Lace Up Your Skates for Pond Hockey

Feb. 5, 2016

Ten years ago, the community of St. Ignace decided it was time to start a special events committee, to help make the most of the little town at the northern end of Michigan’s magnificent Mackinac Bridge. The summer season was a sure thing, given their location, so the challenge was to emphasize the St. Ignace winter season. The answer: hockey.

SAVE THE DATE

“St. Ignace is kind of an in-between location and we don’t always get a lot of snow,” explained Mark Sposito of the St. Ignace Visitor’s Bureau, “but we do get a lot of ice, being directly on the Straits of Mackinac, and we have a beautiful bay right in the middle of town.”

Those two ingredients positioned St. Ignace perfectly for a hockey tournament; they picked a date and the preparations began for what would be the first Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey Championship.

“We picked a cold weekend without much going on,” Sposito explained, “so it would appeal to both locals and tourists, to bring more people into town.”

THE POND

Now in its 10th season, the tournament may be called pond hockey, but this is most definitely not your typical pond. The event actually takes place right on the Straits of Mackinac, with rinks constructed on top of Lake Huron’s ice.

“We set up between 32 and 36 rinks right on Moran Bay,” Sposito said. “And we get approximately 1,500 players each year.”

The event offers free admission, so they don’t take an official head count of the audience, but Sposito estimates an additional 5,000 people show up to watch the games (nearly 250 are played over the weekend) and participate in the other festivities.

ROAD TRIP

Seven different age/skill groups are available in which players and teams can participate; all players have to be 21 and older and this year’s roster will allow for 216 teams.

“Most of the teams, probably 75 percent, are from Michigan,” Sposito said. “Usually, they’re friends who play in community leagues or teams or friends who use this event as a reunion opportunity and assemble teams so they can play together.”

Other teams arrive from Wisconsin, Ohio or Ontario; the event has welcomed teams from 47 out of the 50 states so far.

“None from Hawaii, Alaska or Idaho yet,” Sposito laughed, “but we do have a busload of 32 guys who rent a bus and drive up each year from Kentucky to play.”

WEEKEND WARRIORS

The festivities warm up on Thursday night with an initial meet-and-greet that includes a group of Detroit Red Wings alumni and friends. Friday morning is when the hockey kicks off, with a half-day’s worth of games. “Then, on Friday night, we pick two teams from the roster and they get to play a game against the Red Wings alumni in Little Bear East Arena, our indoor ice arena here,” Sposito said.

Saturday is the big day: all hockey, all day long, with the bay’s outdoor rinks stuffed full of players and spectators from 9am to 5pm. On Sunday, all of the teams have their final playoffs and trophies are awarded in each category.

THE DRAW

The draw of the event, Sposito added, is a many-faceted thing. “Outdoor hockey is a totally different game than indoor hockey,” Sposito explained. “The ice isn’t ever perfect, like in an indoor rink, so you have to be a much better player. And I like seeing such a wide variety of teams and players; you can walk 100 feet from some of the best hockey players you’ve ever seen to players who are just learning, but who are having just as much fun.”

This year’s event will also include outdoor winter tennis on hockey skates, a tent with live music from bands Absolute Magnitude and Aisle 8, refreshments, bidding on a rink-side ice chalet and more.

“I’ve been asked hundreds of times what the appeal of this tournament is and it’s a very simple answer,” Sposito said. “Just about everybody either used to play ice hockey outdoors as a kid or they never did and really want to try.”

This year’s Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey will take place Feb. 11–14 in St. Ignace. For more information, visit stignace.com.