The Edina City Council heard about a historic milestone on March 15 when two local girls hockey programs marked 30 years in the Minnesota State High School League with a sold-out event that combined sports celebration with mental health awareness.

On January 10, Edina and Minetonka girls hockey teams hosted a sold-out game at Briar Arena's 2,000-seat West rink—a first for girls hockey at the venue. The event was organized by alumni Laura Horton and Lindsay Sorum, who said the idea started modestly but grew into something much larger. "The idea really came about last spring when myself and another Minetonka mom kind of got together and said would it be incredible for these two programs to sell at a regular season game," Horton or Sorum explained. "It kind of started as a sellout idea and it is absolutely transformed into something much bigger than that."

Beyond celebrating the hockey milestone, organizers partnered with Sophie Squad, a Minnesota nonprofit that supports student athletes facing mental health challenges and stigma. The partnership allowed the event to serve a dual purpose: raising awareness about mental health while generating funds for the organization. "We've been selling cookies, all sorts of apparel, sweatshirts, things like that," one organizer said. "We just thought it would be good for the girls to spread the message about mental health awareness, also more people learn about Sophie Squad and realize what an awesome organization they are and choose to do games in honor of Sophie."

The event was made possible through community support. Tradition Mortgage provided sponsorship that covered admission costs, removing financial barriers and encouraging broader community participation. This combination of local business backing and volunteer organizing created an event that celebrated athletic achievement while addressing an important social issue affecting young people in the community.