The Rogers community came together to support the family of Mike Betker, a beloved father and youth hockey coach, who passed away unexpectedly last week at the age of 45. His sudden death, attributed to an unknown medical condition, has left a profound impact on those who knew him.

On Sunday, kids from the Rogers Youth Hockey Association gathered outside Maynards to raise funds for Betker's family. Many of the young athletes wore jerseys in his honor, remembering the coach who inspired them both on and off the ice.

"His speeches were just the best. He always pulled us aside for ten minutes and had the best speeches and lifted everybody's spirits to be able to be ready to play," said Langston Lehman.

Betker, who coached two youth hockey teams, was known for his positivity, selflessness and dedication. Andrew Lehman, an assistant coach, said he brought energy to the organization and inspired the other coaches.

 "When he was coaching, you wouldn't know who was his kid. Every kid was his kid. And that was a very special quality of him," Lehman said.

Beyond his work as a coach, Betker was also a finance director for the City of Isanti. 

"His wisdom was second to none, his personality was exuberant and his ability to be a fantastic friend will make him dearly missed by all of us that had the pleasure to work beside him at City Hall," said Luke Merrill, mayor of Isanti  . 

For Matt Wegner, a parent in the community, Betker's dedication to both his family and the hockey program stood out. 

"Having a rink in your backyard and giving day-to-day effort towards the community for Rogers, coaching two different teams at the same time, that speaks for itself," Wegner said.

The Mites team he coached is keeping Betker's memory alive by writing his name on their sticks.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the "Expand the Rogers Activities Center Rink Drive," a cause that was near and dear to Betker's heart.

"He made everyone want to be better. And that's something we all will take with us," Lehman said.