USA Hockey Adult Hockey

Like children pushing a curfew, the hundreds of adults at the 2011 Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships stay on the ice at Dollar Lake until Mother Nature shuts off the lights each night.

Players say they simply don’t want to leave the picture-perfect scene in Eagle River, Wis. The event has to end and did so on Sunday, but with it came the annual questions to USA Hockey staff about registration for next year’s tournament.

“If I had to grade this event I would give it an A-plus,” said Ashley Bevan, senior director of adult hockey at USA Hockey.

Bevan said his staff noticed a trend emerging over the past couple years that they fully expect to continue. Teams head to their home rinks around the country and recruit enough new players to bring a flock of players to Eagle River the next tournament.

“It means a lot to have teams expand,” Bevan said. “They are spreading the word, bringing more friends and enjoying the game of hockey.”

Jon Vidal, 28, who plays for Empire from Detroit and has competed in all six tournaments, said he will tell anyone who listens to join him in Eagle River.

“It’s just so much fun up here and everyone wants to be a part of it,” he said. “The elements are involved and you have the camaraderie with the guys and it’s just a good time.”

The demand for a spot in the tournament has grown intense and can be especially seen in the women’s divisions, which have grown to serve a gold, silver and bronze skill level. Teams such as the MsConducts of Chicago register multiple teams and bring a large crowd to the event. Their 2011 troupe included three teams and 19 players.

“As soon as we found out registration was open word got out,” Melissa Sodko, 36, said.

Sodko said the expansion in the women’s divisions is fueled in part by women who never played hockey before and are thrilled to learn the sport at its roots.

“The girls that wanted to play hockey when they were younger didn’t know there were opportunities. Now that they see it they want to get involved,” she said. “A lot of moms had kids in hockey and said if they can do it I can do it.”

Bevan said players were asking about the 2012 tournament before they even took the ice this past weekend. For USA Hockey and thousands of players, the countdown is running to an all-important date.

“On July 15 we’ll open up registration on USAHockey.com. We’ll also make sure all past participants get a copy of the registration packet and it’s first come, first served,” Bevan said.