Oct. 20—BEMIDJI — Jack Hautala's first experiences as a Bemidji State hockey fan couldn't have been any better.
During his freshman year, the men's team won the MacNaughton Cup for the second time in program history. Hautala was a wide-eyed, passionate and regular attendee of games at the Sanford Center during the 2023-24 season.
He was there when the Beavers beat Minnesota State 6-0 to win the CCHA's regular-season championship. He was also there for the Mason Cup final one month later, featuring Bemidji State's largest student section since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the front of the student section stood crazed fans wearing hard hats with goal lights on top of them. They led the chants, the jeers towards opponents and everything in between.
"I was on the glass for that," Hautala said of the MacNaughton Cup game. "It's probably my favorite hockey memory here. I made a lot of friends that year, but those friends have since graduated."
The Siren Heads have become a mainstay at BSU hockey games.
When the Beavers score, they flip their lights on. When the Beavers go on the power play, the lights go on again. And on the nights the Beavers win, the lights, powered by three AAA batteries, flash as they make their way out of the Sanford Center.
"Being able to meet new people who share that same level of love for hockey and bring that to the rink every weekend," Hautala said, "that's why we do it."
The Siren Heads started as a small group with an inspired idea. Now, it's an official club offered through the school with funding earmarked toward student engagement at men's and women's hockey games.
Hautala, now a senior, is the Siren Heads' acting president. He, along with social media manager Mariah Plemel, is at nearly every game, still standing on the glass. What started as a way to get out of the dorms on the weekends has become a role with responsibilities.
Since the pandemic, student attendance at games has often been low, save for the championship occurrences and rivalry games. The Siren Heads are working to change that.
"My sophomore year, it hit about midway through the season," Hautala said. "It's the dead of winter and not a lot of people are coming to the games. It'd be five minutes until puck drop and it'd just be me and my buddies in the stands."
The Siren Heads want to reinvigorate a student fanbase that was once lauded by opposing teams and fans, and BSU alumni.
"This is something we want to see grow and thrive," Plemel said. "We want to see people get passionate and see the student section continue to grow. The men's games do better with attendance, but I'd love to see more people come out for the women's team."
Leadership positions within the Siren Heads are passed down year after year. Plemel, who runs the club's Instagram account
(@bsu_beaver_dam),
will be the club's president after Hautala graduates. But what started as a just-for-fun idea among student fans has turned into an organization with backing from the school. The Siren Heads are now a BSU club through BeaverLink, the school's hub for out-of-classroom organizations.
"I remember when we played Mankato for the (MacNaughton Cup), and a bunch of people showed up," Hautala said. "This was before we were a club. They said if I wanted to be a Siren Head, we had to make our own. ... I remember I couldn't find a drill press to use. I think about that a lot, and I'm just trying to eliminate those barriers to entry for people to get involved."
It doesn't cost a fortune to make a helmet, but not every college student is flush with cash. The Siren Heads were given roughly $1,800 for supplies, which were used during helmet-making events.
A drill press is used to punch a hole through the top of the hard hat. Then, the goal light is glued into the hole with access to the light switch. Each year, the Siren Heads host two helmet-making events, where students not only get the headwear, but also have paint, stickers and props at their disposal to make each one their own.
Hautala said the backing of BeaverLink provided a legitimacy that the Siren Heads didn't have in the past.
"It definitely got me more involved," Plemel said. "I'm a college student — I don't have money for this. If I had to buy all of the materials and do this on my own, I wouldn't have been able to. Being that we provide this stuff, it's helped me and my friends get more involved."
The Siren Heads plan to host another helmet-making event at the start of the spring semester, shortly after winter break. They held their most recent event on Sept. 30 outside of Tamarack Hall. BSU students were also given discounted season tickets for $50, which also came with a sweatshirt.
The Siren Heads have also taken a more hands-on role in the promotional side of Bemidji State men's and women's hockey games, filming player-led videos for sponsored media timeouts.
For Hautala and Plemel, it's a bit surreal. Hautala used to have his dad sneak him into local prep games growing up in his hometown of St. Michael. Plemel attended plenty of St. Cloud State games with friends at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center near her home in Sauk Rapids.
But as Beavers, they want to make the Siren Heads last.
"I'm just really thankful for the opportunity," Hautala said.