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In Episode 342 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome the head coach of the Minnesota Class A State Champions, Jay Hardwick.

He just wrapped up his 14th season with Warroad High School, which concluded with the fifth championship in program history.

In addition, Hardwick serves as the Hockey Director of Warroad Youth Hockey. He eats, breathes, and sleeps Warroad hockey.

Warroad is a community of roughly 1,800 residents in northern Minnesota. In a given year, about 200 of those residents are kids playing in the local youth association. If one player were to come out of Warroad and make it to the NHL, that alone would defy the odds. But not only has the community produced a number of NHL players, including TJ Oshie and Brock Nelson, it has also produced seven Olympians between the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams.

Statistically, Warroad is a unicorn. As a result, it has earned the moniker “Hockeytown USA.”

Listen as he shares the journey to a state championship, his experience growing up in Warroad, and how he’s paying it forward today.

Video Timestamps:

• 0:00 TCS Live
• 0:50 Warroad hockey culture
• 6:30 Championship game
• 9:05 Overtime win
• 13:35 14 season journey
• 16:35 Focus areas that defined team
• 19:25 The little things add up
• 22:35 Cary Eades
• 25:15 Warroad-Roseau rivalry
• 28:00 Playing at Minnesota-Duluth
• 33:25 Underlying traits for college hockey/Hockey sense
• 36:35 Warroad youth hockey
• 42:00 Bob Johnson
• 45:20 Coaching in a small town
• 51:50 Common characteristics of successful players
• 53:15 Preparing for next season