The legacy of longtime Grand Rapids hockey coach and mentor Ted Brill is entering a new chapter, as a fund established in his honor in 2013 is being renamed and expanded to provide long-term support for Grand Rapids hockey.

The announcement came during a dinner celebrating the 1976 Grand Rapids State Hockey Team on August 6, during which the Ted Brill Honorary Award was presented to Jeff Hovanec, Class of 1980, recognizing the qualities that have defined his life both on and off the ice: Dedication, Determination and Desire.

Hovanec was instrumental in establishing the Ted Brill Scholarship Fund in 2013. The fund was created to honor Brill’s lasting impact on Grand Rapids hockey while providing financial support to local students. Over the past 13 years, approximately $8,000 in scholarships has been awarded to students.

From the outdoor rinks of Southwest Elementary to a high school state championship, collegiate hockey and a successful business career as an Executive Vice President, Hovanec carried the grit, discipline and team-first leadership he developed through hockey throughout his life. The honorary award provided an opportunity to celebrate the impact of the Ted Brill Scholarship Fund while passing the torch to a new generation of giving.

While the Ted Brill Scholarship has reached the end of its run, the fund itself will continue to support the hockey community under a new name: the Grand Rapids High School Hockey Endowment Fund.

The expanded purpose of the fund will allow grants to support Grand Rapids High School Hockey programs, the Grand Rapids Area Hockey Association, and the Grand Rapids area hockey community at large. Funding may support a wide range of needs and opportunities, including program expenses, financial assistance for student-athletes with demonstrated financial need, equipment, travel, team activities, hockey-related events and educational opportunities.

Nearly $7,000 in new funding from members of the 1980 State Hockey Team has already been added to the fund, bringing it to approximately 20 percent of the $35,000 needed to fully endow it. The team’s goal is to reach the $35,000 endowment level within the next 12 to 18 months.

The fund also shifts the focus from providing individual scholarships to giving hockey participants a role in determining how resources can best benefit their program and community. Award recipients will serve as the primary decision-makers in selecting which grant opportunities the fund will support.

“This is an opportunity to preserve Ted Brill’s legacy while making sure the fund continues to meet the needs of Grand Rapids hockey,” said Scott Billeadeau, 1980 State Hockey Team Member and Fund Advisor. “Ted understood that hockey was about much more than what happened on the ice. It was about developing young people, building character, creating opportunities and being part of a team. This expanded fund allows those values to continue to benefit hockey players and the broader hockey community for years to come.”

On Aug. 6, Grant Clafton announced the first recipients of the new Ted Brill Award. These recipients, and future recipients, will join a committee that will review grant applications and decide how the fund will give back to the community. All three recipients served as captains of the Grand Rapids hockey team: Alex Salisbury (#20), Dylan Clayton (#9), and Seth Carlson (#6).

The transition from the Ted Brill Scholarship to the Grand Rapids High School Hockey Endowment Fund marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of a lasting legacy. By reaching the $35,000 endowment goal, the fund will create a permanent source of support for Grand Rapids hockey and the student-athletes, families, coaches and community members who make it possible.

Community members interested in contributing to the Grand Rapids High School Hockey Endowment Fund, which is held at the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation, can donate online at GRACF.org or contact the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation at 218-999-9100. Donations can also be mailed to the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation at 350 NW 1st Ave., Suite E, Grand Rapids, MN 55744. Please note “Grand Rapids High School Hockey Endowment Fund” on mailed donations.