The new strength and conditioning area at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center is ready to help train St. Cloud State hockey players.
Thanks to a $600,000 campaign, the area connected to the men’s and women’s locker rooms and the training room at the arena has been transformed from concrete walls and floor to one filled with weights, workout equipment, murals, mirrors, an area with artificial turf and a shooting area.
“It means a ton to the program,” St. Cloud State men’s hockey coach Brett Larson said. “Every day, our players have been walking in here the last few weeks and couldn’t be more excited.
“Development, obviously, is a huge part of college hockey. Having the facilities now where we can point to the development piece for our recruits and the players that are here — and to see the history of the program (on the walls) — really caps off the locker room area and all the hard work they did out there (in the 2013 renovation). It really gives us a facility now where we feel like we can compete with anybody.”
The open was created when the building, which opened in 1989, underwent an $18 million renovation in 2013. But there was not enough money for the strength and conditioning area.
The renovation in 2013 included a new ticket area, main entrance, an expanded concourse, two bathrooms, two concession stands, the Husky Den meeting area and 14 suites.
