around me who were not playing or were scratched and had no foundation to lean upon really just made me appreciate my foundation with Christ because ultimately when I got scratched I had something to lean upon and I wasn't just trying to think about my performance on the ice. I was able to just appreciate all that God had done for me to get me to where I was regardless of if I was playing or not.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
My advice for future and current Northstar Knights would be to always be yourself and to not let anyone around you tell you differently. I think that it's easy to fold and conform to the ways of the world when you enter junior hockey but people will actually respect you more if you stand up for who you are and who you believe in. Once the guys saw that I was different, they respected it and they showed me love and they cared about me as another one of the teammates. Another thing that I would encourage players to do is to work hard and put in those unseen hours because I truly think that with hard work anything is possible and you can achieve all of your goals. It's a cheesy statement but I've always been told “hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard”, and that's something that I stand by for sure because I've seen it workout in my life and I hope that it continues to be that way as I continue to put in the work as I train this summer and move into my last season of junior hockey.
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
My favorite scripture verse and currently my life verse is Isaiah 40:31 (“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - ESV) and this verse is super meaningful to me because it talks about the Lord renewing our strength and that we shall run and not be weary and we shall walk and will not be faint. It also talks about that when we wait upon him we will mount up with wings like Eagles. This verse is super powerful for me because when I am facing adversities or times that I have to trust God, it just allows me to lean on Him with my whole heart and to remind myself that when I wait on God's plan and not my own that He will allow me to prevail in the ways that he sees fit for me and just allowing me to have that confidence is something that fills me spiritually and allows me to fully trust in God.
What was your favorite memory at Northstar?
My favorite memory is winning the Dixon Cup with the boys my senior year. Winning a trophy is special but winning it with the group of guys that we had made it even more special. Every guy was sold out for each other. I remember we were down early in the game and it was a tight game and the team we were playing was good and we I knew we had to come together as a team to pull through and win that game and that's exactly what we did and I think that game for us kind of showed the character of our team and how we were built all year. I think every guy was sold out for each other and every guy loved the guy standing next to him.
What's next for you?
Next year I plan to go back to New Mexico to finish out junior hockey and after that, the long -term goal is to play college hockey as of now. Until then, I'm just trusting God to work out His plan for me and trust that His plan prevails.
Nate Farrell and Shane Burns sign with junior teams
Alexandria, MN (Apr. 25, 2023)
For more information, contact: Johnny Van Atta, Director of Hockey Operations (615) 830-1113, [email protected]
The Northstar Knights are proud to announce that 18U Prep team defensemen Nate Farrell and Shane Burns have signed junior tenders. Farrell signed with the Pueblo Bulls of the NCDC and Burns signed with the Steinbach Pistons of the MJHL.
Farrell came to the Knights program in 2020 from Wheaton, Illinois. He played 1 year on the 16U Knights and has played the past 2 seasons on the 18U Knights. In his time with the 18U Knights, Farrell has gained some accolades along the way by winning 1 NAPHL Dixon Cup and 1 ESE Top 20 Challenge Championship as well as being named as a team captain this past season. In the 2021-22 season, Farrell put up 21 points (2G, 19A) in 49 games played and increased his points to 35 (8G, 27A) in 54 games played for the 2022-23 season. His 35 points this season placed him 2nd on the Knights defenseman in scoring. “I am really excited to be a part of the Pueblo Bulls program and the atmosphere they have there,” Farrell said. “I’d like to thank my parents for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dream.” Pueblo will be gaining a high IQ defenseman and a strong leader on and off the ice.
Burns, a San Clemente, California native will also be joining fellow Knights teammates Dawson McCann and Beck Lidén in Steinbach next season. After playing with the Anaheim Jr. Ice Dogs, Burns came to Northstar in 2021 and played on the 16U Knights last season where he led the defensemen in points with 35 (3G, 32A) in 56 games played. This season, Burns ranked 3rd on the Knights defensemen in points with 29 (7G, 22A) in 52 games played. When asked about his signing with Steinbach, Burns said, “I am ecstatic to become a Piston and I am thankful that I got the opportunity to follow my dreams and I would like to thank my parents and coaches along the way.” The Pistons will be getting a great puck moving defenseman and a fantastic teammate.
The 18U Knights team now now have 15 players signed or affiliated with Junior teams: Nate Farrell (Pueblo Bulls), Shane Burns (Steinbach Pistons), Sam Kartch (Utah Outliers), Landon Dauner (Austin Bruins), Colten Sell (WB/S Knights), Jake Lundeen (Notre Dame Hounds), Cooper Fredericks (Notre Dame Hounds), Brayden Berg (Oklahoma Warriors), Kaleb Pitman, (Jersey Hitmen), Caleb Elfering (Wenatchee Wild), Dawson McCann (Steinbach Pistons), Nathan Huntington (Utah Outliers), Bauer Berry (Muskegon Lumberjacks), Brady Jones (Utah Outliers), and Beck Lidén (Steinbach Pistons).
Knights Alumni Spotlight - Logan Johnson
Name: Logan Johnson
Years Played at Northstar: 2018-19
Current Team: Liberty University D2
Our next alumni spotlight features an inaugural member of the Northstar Knights Program, Logan Johnson. Logan came to Northstar from Pine City, Minnesota where he developed into a key defenseman for the Knights. Upon graduating from the Knights program, Johnson made junior stops with the Neepawa Natives of the MJHL and the Thief River Falls Norskies of the SIJHL before sticking with the Utah Outliers in the USPHL. This past season was his first collegiate season playing for Liberty University’s Division II team. Last summer, Johnson returned back to Alexandria where he interned with FCA Hockey and was able to disciple many young hockey players throughout the country. This is a guy who loves the Lord with all his heart and reflects that with his interactions with others. We hope you enjoy this update on what God is doing in his life!
What are you up to at the moment?
I’m at liberty right now and we had a great past season. I think we finished somewhere around 25-5-3 I believe so it was an unreal season. We had a great group of guys here and the culture that we have is just a super close team. I'm currently studying finance, which is my major and I'm getting a minor in accounting. I am wrapping up my first year here and I'm really enjoying Liberty. It's an absolutely amazing campus with amazing people and just an amazing place in general. Virginia weather is beautiful so whenever we can we get out on the golf course, we will do that and yea, just enjoying life.
What led you to Northstar?
Yeah so that's kind of a crazy story. I was playing in the “Great 8HP” which is kind of the end of the season for Minnesota high school hockey. They make teams out of all the sections in the state and I made this team so it's kind of like an all-section team which is super awesome. I don't know if I should have been there but it was cool to be on the team for sure. That was my junior year and I remember meeting this guy after the last game and he invited me out to Chowder Cup and Boston, which really I had no idea what it was. I spent my summers out in Maine and Vermont during that time just playing hockey and training with a few coaches out there which was super fun but then I went down to the Chowder Cup and I think one of the first coaches I met was Rick and then right after that was coach Jackman and both of them were awesome. I know Jackman from the beginning liked my style of play but I was definitely a little bit of a hot head. I think the big thing that helped me was just Jackman vouching for me and that's how I kind of even got the opportunity to play. I then made the decision of leaving high school my senior year and chose to come to Northstar not knowing much about it but it definitely was a huge blessing and right decision for sure.
How did Northstar impact your spiritual life and how have you been able to carry that on?
Northstar absolutely changed everything for me. Prior to coming to Northstar, I grew up Lutheran and then moved towns and I went to evangelical free church which is where I kind of got introduced to the Lord but definitely not on a super deep level - just a little bit here and there. Coming to Northstar was kind of a big eye-opening experience. I remember in the beginning just not being, I would say not being fully against it, but definitely fighting it. I was fighting those convictions and everything. I was kind of confused and in a place of spiritual war, not knowing where I was or who I was. I was this hard nosed guy who didn't really take anything from anybody and just seeing that change in my life over Northstar was insane and just having Rick, JO and Tim pouring into me and loosening that hardness I had and turning me into a man of God. I became a guy who loves everybody, who is super peaceful and a lot more level headed and just all those great characteristics of a Godly man. Now, I try to talk to those guys that are a little more angry than everybody else and just understand where they're at in their head being able to loosen them up and slowly break them down to just realize like, “hey you know we're we're all men of God here, we all love you equally and He loves us the most”. Bringing that to the table with a lot of guys that come in from different places and all walks of life is pretty cool.
How did Northstar grow your skill development in hockey?
At the start, I don't think I had many people vouching for me. I know Shannon took me in and just absolutely loved me and adored me which was unreal and Jackman loved how hard-nosed I played, but I know JO probably didn't like me in the beginning just with how I was. My play was not on the same level as a lot of guys coming from where I came from in a small town in Minnesota. There was not a lot of hockey coaching up to that point, so coming to Northstar was especially, for me, a big eye opener. Every day I was being challenged immensely and just getting better and better and you could see it as the year went on. Towards the end of the year I was the first D-pair with my partner, Luke Anderson, and we were tearing it up. I mean, I was having some of the best games I've ever had - Just great skills, shot, ice vision, and positioning. Everything was just so much better than when I started.
What were some of the hardships of Junior hockey and some lessons you learned there?
Junior hockey is definitely it's not a not a very faith-based place. There's not a lot of God in there and you're probably, depending on where you go, you might be the only believer, which is crazy. I was lucky enough to have a close friend of mine who's now here at liberty who's a very strong believer. You definitely are going against the grain being a believer in junior hockey. There's a lot of craziness and you can get caught up in stuff too, I mean it's definitely not just smooth sailing through it. Being a believer, there's tons of turmoil and spiritual warfare going on every day and same with the coaching and just the culture of junior hockey. You can be traded in an instant and sometimes you don't know why and sometimes you do know. Trades in junior hockey is common so just being super sound with the Lord and not having your identity solely in hockey is so key to going through junior hockey, because there's gonna be so many ups and downs in anything you're doing, especially in junior hockey. Being grounded in your faith will kind of level out all those ups and downs and the roller coaster of what junior hockey is.
Any advice to give to the current Northstar players or future knights?
Northstar is one of its own. There's no other place like Northstar on this earth right now. It's a sanctuary to breed hockey players and to breed Christians and young men as well. I would encourage the players to enjoy every single moment and listen to the guys above you because they're pouring into you. You want to be a sponge, especially in that environment because you're not going to get something like that again, just to be able to be around those guys every day. You definitely want to take everything to heart and don't take anything for granted being there. Being at Northstar was probably the best year of my life. I'd say the friendships I've made and the relationships and the brotherhood. You're a part of something so special when you come through there and it's gonna be a legacy from here on out of just great men and great hockey players and that's what I think Northstar will be known for.
Favorite scripture verse or one that you feel is meaningful to you right now?
I definitely have a favorite verse. It's John 3:30 and the translations have kind of changed but mine is the NRSV version which is, “he must increase but I must decrease.” I try to walk that way in my life and everything I do, I try to bring God into absolutely everything. If you make him greater than anything else in your life and the problems that you have and the turmoil in your life just it's way less and it takes all that weight off when you put him at the center of everything.
What's next for you?
I guess it’s kind of up in the air. I mean, Lord willing we'll see what happens but for sure hockey's definitely a big part of my life being in college now and 22 years old it's a little different. I enjoy hockey and I train super hard everyday still and if there's an option to go play maybe semi-pro one day, that would be fun. I definitely would do it but the big goal right now is to finish school, get good grades, get my major and get that graduation certificate and go on from there and see where the Lord takes me. In the last few years I am learning that he can take me in any direction at any time and just being sound with them and knowing that wherever he takes me it's going to be fun and I'm going to enjoy it and make the most of everything. Right now, I am enjoying school while I'm in it and we'll see where it goes from there.
Keep following along for more Knights Alumni Spotlights that will be released every Monday and Friday!