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I have lived in KY and TN the last 4 years, and I'm tired of it.
I feel like I fit in with the colder winter, and snow climate.
My main reason for moving to MN would be hockey and school.
I love hockey, I don't play, but I collect cards, love to watch, and I would really like a job in it at some level, probably High School to start.
I'm thinking that I can get a degree from a accreddited and good school, and then get a job in hockey easily because almost every high school has a team yes?
I don't have much work experience other than fast food.
I'm really look at St. Cloud St. is it a good school with good standards?
After it's all said and done, I want a degree from a school I'm proud of and one that looks somewhat nice on a resume. I also want to be able to get into a hockey program in some manner.
I just feel like I'm ready for a change, and I"m hoping MN is it.
My fiance is hesitant because of the job market. She has excellent exp. and a degree with a killer resume. I don't have that as much.
What schools are the best? I don't make much money so I;m just looking for help.
I do have a very low felony on my record from a 6/04 incident. I was convicted in 2/05, it's the first and last thing I ever did.
The charge was a class C felony of robbery (no gun or weapon at all was involved) and the plead guilty to a class D felony of theft (the lowest).
It all happened in Indiana.
So my professional life has been miserable with fast food jobs, and nothing else really. It's been either fast food or a temp agency.
I'm a good person, a Christian. I just made 1 mistake over 6 years ago, and I'm still paying for it like I did it yesterday.
Let me tell you, you will love it here in Minnesota, especially if your a hockey fan. Up here we have a holiday called "Hockey Day Minnesota" where a few HS teams play out on the frozen lakes in the Twin Cities, Gopher Hockey plays and the Wild play aswell all in one day.
But yea St. Cloud State is a good school its a great location aswell because your not too far from The Cities
Location: Moved to Gladstone, MO in June 2022 and back to Minnesota in September 2022
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St. Cloud State may or may not be good for you. What are you going to school for? What kind of degree does your wife have and what kind of job is she looking for? The Twin Cities area definitely will have more jobs then St. Cloud though St. Cloud is fairly close to the Twin Cities though it is probably a little too far to commute. But housing and such in St. Cloud is for the most party slightly cheaper, some people make it seem like its much, much cheaper and its not that big of a difference honestly. Getting a basic job in st. cloud shouldn't be hard at all, I see so many high school people I personally know working in all sorts of stores and fast food restaurants. I was just in Byerlys and I saw 2 people that were in some of my classes working there!
Also will you be looking for a church? Im familiar with many churches in the st. cloud area and might be able to recommend one to you if and when you end up moving here.
Minnesota is definitely a beautiful state, but Tennessee is incredibly nice as well. When we drove to Florida in June 2005 Tennessee was definitely my favorite state we drove through, but man the humidity almost killed me, but walking around Disney World in Florida was much worse. I can understand being bored in one place though, and I understand why a big move and big change would be good.
I have lived in KY and TN the last 4 years, and I'm tired of it.
I love hockey, I don't play, but I collect cards, love to watch, and I would really like a job in it at some level, probably High School to start.
I'm thinking that I can get a degree from a accreddited and good school, and then get a job in hockey easily because almost every high school has a team yes?
I don't want to disappoint you, but I think nipping this in the bud now is better than you being rejected by high school teams when you apply to coach them.
There is NO WAY any Minnesota high school team, not even the downright worst (Sleepy Eye, Walker, Worthington, etc.) would hire someone (even an assistant coach) who hasn't played at least high school hockey, much less someone who has never played. Hockey is essentially a game full of strategy that non-players will never see unless they go out of their way to find out about it, which is hard enough. Coaching a team and putting forth the strategy through players in a pressure-packed game is even harder.
The requirements for high school coaching jobs are surprisingly selective. Usually coaches will have had to run a Bantam or PeeWee A team (these teams' parent associations usually require coaches with at least high school playing experience) for a few years before they even enter the realm of high school coaching. As far as the above statement goes about needing at least high school playing experience, a fair amount of Minnesota high school coaches have had reputable college playing careers and even decent minor pro/NHL careers on the rare occasion.
Our high schools also favor coaches who have played previously with the team, if that's possible, and being Minnesota born and raised is also a major qualification. I can't think of a high school coach here that wasn't born in Minnesota.
Even if, say, you were a good player in your high school days in Indiana and were a superb high school coach in Indiana, Kentucky, or Tennessee, you would have a very difficult time both finding a high school job here and getting respect from parents and players. Minnesotans, including myself, rightfully have an unwavering belief that we have the best hockey in the entire nation, and consequently believe that those from other states (especially the south) don't have the grasp on the sport that we have (as right or wrong as such a presumption is).
Anyways, sorry if I sounded harsh, but it's the truth. I wish the best for you and your fiance. If you decide to have kids, maybe you can coach their hockey teams as they grow up. Just be sure you can skate to run practices.
Minnesotans, including myself, rightfully have an unwavering belief that we have the best hockey in the entire nation, and consequently believe that those from other states (especially the south) don't have the grasp on the sport that we have (as right or wrong as such a presumption is).
Funny how as soon as Don Lucia dropped Doug Woog's regionalism and started recruiting out of state players the Gophers won a national championship.
Funny how as soon as Don Lucia dropped Doug Woog's regionalism and started recruiting out of state players the Gophers won a national championship.
um...let's have a look at the out-of-state players on those two championship teams
2001-2002:
Grant Potulny (6th in scoring out of 27 players) and Barry Tallackson (8 in scoring)
2002-2003:
Thomas Vanek (1st in scoring out of 26 players), Grant Potulny (8th in scoring), Barry Tallackson (9th in scoring), and Peter Kennedy (nonfactor)
The Gophers possibly could have won those championships without these guys...except for Vanek.
Yea, hockey is huge here but it ain't gonna be easy to get a hs gig. Breaking into even some of the smaller outstate programs would require a lot of coaching experience let alone the large suburban schools and top northern programs where it isn't unusual to find ex-NHL players like Phil Housley coaching. Most have atleast played D1 and like the above guy said, almost all are from Minnesota. Varsity hockey coaches are a very big deal and are more known than the mayor in a lot of communities. They are held to a lot of scrutiny and if they ain't living up to expectations, you get multi-page rantfests like this on hs hockey forums: HighSchoolHockeyForums.com ::
I grew up in Indiana. Cool, go Midwest.
I have lived in KY and TN the last 4 years, and I'm tired of it. If it helps, I know 1 person who lived in TN for 2 years and said MN was better, and family that lived there, they loved it. (In TN, that is)
I feel like I fit in with the colder winter, and snow climate. MN probably isn't too different than IN from April-October. Nov-Mar is probably significantly colder.
My main reason for moving to MN would be hockey and school. Well, hockey and school are both very important to many MNs. What level. Hockey is huge. NHL, NCAA, HS, JRs?.
I love hockey, I don't play, but I collect cards, love to watch, and I would really like a job in it at some level, probably High School to start. What kind of job? Coaching is quite hard to do unless you've been a player and was pretty good. If you didn't play, you would have had to be around the game a lot. If not, there are sports medicine and training that may open doors for being on a team.
I'm thinking that I can get a degree from a accreddited and good school, and then get a job in hockey easily because almost every high school has a team yes? Again, having a degree doesn't just get you into 'hockey'. At least not coaching. But, if you were to get a broadcasting degree, it may allow you to work for Fox Sports or other outlets covering NHL or NCAA hockey. You could get a journalism degree and be a sports writer, covering hockey. You could become a trainer and be part of any level of hockey.
I don't have much work experience other than fast food. Well, that's not going to help your cause, but that's what you go to school for right?
I'm really look at St. Cloud St. is it a good school with good standards? SCSU is affordable. A big time college experience, ie-Dorms, Parties, D1 sports, and in a pretty cool city of about 70,000 people too.
After it's all said and done, I want a degree from a school I'm proud of and one that looks somewhat nice on a resume. I also want to be able to get into a hockey program in some manner. Well, here's what I suggest. See if SCSU or MSU or UND or UMD or UofM are for you. I say that because they are all schools with hockey programs in MN (and on MN border). Find which one is right for you and try to get involved in the hockey program. It's quite easy, they have volunteers and jobs in the Hockey Center (Well SCSU i know) and finding a degree in sports medicine or broadcasting or sports management or something will get you close to the game. I went to SCSU and I am very proud of my school. I thought it was a great place. People will put it down and coin it 'a party school' (like people dont party in College, the school everyone loves has 'Halloween' and 'Miflin', some of the hardest parties I've ever been of - I'm talking about Wisconsin)
I just feel like I'm ready for a change, and I"m hoping MN is it. Dont think you'll have a problem. MN is a unique place.
My fiance is hesitant because of the job market. She has excellent exp. and a degree with a killer resume. I don't have that as much. Well not much to be nervous of, MN has a decent economy and there are jobs, especially if you're willing to work hard.
What schools are the best? I don't make much money so I;m just looking for help. Colleges? High Schools?
I do have a very low felony on my record from a 6/04 incident. I was convicted in 2/05, it's the first and last thing I ever did. That shouldn't be too much of a problem. There are programs helping past felons fix resumes and find work.
The charge was a class C felony of robbery (no gun or weapon at all was involved) and the plead guilty to a class D felony of theft (the lowest). Past is the past. However it sticks to your record. Just work hard and prove your record wrong, or elsewise.
It all happened in Indiana. Neat
So my professional life has been miserable with fast food jobs, and nothing else really. It's been either fast food or a temp agency. Well, unfortunately that's about as good as it gets for about now in this economy. However. Like I said work hard. There are labor jobs that pay decent and don't worry much about past records
I'm a good person, a Christian. I just made 1 mistake over 6 years ago, and I'm still paying for it like I did it yesterday.
If you're mainly looking for a change, MN might be a good place to start- many persons that live here and have built careers here were similarly looking for a fresh start, and I include myself in this category.
However, like others have mentioned- I think a reality check here is in order. Besides the fact that coach positions for hockey are going to be very selective and always go to someone that has playing experience, most coaches are full-time teachers who are doing the coaching gig as an additional extracurricular gig (I'm not from MN so I'm not entirely sure how it works here, but this is the case with most coaching positions unless it's a private league, in which case it's still a part-time casual position that someone would have to have a 'real' job in order to make it). One thing you should know right off the bat is that with your felony- even though a low level offense- it is going to be very unlikely that you will pass the criminal history check to work in a school district- schools and positions working with youth are going to be the most stringent with these standards. I also think you need to reevaluate why you want to go to college- I don't think it's a good idea to commit to four years of schooling just to get involved with something that has been a pastime or hobby that you like.
But on to the slightly better news. Your felony/past work experience should not prevent you from getting into a school. DO NOT go to a for-profit college (the ones you see advertising on commercials)- go to any state school, whether community college or public or private university, that will accept you. If your grades/test scores from HS were bad, start working on your essays now (and get fiance to help) that talk about your real life experience and why you want to better yourself.
Your felony will be a hindrance, especially in the poor job market in MN for more entry level positions that pay decent. Although it is low-level, and you have a significant span of time between the present and when it happened, theft/robbery is one of the big ones viewed pretty harshly by a lot of employers, so you need to start working now on ways to show potential employers how you have been doing positive things with your life since then- you haven't committed any more crimes, you've been working (my advice would be to stay away from temps and find any permanent gig that you can start building solid work history), and if there are any other positive things- treatment programs, certificates, etc.(starting and sticking with college will be a great thing to talk about)- be sure to point to that with an employer.
In some areas/instances, Minneapolis-St. Paul can be a somewhat forgiving state when it comes to criminal records- it's definitely not easy but there are a a number of sympathetic people here working in nonprofits and local businesses- you just have to know how to find them or which industry to target and it's MUCH harder now with the economy the way it is. However, there are a lot of passionate, dedicated people working on reforms (or providing services to persons in need) to help give ex-offenders a chance at finding work, housing, and being able to move beyond their past (see www.mnsecondchancecoalition.org). My suggestion to you would be to find a career path that you think you would like that would also not be as concerned about your past felony- some of the better bets would be careers in manufacturing, the construction/building or other trades, automotive, food/service industry (although a theft can make it tough for management positions required to handle a lot of cash), some transportation/logistics/warehouse companies/positions, some sales-oriented positions, and a fair amount of sectors in the nonprofit industry (although you may be barred from a lot of positions working with youth, elderly, and disabled persons)- all of the above are going to likely give you a better shot at having more options for employment with companies that have a likelihood of being less concerned with your criminal history- and you can find careers within these industries. When pursuing your educational/career track- because of your felony you'll want to stay away from anything in education, healthcare, finance, property management, security, etc. (there are others, my brain is just working slow today) as it may be a lost cause.
Interestingly, a year or two ago I hired an Indiana transplant for a professional position with about the same felony as yours- but he was able to acquire a good amount of human services experience related to the job since his time of conviction, he had a lot of personal experience beneficial for the position, and he was the best interviewee of a highly competitive process (he's since been promoted now). You've got to start somewhere- if you can get your foot in the door with any reputable company, take advantage of the opportunity and do everything you can to impress the employer and build a great reference from them. Even if it means you ask to work as an intern or volunteer to build some beneficial experience with that company or oganization, that will help you out in your job search and networking down the road. Good luck with your decision-
I played hockey in MN all my youth, and in college, and can echo what others have said regarding the HS (or higher) hockey coaching ranks. HOWEVER, if you have such a passion for the game, there are literally hundreds of youth programs in MN where you could get your hockey "fix".
I had coaches when I was a mite and squirt who couldn't skate worth a lick (they certainly weren't high school players), but loved the game, loved the kids, and knew enough to at least get us skating in the right direction.
This option is especially true in smaller towns, or in non-travel or "C" teams. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that; it's still the game you love.
If I ever moved back to MN, I would definitely want to goalie coach for a youth team.
If you want to get into bigger time hockey, it doesn't look promising. But don't let anyone tell you it's impossible. Get to MN, make connections, keep your enthusiasm, and good things can happen.
Your felony record shouldn't be much of a problem if it wasn't "sexually" related (in terms of youth hockey coaching). In fact, I highly doubt anyone would ask questions of that nature anyway.
Enjoy MN: It's a great state with much to offer.
I should ask: Have you been there in January? That might change your mind altogether :-))
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