"Family Over Everything: A Story of the Rise of Minnesota Crookston Baseball and the Hjelle Family"
The huddle breaks from outside the dugout with a shout of ‘FAMILY’ as the University of Minnesota Crookston baseball players take their positions on the diamond. A truer statement could not be said as the baseball team has become a family, and no family is a greater testament and example than the Hjelle family. For nine years, Garret and Kelly Hjelle, their daughter, Taylor, parents, and now grandchildren, have trekked across the country following Minnesota Crookston baseball.
While their two sons, Reed and Jake, have become synonymous with U of M Crookston baseball, the Hjelle family is much more expansive. It includes countless friends and teammates of Reed and Jake they’ve met over the last nine years.
“I think you know the way I cheer it isn't just about my kid,” said Kelly Hjelle. “I get emotional talking about it, but I just love them all and I want to see them all succeed.”
For years, Kelly and Garret, and their parents, Chuck and Linda Eilefson, and Jane and Landis Hjelle, have not only traveled the country supporting the team, but they’ve also hosted dinners and welcomed other families to their homes. Countless memories have been made along the way.
“I know some of the guys wanted to be Jake or Reed’s roommate just to come for family dinners,” Kelly shared. “That is (just) what we did; we had so many family dinners. We enjoyed feeding the boys. Back when Reed played the guys didn’t go home for Easter or Thanksgiving because it was a short weekend, so we had them for dinner. They would (even) come out to my in-laws.”
Kelly Hjelle will miss a lot of things about traveling to games to support the teams, but one of the greatest joys has been the time she has gotten to spend with her and Garret’s parents, Jane and Landis Hjelle, and Chuck and Linda Eilefson.
“It was more than just about baseball,” Kelly admitted. “Garret and I got to travel with both of my parents. How many couples get to vacation with their four parents for nine years? We rented the car together. We were on a mission for meatloaf dinner most trips as we had the best meatloaf in almost every town. I love the two dads, everyone laughs that they remind them of the two old guys in the Muppets. They always sit together and they find their spot.”
The journey for Kelly and Garret began when Reed enrolled at Minnesota Crookston prior to the 2016 season. The Golden Eagles hadn’t had a ton of success, but started to turn the corner under Head Coach Steve Gust who had ties to Garret Hjelle as they both grew up playing baseball in East Grand Forks, Minn.
“When Reed didn’t get the options he had hoped for, it was tough because that is what he worked for,” Kelly explained. “(U of M) Crookston was basically his only option. Right from the get-go Garret and I were behind him, we told him it was going to be great. We are all in, and we are going to make it the best experience ever.”
While it has become much more than just about her sons, Reed and Jake, it has been an incredible ride supporting them. Both Reed and Jake etched their names in the record books at Minnesota Crookston. They were the first two brothers to ever win NSIC Player of the Year honors, Reed in 2018, and Jake in 2023, and both brothers went on to be All-Region and All-America performers, with Jake earning NCBWA National Player of the Year in 2023.
“Reed set the tone for Jake,” Kelly continued. “Jake wouldn’t have come to Crookston if it hadn’t been for Reed. Jake had a lot more opportunities with offers from Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State. Reed was the one who said ‘you will never feel like a family as much as you will in Crookston.’ I don’t think Jake wanted to be in his brother’s shadow because Reed did so well. I prayed all the time that Jake would get an opportunity to be Player of the Year, to be an All-American. I didn’t want the two of them to have to compete. When Jake achieved those accolades, it was so awesome.”
Reed has continued to be one of the biggest cheerleaders for his brother, catching as many games as he can and helping Jake with baseball, and life. He has been there as a great support system and example along the way. Reed had dreams of playing professional baseball, but he now gets to watch and support his brother as Jake plays for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the American Association.
Watching Jake chase his dream with the Redhawks has been a full circle moment for Kelly and Garret, as they used to take the kids to watch the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks when Garret was an umpire in the Northern League for six years following time with the Pioneer League.
“The kids and I would go to the games and Garret would umpire,” Kelly went on. “We were Redhawks fans (though) Garret didn’t really like it. He would be like, ‘you can’t pick a side when I am umpiring.’ We stood outside the player’s entrance and would wait for Garret, but we would get autographs, broken bats, and all of the players to sign our hats. For one of the boys to now play for the Redhawks brings everything full circle.”
Over their adventures following the Golden Eagles, the Hjelle family has gotten to see the rise of Minnesota Crookston baseball. They got to see the team’s first NSIC Tournament appearance since 2001 at the conclusion of Reed’s freshman year in 2016, and have been a part of six NSIC Tournament trips total. The team was just one year removed from back-to-back one-win seasons in 2016 when Reed started his collegiate career. Kelly Hjelle’s answer as to where the success has come from all points back to family.
“Honestly I feel like (it’s) the brotherhood and how close they are,” Hjelle remarked. “They are together 24/7, the team is. Not just during baseball season. I love when they do their huddle and they say family. It is one of my favorite things. I feel like it is about the family. I talked to Jake Dykhoff, he said that he sometimes doesn’t like to come to (visit) Crookston because he never wants to leave. That is home for a lot of these boys.”
“There were like 75 players at Reed’s wedding,” she continued. “It was a family reunion and where else do you get that? They ice fish, they hunt, Reed has gotten into duck hunting because of his buddies at Crookston. They are doing stuff together all the time and not just baseball. They don’t play for themselves, they play for the guy next to them.”
In the end it all points back to what Jake Hjelle had on his baseball hat, F.O.E., Family Over Everything, whether it is about the Hjelle family, or the Minnesota Crookston baseball family. It is all about family, and that doesn’t end with blood. It is a Golden Eagle baseball family and those bonds won’t end just because Jake and Reed Hjelle are done putting on the maroon and gold uniform. They will stay for life, and that is pretty special.
