SARTELL, Minn. — Nik Jacobson grew up snoboarding and skateboarding.

But when his family moved to Sauk Rapids, another sport emerged for his kids.

"We had a neighbor and their kids played hockey. We moved in there and I was like, 'No. We're never doing it,'" he said. "But they started playing roller hockey and said, 'Dad, I want to play (ice) hockey.'

"We got roped in and it was down hill," Jacobson said with a laugh. His now 16-year-old son, Gunnar, "started playing hockey and I started playing adult league (hockey) because, if he's learning it, I might as well learn to skate."

Once Gunnar decided he wanted to play hockey, the next question was how to get him introduced to the game. They ended up finding the Little Wild Learn to Play program, which is currently in its eighth year.

Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota Wild teamed up to start the program for kids ages 5-8 who have never played organized hockey. CCM, one of the top brands of hockey equipment, got involved with helping provide equipment for the players.

"There was a meeting with four groups involved: the Wild, Minnesota Hockey, CCM and what was then Total Hockey (now Pure Hockey)," said Glen Andresen, Minnesota Hockey's executive director. "There was a similar program that CCM had been a part of out in L.A. We all sat down in a room and kind of brainstormed and hammered out ideas. All four entities were like, 'Let's do this.'"

Little Wild Learn to Play should not be confused with Try Hockey For Free, which is a program that many hockey associations in Minnesota use to encourage participation. While Try Hockey For Free continues to be used as one-day introduction to the game, players must provide their own equipment. The Little Wild Learn to Play program offers four one-hour sessions with coaches and all of the kids' hockey equipment for $135.

"What we found was that a really good Try Hockey For Free event would get maybe 30% of those kids to sign up for (organized) hockey," Andresen said. "We just thought, 'We can do better than that.' One session is not enough to fall in love with hockey. Some kids are just learning how to stand up. They might not have the right equipment on.

"All four of those entities could come together to make that a better experience," Andresen said of Minnesota Hockey, the Wild, CCM and what is now Pure Hockey. "Instead of one hour, it's now four hours. Instead of hand-me-down equipment, it's all new equipment. Then you get the Wild logo on it, the support of the Wild and promotion of the Wild.

"We found that with four sessions, nice fitting gear and all kids out on the ice that are similar ages and similar abilities, it made it a lot more exciting and more enticing for families ... Our retention rates for Little Wild signing up are right around 75 percent. It's been a huge success and a huge way to attract more families to hockey." When the program started, families had to go to Total Hockey to get fitted for their equipment and to pick it up. This year, the equipment could all be ordered online and delivered to the participant's house.

The program is being run at 20 locations throughout Minnesota. At Sartell's first session, there were 3-4 coaches at six stations spread out across the ice. The session was led by Sartell-St. Stephen High School boys coach Ryan Hacker, a former University of Denver player.

An experienced coach and former player is common among the lead coaches at the Little Wild Learn to Play Program.

"Minnesota Hockey coordinates a lead coach at all the locations and I'm one of them — I do the Bloomington location," Andresen said. "We tell them to get at least eight (coaches), but you can never have enough coaches. Our first night, I had 15 other coaches out there.

"The challenging part for us is to find enough coaches to help out. The coaches that lead these, some have done it since the first year ... they love doing this and they have people that love being a part of it, even if they don't have kids in the program. They're excited to help these beginners out."

Having that many coaches on the ice helps keep the players involved and to find help if they need it.

"I think it's great," Jacobson said. "Kids get inexpensive ice time and they have fun. There's great games. They get everyone involved. Everyone is included: everyone from beginner up to kids that can skate good, which is awesome."

All of the locations offer opportunities for boys and girls. TRIA Rink, though, also offers a program for just girls.

Jacobson has had a daughter (Sumalee) and his younger son, Milo, 7, is his third child to participate in Little Wild Learn to Play.

"(Milo's) been watching his older brother and my daughter played for a little bit and then she went to dance," Nik Jacobson said. "Everyone complains about how expensive hockey is, but it's cheap compared to gymnastics. Anyone who wants to argue with that, I'll go toe-to-toe with them."

People who want more information for the Little Wild Learn to Play Program can visit https://www.nhl.com/wild/community/ . Andresen said that not all sites remain the same from year to year and that they try to move the program around in outstate locations.

Anoka — Anoka Ice Arena Armstrong-Cooper — New Hope Arena Bloomington — Bloomington Ice Garden Brooklyn Park — Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center Buffalo — Buffalo Civic Center Delano — Delano Area Sports Arena Dodge County — Four Seasons Arena Duluth — Heritage Sports Center Eden Prairie — Eden Prairie Community Center Forest Lake — Forest Lake Sports Center Hastings — Hastings Civic Arena Minneapolis — Parade Ice Garden Owatonna — Steele County Four Seasons Centre Plymouth — Plymouth Ice Center Sartell — SCHEELS Athletic Complex St. Louis Park — St. Louis Park Rec Center St. Paul — TRIA Rink (two programs, one for girls only) Stillwater — St. Croix Recreation Center Woodbury — M Health Fairview Sports Center