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By Larry J. Grard
Feature Writer
SIDNEY — Patrick Guerette, director of the Maine Pond Hockey Classic scheduled for Feb. 9 through 11, said that children are encouraged to attend.
Registration is closed for the ever-popular Maine Pond Hockey Classic on Messalonskee Lake, but there are openings – for kids.
Organizers of the event plan to have a Kids Day of games and fun on Sunday, the last day of the tournament.
“And it’s a very spectator-friendly event,” Guerette said. “We want everyone to have fun.”
The Maine Pond Hockey Classic has grown almost exponentially, from 14 teams when it started in 2014 on China Lake to the more than 70 expected this year. Teams submit an entry fee of $80, with proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA of Greater Waterville at the Alfond Youth Center. The event is held on the east bank of Messalonskee, near the Snow Pond Center for the Arts.
“We’ve grown every year,” Guerette said. “We get teams from all over New England, and even Nova Scotia. We’re pacing ahead of where we were last year, when we had 62 teams. We’re looking at more than 70.”
The Maine Pond Hockey Classic has divisions for abilities and competition levels. There is a warming tent, a beer garden and games. Winning teams receive trophies made from broken hockey sticks in the shape of a Maine map, by Winslow woodworker Chris Reynolds.
All teams get sweatshirts. The Ducks, a group of players out of the University of New England, won the top-level division in last year’s tournament, a hard-fought overtime win over a Massachusetts team.
Guerette said that Maine ice hockey teams are loosely organized, which in this case, is a good thing. “That’s kind of what’s nice about outdoor hockey,” he said. “You just get a bunch of guys together who want to play hockey. It’s usually weekends.”
Guerette credits the players for the growing popularity of the tournament. “I give credit to the guys who come out and play every year,” he said. “They’re the ones who go back and tell their friends about it.”
PHOTO: The Maine Pond Hockey Classic is scheduled for Feb. 9 through 11 on Messalonskee Lake. Chris Reynolds, of Winslow, makes trophies for the Maine Pond Hockey Classic out of broken hockey sticks. (Submitted photo)
