1990-1999 The Decade In Review – The Broomball Magazine

Reprinted For Your Reading Enjoyment 1990-1999
Submitted By: The Broomball Magazine on January 7, 2020 at 6:37:58 PM

The original article printed on 8/17/09, before the injunction hit from ESPN!




1990-1999 The Decade In Review Submitted By: ESPN The Magazine on August 17, 2009

1990 – The decade opened with multiple state organizations still crowning the Minnesota Champions (MSF & MRPA).

The big event of the circuit was the Budweiser International Championships held at Augsburg College. Promotional wiz at the time, Mick Sletten, had managed to get everyone on board using floating blue line offsides and the indoor D-gel ball. Mick was also instrumental in exposing Americans to a different style of play, as he brought in some of the top talent in Canada to play on his Rockets team. Many other top level Canadian teams also appeared in the event,

MRPA “AA” State Champion – Jaros/Wolves over Fred’s Tire
MSF “AA” State Champion – Jaros/Wolves over Westwood
Budweiser International Champion – Rockets over St. Paul Park VFW

1991 – Jaros Wolves, led by USA Broomball Hall of Famers Tommy Noyes and Ira Hackner were in the middle of a great three year run, where they essentially dominated the game using only a 9 or 10 man roster.

A team of 19-21 year olds from Richfield came out of nowhere to shock the broomball community, making it all the way to the finals of the MSF AA State Championship. Some members of that Champps team are still winning major championships on a regular basis now in their 40’s.

MRPA “AA” State Champion – Jaros/Wolves over Bunker Red
MSF “AA” State Champion – Jaros/Wolves over Chammps
Budweiser International Champion – Rockets over Bruno Axemen

1992 – The roll ended for Jaros/Wolves as Sluggo Blair put together a last minute team and tripped up Noyes and Co. in Hutchinson MN at the MSF State Tornament.

The Rockets, now competing as Alliant Steel continued to showcase some of the greatest offensive players in Canada and Minnesota wrapping up their 3rd straight International Championship.

A new squad appeared on the scene, challenging Jaros in the MRPA championship contest. Hansen Sports was on the launching pad, about to take off on an unparalleled run.

MRPA “AA” State Champion – Jaros/Wolves over Hansen Sports
MSF “AA” State Champion – Mustangs over Jaros/Wolves
Budweiser International Championships – Alliant Steel over St. Paul Park VFW

1993 – The International tournament took a year hiatus and Hansen Sports swept the Minnesota State Tournaments (including the newly named MSF Elite State Championship) all but Noyes and Ira retired from Jaros/ Wolves after the double defeat.

MRPA “AA State Champion – Hansen Sports over Jaros/Wolves
MSF Elite State Champion – Hansen Sports over Jaros/ Wolves

1994 – Sletten brought the International back and a great new rivalry began, as Hansen Sports and Lovegreen met in the first of their six tournament championship games over the next three years.

MRPA “AA” State Championship – Hansen Sports over Lovegreen
MSF Elite State Championship – Hansen Sports over Lovegreen
Budweiser International Championship – Hansen Sports over Thunderbay Broomhandlers

1995 – The last International tournament of the decade took place at Auggie. It wouldn’t appear again until 2001. Hansen Sports completed an undefeated season.
MRPA “AA” State Champion – Hansen Sports over Lovegreen
MSF Elite State Championship – Hansen Sports over Lovegreen
Budweiser International Championship – Hansen Sports over Lovegreen

1996 – The USBA, led by a group of West Coast broomball players, conducted their 1st National Championships at Augsburg Arena.

The MSF Elite State Championship was decided after 39 minutes of 4v4 overtime, as Tres Crown ended Hansen Sports 50 game undefeated streak.

Lovegreen folded after a hard three year chase.
MRPA “AA” State Championship – Hansen Sports over Bunkers
MSF Elite State Championship – Tres Crown over Hansen Sports
USBA National Championship – Hansen Sports over Flames

1997 – Stung by their bitter loss to Tres Crown the previous year, Hansen Sports reloaded and once again ran the table. Two of the three majors would spark the sports hottest rivalry. A reborn Tony Jaros appeared on the scene, sporting equipment supplier CH Anderson as a major sponsor,

The MRPA would hold their final AA State Tournament, ending a legacy that could be traced back to the early 1970’s.

MRPA “AA” State Champion – Hansen Sports over Bunkers
MSF Elite State Champion – Hansen Sports over Jaros/CH Anderson
USBA National Champion – Hansen Sports over Jaros/CH Anderson

1998 – The equipment manufacturers competition spilled on to the ice as the major Minnesota teams found themselves aligned with newcomer Forest Ice or longtime manufacturer D-Gel.

Hansen Sports made their first journey into Saskatchewan and came away as the 1st team of 100% Americans to win a major on Canadian soil, defeating the Regina Silver Screen Bruins in the finals of the prestigious Saskatoon Gold Broom.

Jaros CH /Anderson captured their first National Championship, taking down Hansen Sports at the Bloomington Ice Gardens for the USBA National Championship.

MSF Elite State Champion – Hansen Sports over Jaros/ CH Anderson
USBA National Champion – Jaros/CH Anderson over Hansen Sports
Saskatoon Gold Broom-Hansen Sports over Regina Bruins

1999 – USA Broomball is formed and hold their 1st National Championship at the Bloomington Ice Gardens.

The USBA continues to compete for two more years before folding up shop. They would hold their 99 event in Cleveland, shocking many in the broomball community with the decision to let Canadian teams compete in their Nationals.

MSF Elite State Champion – Jaros/ CH Anderson over Hansen Sports
USBA National Champion – Jaros/CH Anderson over Flames
USA Broomball National Champion – Hansen Sports over Benning Inc.

It should be noted that two Minnesota teams advanced to the semi-finals of the World Championships this decade without ever really having tried the Canadian game.

The Flames bowed out in the 91 to semis to Ontario. Hansen Sports lost a controversial semi-final game to Ontario as well, in the infamous overtime “Fog Bowl” of 96. After the 1996 World Championships many American teams began practicing with the Canadian rules of 5×7 goalframes and red-line offsides. The rest so they say is history!