Athletics: The State of Hockey in line with Grillo

It simply looks as if the call Grillo and Minnesota hockey—or even hockey, in wellknown—cross hand-in-hand. The Grillos have known as the Brainerd lakes location home for decades, but I wondered, what makes Minnesota “The State of Hockey?” Who higher to ask than Dean Grillo. The forty six-12 months-antique husband to Carrie, and father to Piper, has spent his complete lifestyle submerged in the sport. He and his wife are owners of Minnesota Hockey Camps, and he’s a companion in O2K Worldwide Management, which manages expert hockey careers.

So before this 12 months’ Minnesota State High School State Tournament, sit returned, get comfy and seize upon some hockey communication. Q: The Minnesota State Hockey Tournament is speedy drawing near. How many games do you watch, and do you have any weekend rituals, visit a positive eating place, and so forth. That makes it the first-rate time of the year? Dean Grillo: I commonly spend the week down in St. Paul. I head down Wednesday and live via the quit. It has been a Grillo family way of life on account that I became a little boy. My dad becomes scouting so he would get a room on the vintage Radisson motel, and it’d be our family’s spring damage. I watch most of the games; however, the one’s first matchups now grow to be a little lopsided, so it gives you extra time on West Seventh St.

I love seeing all of the hockey people from Minnesota get collectively. The two wonderful Minnesota get-togethers—the country fair and nation event. I always have dinner at Sakura Sushi. It is proper up there as the excellent, excessive college sporting occasions within u. S . A… It is for sure on par with Kentucky High School basketball match or Texas soccer. Q: With your job as aanO2K Worldwide Management Group, accomplice I’m guessing you have been everywhere in the globe looking hockey and hockey gamers. Can Minnesota still claim to be “The State of Hockey,” or are different areas surpassing us?

DG: I think that outstanding hockey gamers are coming from all parts of the sector. As some distance as “State of Hockey,” I believe our version is still the quality. It is the only region in which you may stay domestic and play on your native land all the way through 17-18 years vintage. With all the teens and excessive faculty hockey, 5 Division I faculties, and the Wild’s direction, it is sincerely a unique nation for the hockey fans. I definitely consider we all stay within the State of Hockey. Q: I’ve most effective included the nation hockey tournament. I’ve in no way gone to casually watch. For the ones like me who have not, sell me on why it is this kind of exquisite display, first-rate weekend, awesome time of the 12 months for Minnesota?

DG: One, it’s far continually the start to spring. Everybody who loves hockey is trying to figure out how to get out of labor for a day or two to hang around in downtown St. Paul. The usual enjoy is just a super weekend if you love hockey. It’s amusing to cheer for underdogs and notice the destiny stars of our kingdom on this kind of large level. Q: Basketball and baseball now have 4 classes. Wrestling has three, and football has a ton of training. Should hockey bump up to a few training? Why or why now not?

DG: No. There are already too many with training. I would like for them to give you a plan for a Sweet 16 hockey event. Not certain exactly how it would work, however I, for one, would like to see the large school vs. Small college again. Now the best manner you see it’s far if Roseau makes it. I would agree that you could see sellouts beginning on Wednesday if you had a Sweet sixteen with the matchups. Q: Your father, Chuck Grillo, is quite a famous man. Now which you’re a businessman and a father do you marvel at how he turned into/is capable of balance being a father and doing all of the matters he did?

DG: I did study plenty from him. The first being paintings ethics and worrying for human beings. It is extremely hard in hockey global to be everywhere. I now have a three hundred games-a-yr agenda and 50,000 miles riding plus flights, but I attempt to see all Pipers activities. So there are quite a few nights I get domestic at three a.M. So I do not miss something. Q: You performed at the University of North Dakota and have been drafted by way of the San Jose Sharks, but you got your commercial enterprise control and marketing degree. Was being an agent on your radar developing up or did you need to re-evaluate your lifestyles desires?

DG: No. I always figured I might be at the crew side. With Dad and brother both running for teams I figured I might. Then more than one antique friends from camp commenced O2K and approached me about becoming a member of them. So I went all-in with them, and it’s been very profitable beginning this from scratch and building it. Q: Was the film “Jerry Maguire” an correct portrayal of sports agencies? What are a few misconceptions approximately the enterprise? DG: Been awhile since I actually have seen it. But from what I consider now not too much is comparable. Q: What’s that one draw-losing moment you had as a young man together with your dad inside the NHL circles?

DG: There were so many who I possibly took them with no consideration as a young boy. I recognize I did due to the fact I see my daughter getting the identical stuff I did. But one might be assembly Mario Lemieux. He is one for me that just regarded to go with the flow once I met him. Then you think more than one year in the past with my enterprise associate, Steve Reich, who helped manipulate his career, I was given to have dinner with him. And he changed into my dad’s boss. The hockey world is small. Q: What type of things did you study out of your father as a scout that assist you evaluate ability prospects on your commercial enterprise? DG: I suppose the largest factor is that it is clean to select out the great games. What is hard to discover is the little things about someone. So we continually dig a piece to discover approximately dad and mom, off-ice problems, what form of student, simply being an standard exact individual and teammate.

Q: Your own family has such massive fingerprints during the NHL, and hockey is preferred. While doing research for this I turned into even amazed. For those who may not recognize the Grillos, talk about some of the things you guys are worried about? DG: Really it’s 3 things from my family. NHL, O2K, and camp. My cousin Roger Grillo is one of the ADM USA Hockey Managers. The fine art of the camp is that I can not go into one arena within the usa that I do not run into a person that changed into a camper. It is truly fantastic. I was in a press box final yr at a Boston Bruins game and there were like 14 men from special NHL groups that attend the camp—scouts or management.

Q: You’re also the director of Hockey Operations for Minnesota Hockey Camps. Your lifestyles is surrounded with the aid of hockey. How do you no longer get burnt out from the game? DG: It is hockey 24 hours an afternoon for me. If I am now not at a game live, which is about 4 days a week, I begin looking at video games at 6 p.M. And turn it off after the west coast video games. Two matters truely preserve me from burning out. One is my spouse and daughter aren’t hockey people. They do not want something to do with it, so once I am domestic, it is all approximately what they want to do. Q: Your daughter is a stud Alpine skier even at a young age. If the selection between hockey and Alpine skiing ever comes up, what recommendation do you give her?

DG: That choice has been made by using her. She did each for one year and loved skiing so skiing it’s far. I could in no way make that decision for her. I think it goes again to your burning out question. I get to spend most of my loose time together with her on the hill. I myself have fallen in love with it. There is not anything higher than attempting to find hockey games around her races. Best of each worlds. Q: Your wife changed into a game of golf coaching professional with Chris Foley whilst she first moved to town. I realize you play quite a few golf. Who is the better player? DG: When we first met, she turned into gambling extra, changing into a quite exact fit. But now, I would supply the brink to me. But she does have the higher swing. Q: Who are you selecting to win the kingdom tournament? DG: I will say St. Cloud Cathedral in 1A and Blaine in 2A. It will possibly be Edina. However, I’m going in opposition to the grain.