Hello! My name is Aimee Clay and I’m running for a seat on the BYHA board. While my professional experience includes nearly 15 years of building and leading global teams within business operations and data analytics, I’m most interested in being on the BYHA board as I have four kids in the program, and I see areas that I can help support to continue the growth of the organization. As we look to next season, I will have two Peewees, one Squirt, and one 10U player. I’ve experienced many differences between the girls and boys programs and I would like to help narrow the gap. I’ve had kids on the highest teams and the lowest teams, to which I would like to focus on creating a more consistent player experience. Since I started attending the board meetings this year, I’ve brought forward not only areas of opportunity and concerns but also ideas and recommendations. I’ve shared feedback and proposals around tournaments, DIBS training, overall communication, the website, an enhanced team manager playbook, and several other areas. BYHA is a large organization, and to keep growing and evolving, we need to continue creating consistency in the program, providing transparency to parents and players, and leveraging more people within the organization who have great ideas to move us forward. I already have a family trip planned during the April board meeting, so I will not be able to attend in person. If you are looking for the organization to continue moving in a similar direction that I am, I would appreciate your support in being elected to the board. Thank you!

Bemidji Youth Hockey Association – Board of Directors

Travis Reierson – Candidate Profile

I was born and raised in Bemidji and grew up playing in the Bemidji Youth Hockey organization. During my time playing with BYHA I was part of a Peewee A State Tournament team, multiple Bantam A State Tournament teams and was an assistant captain on the 2000 Bantam A VFW State Championship team. I progressed to High School hockey and was a 3-time letter winner for Bemidji High School and played in the Midwest High School Elite League as a high school senior.

Since competitive hockey I have been very active in many aspects of BYHA as a coach, board member, BCAC board member, and the board representative on the HDC.  This past season I was the Head coach of the Squirt A team.  I was also one of the assistant coaches for the Peewee B1 Blue team which won the Consolation Championship at the Peewee B State Tournament, and I also assisted with the termite group.  On the Board I have been the Vice President for the last 2 years.  I was elected to represent BYHA on the BCAC board last year and was also selected to be the Board representative on the HDC last year.

My Wife and I have been married for 16 years and we have 3 boys; all 3 are currently playing in BYHA.  My oldest Korbin will be a 1st year bantam next year.  My middle son Teegan will be a 2nd year squirt, and my youngest Boyd will be in his 2nd year of termites.

Outside of hockey, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Bemidji State University which helps in my day-to-day work running Reierson Construction who has been a huge supporter of BYHA for decades.

I have been involved in BYHA as a player, coach, parent, board member and supporter and ask for your support in continuing to represent BYHA.

Troy Strassburg Bio
Hockey is and always will be the greatest sport. I have always been passionate about the game with the fun experience of playing hockey as well as the 7 plus current years coaching the game. Hockey has taught me many good values such as having a hard work ethic, being respectful for my coach/teammates/referees/opponents, importance of leadership on/off the ice, being disciplined, and embracing the camaraderie the game of hockey gives us.
I currently work at MnDOT as a statewide construction engineer. I obtained my Civil Engineering degree back in 2007 at UND (still a gopher/BSU fan). I am currently married with two children (age 8 and 11) who are currently playing hockey in the BYHA program. I have been a volunteer coach for the last 7 years coaching at the termite, mite 1, mite 2, and squirt levels. I continually learn the more I coach and continually seek ways to improve the experience for the kids. Coaching has always taught me to continually seek ways to improve and adapt to the game as it has changed to a more highly skilled sport. One thing that I hold dear to my heart is to keep the experience fun and ensure the experience playing on a team teaches all kids the same important lessons and values the game has taught me. At the end of the day, the most important value to me is that all the kids learn how to be good human beings on/off the ice.
I am a current BYHA board member who have nearly completed three years. I have also served on the BCA board the last year or so. It has been great (a hockey minded person) to serve on the BCA board as well. People who know me knows that I seek more opportunity for ice and to not see any ice sitting dormant. It has always been an honor to be elected on a board and conduct business in the best interest for the players first and foremost. Being on the board the last three years had its challenges but it also provided an opportunity to make decisions/changes that are for the betterment of our facilities as well as putting hockey development towards the top. A few of the notable things I executed or brought to the table the last three years was to improve opportunities for more ice time (increase of open hockey sessions), advocate and vote for new boards at Nymore (installation the summer of 2024), continual support to our membership and listening to members, supporting the HDC in making our program better, and to be accountable to show up to every board meeting for the advancement of our program. I have also overseen the arduous raffle that takes place year to year to ensure everything falls into place with some better prize payouts. Hopefully tickets were easier to sell.
My mission in continuation of being a board member is to keep the focus on all kids and ensuring the kids continue to have a fun positive experience at all levels from bottom to top. A couple of things I want to fucus on the next three years is: improvement of tryout processes, goalie development, utilization of all ice over the course of the entire year, raise money to support BCA facility upgrades that would provide year round ice (First National Rink and Sandford Power), have a thorough review of our hockey development and continue to improve ways to be successful, modify or change our P&P in areas that make sense to do so, provide expenditures for better coaching and player development opportunities, improve hockey culture, and hopefully provide the HS obedient kids who work hard together with some success (maybe hang a banner soon). I will be open and transparent in making good decisions for the betterment of the program. It is also important to me that every child in the program has the same opportunities to grow, learn, play with a great respect for the game, and enjoy a great positive experience that will only strengthen the culture of BYHA hockey in the future years. Thank you in your consideration in voting me in for another three years on the BYHA board.