USA Hockey Adult Hockey

For six years, the ladies from Four Loko have developed a routine.

The players make it a point to compete in the Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships in Eagle River, Wisconsin, and they do the same things each night year after year.

It works, and the women love it.

“The atmosphere’s really awesome,” said Colleen Crowley, who has played with Four Loko at the championships all six years. “For us to come up here every year and get to spend a weekend together and be around everyone who loves hockey as much as we do, that’s probably the best part.”

The team, which hails from Milwaukee, consists of six players who range in age from 26-29. The majority of the women have been coming up all six years.

“It’s the highlight of our year every year,” Crowley said. “When we leave, we’ll be counting down until next year.”

Most of the players compete together in an adult league as the Milwaukee Lady Admirals at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee. Is the Lady Admirals team any good?

“Much better than at pond hockey,” joked Emily VanAcker, one of the original team members of Four Loko. “We made it to the national tournament in March. We’ve only missed one of those in the last six years.”

At adult nationals, the Lady Admirals play in the Women’s Senior B Division. For the pond hockey tournament, Four Loko plays in the Women’s Silver Division. The team went 2-2 in this year’s tournament and missed out on the championship round. In 2013, Four Loko had its best finish by advancing to the semifinals.

Doing well in the tournament isn’t as important as having fun with friends.

“We don’t like to lose, we’re competitive people,” Crowley said. “But we just really come up here for the atmosphere and the camaraderie. We’ve been coming up here so many years we’ve made other friends here, so you kind of look forward to coming back and seeing everyone that you’ve met throughout the years and having a good time. For us, we really don’t get to see each other that much — I just moved to California — so it’s fun just to come back and hang out.”

Over the years, Four Loko has found some keys to success playing on the pond.

“It’s definitely a completely different game than regular hockey,” Crowley said. “The skills don’t necessarily translate real well because with the ice like this, puck movement and stuff, it’s really difficult.”

“Always keeping someone back in the net,” VanAcker added. “The first year we kind of just tried to hustle back and cover that, but that’s something that’s definitely helped. Kind of do a 2-1-1.”

Four Loko has become such regulars in Eagle River for the tournament that they are sponsored by a local bar, Gee O’s Good Time Saloon.

“That’s kind of our hangout,” Crowley said. “We look forward to going there, and we try to bring them business.”

“It’s good for a local business to have pretty ladies,” VanAcker said.

Every year the Four Loko women are very organized getting ready for the Pond Hockey Championships, knowing who is going to bring what. They also buy new team gear every year, including matching neon backpacks and stocking caps.

The pond hockey tournament will never get old for the Four Loko players, and they know they won’t get too old to play in it.

“There’s a 35+ Division,” Crowley said, “so rest assured, we’ll be here.”

In unison, Crowley and VanAcker said, “Forever.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.