SPOONER, Wis. – With the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s newest franchise still in its infancy, the Wisconsin Lumberjacks are already making positive steps as they prepare to be up and running well before the commencement of the 2019-20 season.
Unanimously approved to become the league’s seventh franchise in 2019-20 by the SIJHL’s Board of Governors less than two weeks ago, the Lumberjacks, spearheaded by team owner Doug Lein, are already actively engaging in a number of activities in preparation to ice their new squad in the fall.
Taking a few moments out of his hectic schedule, Lein offered some insight on the SIJHL’s newest organization in this league-compiled Q&A session.
SIJHL: What made you decide to pursue membership in the SIJHL?
DOUG LEIN: Conversations started back early last year. We reached out to the league and initiated talks about possibly joining the SIJHL. We looked at all of our options in terms of other leagues and we felt the SIJHL was the best fit. Not only for us on the ownership side, but we felt the style of hockey and the past history that the league has in Spooner, made it a no brainer. Spooner had a good run for about 15 years in the SIJHL, off and on, with several different clubs. We are a northern town here in the states; we like northern style hockey. The SIJHL offers that and we look forward to adding to that brand.
SIJHL: How has the feedback been in Spooner and surrounding area since the announcement was made on your new franchise?
D.L.: One word pretty much sums it up; UNREAL! The outpouring of support and excitement has been fantastic. You always hope that the backing is there behind a new club. You never really know until you announce the team and see how it shakes out. I can say that from the minute that the release came out and it was official, we have been taken over by support from Spooner and the surrounding areas. This community and surrounding towns love their hockey. It’s only been 10-plus days and the town is already buzzing and getting hyped. We don’t drop a puck for six months and people are already talking rivalries; fan bus trips to away games and generally wanting to be a part of the club in any way possible.
SIJHL: What made you decide to choose the name Lumberjacks for the team?
D.L.: It was pretty easy in the grand scheme of things. The area of northern Wisconsin is known for the timber industry. It’s pretty much the lifeblood of this area for many people. Spooner was a rail town that serviced the greater northwest part of the state as a hub for getting timber moved around by train. Hayward hosts the Lumberjack World Championships every summer and this area has produced world renowned Timber Sport Athletes. We felt like it was a bit of a nod to the area and the people that call this area home. We are flannel wearing, pickup truck driving people. What else represents the hard working, grit it out people of the area better than a Lumberjack?
SIJHL: How are the early days of the team’s season ticket campaign coming along?
D.L.: The outpouring of support in the way of season tickets has been nothing short of amazing. We are well ahead of where we anticipated we would be only 10 or so days in. We have a pretty lofty goal set for the club in terms of numbers for season tickets and we felt confident in that goal. I think the fact that we felt we could set the bar high was the faith we have in our fans and the communities around the local areas. We had a good feeling that the support would be strong. There is a long way to go, but we can say at this point that we have not been disappointed one bit.
SIJHL: What are some of your organizational goals you have planned heading into the start of 2019-20?
D.L.: Right now, we are starting from scratch. We have nowhere to go but up. I could probably think of 50 other cliché sayings to try and deflect this question, but that’s just not my style. We as ownership have one goal in mind. Win games! We are here to find high character players with a high drive and an interest in moving up to the next level of hockey. We want to create a fan experience like no other and turn things upside down. By no means am I guaranteeing wins or championships. I think once our club is in camp and preparing for the season, the goals of our organization for the 2019-20 season will become a topic of discussion
SIJHL: Do you have a certain timeline set to bring aboard staff members? i.e. the head coach, general manager, etc.
D.L.: Our phone has been ringing off the hook with coaches interested in taking the reins of the team. We have been throwing things on the white board in terms of front office structure and coaching staff, but nothing has been finalized yet. My fiancé and business partner, Sophia Pinto, will be wearing many hats, but most importantly she will be the president of the Wisconsin Lumberjacks. She will be handling the day-to-day front office and overall management of the team. She has a strong business background as she has owned and operated her own tutoring company for the last six years and is a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Managing upwards of 15 full-time employees as well as client relations, marketing and sales. It’s a natural fit for her. She’s a Minnesota girl who grew up in the heart of Hockey Country. Beyond that, we will be finalizing our main hockey operations staff positions and will be making some big announcements in the coming days.
SIJHL: Talk about some of the improvements made to the Spooner Civic Center, which should only help bolster the overall fan experience when the SIJHL returns in September.
D.L.: The Civic Center is a great facility. Definitely something that when people see it for the first time, they are shocked that our area has such a great arena. The arena ownership has really committed to doing things the right way. The bar and restaurant are up and running and are doing great things thereon that front. The facility is adding flip down stadium seating to the arena which will be a great addition to an already top-notch spot to catch a game. The pool that once was a big part of the facility is no longer in service and is in the process of being filled in and converted to a turf training/dryland facility. They have done a great job of getting the gym back up and running and open to the public. Facility management has done a bang-up job in bringing in user groups to offer classes and generally open things up for the public to feel at home in the Civic Center.
SIJHL: Spooner had a pretty impressive track record on the ice in their previous time in the SIJHL, winning back-to-back Bill Salonen Cup championships under then head coach/GM Rod Aldoff. Is that something your organization will look to build upon or are you looking for a totally fresh start on things?
D.L.: They definitely had a great run back in the day. Coach Aldoff and his club did a lot of good things on and off the ice in his time with the SIJHL. I think you have to go back to the beginning when the Northwest Wisconsin Knights played in the SIJHL and the run of good years they had. That led into the Mustangs and the good things that the Roberts family did with that club. The Wilderness and coach Aldoff really capped that all off with some big years. I think it’s extremely short sighted to ever think that the past hasn’t had an influence in a good way, on the future. We feel the history here in Spooner and with the Civic Center is something to learn from and take the good with the bad and move in a direction that translates to success on and off the ice. At the end of the day isn’t it the goal of every member club of the CJHL to win a Canadian national Jr. A Championship? I believe it will be important for us to create our own identity as the Wisconsin Lumberjacks Hockey Club and stand on our own, all while remembering how we got here.
For more information on the Wisconsin Lumberjacks, visit their website at wisconsinlumberjacks.com.