6 minute read

Tim Frie, SCHEELS Sports

What is your background?

I grew up on a farm in the small town of Holdingford, MN. I then attended MSUM, majoring in Broadcast Journalism and graduated in 2011. I started my SCHEELS career on the social media team in 2020. Ironically, my wife saw an ad for the position on Instagram and that is how I found out about the opening.

I grew up watching and playing sports all the time. I started playing football, basketball, and baseball in elementary school and continued throughout high school. I also started playing golf in high school and have been addicted ever since. When I have any free time during the golf season, I try my best to spend it on the course.

Why are sports important to you?

This is definitely a loaded question for me and I could go on and on. Sports have always been my passion. I am a very competitive person and enjoy being active, so sports checked both of those boxes. Sports are also ingrained in my family—the games and teams we love were always a point of discussion and were something we could bond over. Watching the Vikings at my Grandma's house with the whole family is something I'll always remember. Now, I'm lucky enough to pass along my love of sports to my daughters and support them as they grow up.

Bushnell Wingman Golf GPS Rangefinder and Speaker - Knowing exact yardages and what hazards are in play is a must. Plus, having the speaker built in is a huge benefit so you don't need an additional speaker if you listen to music during your round.

Waggle Golf ApparelI love the look of these polos and hats. They are also the most comfortable polos you will ever wear, whether you're on the course or headed to Zorbaz. They are a Minnesota based company so many of their designs have Minnesota and Midwest roots.

Chair - The most comfortable chair for any type of outdoor activity. The rocking design is a gamechanger. I won't ever bring a different chair camping to or to a bonfire again after using this one.

Bucket III Cooler Golf Bag - Being a huge gopher fan, this bag is absolutely my favorite. I love the detail that is used and the old school logo on the front pocket can't be beat. Go Gophers!

Mike Anderson, SCHEELS Outdoors

@scheelsoutdoors

What is your background?

I grew up in a country home near Twin Valley, MN, which is a town of less than 1,000 people. Hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation were some of the main activities. I graduated from the University of MN in 2009 and received an MBA from NDSU in 2013. After a few years of working with various companies and being a part-time whitetail hunting guide, I joined SCHEELS in 2019 to work in the outdoor marketing space and turned my passion into a profession. I may be the outdoorsy guy in SCHEELS marketing, but outside the office, you can find me at my sevenyear-old daughter's cheerleading practice, or watching the movie Frozen with my 3-year old daughter and eight-pound Pomeranian. I am pretty fortunate to have a wife that also enjoys the outdoors, so we can go out together and I can watch her catch bigger fish and shoot larger deer than me.

Why are the outdoors important to you?

For me, it is a great way to escape the stresses of everyday life, learn ways to improve your craft, and inspire people to get outside and enjoy nature. There are so many emotions and experiences in the outdoors that can never be found looking at a phone or sitting on a couch. I want to pass that along to both my family and anyone that follows along with SCHEELS Outdoors.

Garmin LiveScope Plus

Ice Fishing Bundle -

Forward-facing sonar brings fishing to a whole new level. The information you gain by understanding exactly where fish are and how they react to their environment is astonishing. Technology with electronics has become so advanced that you need to have a respect for the fishery while using these tools, but it's truly game-changing.

Tactacam Reveal X Pro Trail Cam with Solar Panel - Cellular trail cameras are worth their weight in gold. The ability to have pictures sent to your phone allows you to minimize disturbance in the woods, cut your drive time and gas bill, and put patterns together to develop better hunting strategies.

Eurotackle Z-Darter V2 Glide Bait - When you start using technique-specific methods, such as glide baits, you can really develop an understanding of your target species and stack up the fish. Glide baits are my favorite, as you can cover a ton of water fast, and walleye will attack these baits like you tried to steal their lunch money.

AGM Rattler Thermal Rifle Scope - Thermal scopes are becoming incredibly advanced with their capabilities, while also becoming more and more affordable. If you haven't tried hog or coyote hunting with a thermal scope, you are missing out on some of the most intense and enjoyable hunting experiences you can do. As with all weapons, make sure you know your target and what is beyond it.

Ozone - Has changed the way I hunt. The ability to destroy scent on clothing on a molecular level and bringing ozone generators into the field allows you to push the boundaries when playing the wind while staying undetected.

Cameron Aakre, SCHEELS What's Cookin'

What is your background?

I grew up in Moorhead, MN and went to MSUM and graduated in 2014. I took a job at SCHEELS as a videographer and eight years later, I have the privilege to be working with our local experts to cook awesome food on some of the best grills and smokers.

I love all things grilling. I grew up with a Traeger Lil Tex Smoker. It didn't have any of the bells and whistles like the newer models do, but that is what made it so great. I grew a huge passion for cooking on that grill and there wasn't anything that I didn't try smoking on it. Some of my favorite random items are pizza, cookies, cake, and salsa. My love for cooking hasn't gone away and I am still trying out new things on my Traeger. And don't worry, that Lil Tex is 15 years old and is still put to good work out at the lake cabin and makes some of the best pulled pork I've ever had.

How did What’s Cookin’ start?

What's Cookin' started two years ago in the backyard of one of my coworkers' houses when we filmed five recipes. It started as an idea to get a couple of recipe videos onto the SCHEELS YouTube channel. From there, it has grown into 80+ videos, countless delicious meals, and a whole lot of laughs in the last two years.

What are some grilling trends people should be aware of?

Hop on the Ooni bandwagon while you can. The pizza oven industry is lighting up, and I'm 100% on board. I love my Ooni, and cooking pizzas for 20+ people has never been easier.

Griddles are in and they are for more than just breakfast. There are so many great recipes but some of my favorites are; smash burgers, fajitas, grilled cheese sandwiches (I love adding pulled pork), Philly cheese steak, and caramel corn.

Drip EZ BBQ Prep Tub-

When I'm looking for new kitchen gadgets, I'm looking for something that is super versatile. The Drip EZ BBQ Prep tub is good for everything. I love proofing my pizza dough, seasoning my favorite cut of meat, and using it as a cutting board. It is absolutely one of my most often-used tools.

ThermaOne Pen - One of the most frustrating things when cooking meat is not having an accurate temp reading. With the ThermaOne Pen you are getting an accurate reading almost instantly. No more overdone steaks!

Urban Slicer Pizza Dough - Pizza night just got a whole lot easier and tastier. Urban Slicer pizza dough has helped me save time, as it's ready within an hour, by just mixing in water. This dough is a must-have for pizza night.

Ooni Karu 16 - The Ooni Karu 16 is what family pizza night is built on in my house. Invite your friends over, have them each top their own creations, and show off how cooking pizza in 90 seconds is done!

Black Dog BBQ SauceLocally owned from Bemidji, MN, Beers Black Dog BBQ Sauce is my go-to. My favorites are putting it on pulled pork, pizza, burgers, and using it as my favorite dipping sauce. I haven't found anything it isn't good on!

By Northland Vapor

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