This weekend, Rossland is hosting the annual 2011 Western Regional Pond Hockey Championships, the second half of the BC Pond Hockey Series.
Tournament series director John Reed says that they just wrapped up the Northern Regional pond hockey tournament in Prince George and it went great.
“We had 32 teams and we played hockey in minus 22 degrees,” Reed says. “We had a foot of snow every night.”
Reed says that there will probably be about 30 teams in Rossland this year.
“It’s teams of six, they play four on four,” he says adding that there are also no goalies, icing, offsides, or any pucks and sticks above the knees.
“And it’s changing on the fly so it’s pretty fast hockey,” he says. “It’s very much a passing game.”
Each team is guaranteed four games, with playoffs on Sunday.
The site is set up with two rinks right beside each other. They will bring in tower lights for night games and also have a changing area for players.
Mountain FM will be there Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s a ton of fun and some great hockey,” he says.
Reed says there will be teams coming in from Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver and maybe even Ontario.
And what will teams be playing for?
“For bragging rights.”
He adds that there are prizes and the winning teams from each division gain entry into the next year’s tournament.
“We’re going to add another location in 2012,” he says.
The tournament is from Jan. 28-30 in Rossland, B.C.
For more information visit the website at www.bcpondhockey.com.