USA Hockey Adult Hockey

It wasn’t their first time competing in the Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships. Still, the women who play for BLB couldn’t help but be impressed by the enormous number of teams and players entered into this year’s tournament.

“Some of the people who had not been in it before were shocked at the size of the tournament,” captain Kim Nelson said of the team that’s based in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Some of us had not played pond hockey before so it was a new experience for them.”

Even for Nelson and others who also made the trek to the 2012 Pond Hockey Championships, the outdoor game is still “a new experience.”

“I really enjoyed pond hockey,” Nelson said. “Being outside playing is a really cool experience because I pretty much just play indoor hockey.

“Granted, last year the wind was terrible and it was freezing cold. But this year we were better prepared for it. Fortunately, the wind wasn’t blowing and the sun was out. It turned out to be perfect weather.”

BLB was formed prior to the 2012 tournament with the express purpose of making the trip to Eagle River, Wis.

“There was a guys’ team that had competed in the tournament, and we knew them,” Nelson said. “We formed a women’s team to be with them. All of us knew each other from playing hockey back home.

“Half of us played on the same team back home while others were on teams in the same league [the West Michigan Women’s Hockey League at the Georgetown Ice Rink]. We formed the team just before we went to nationals last year.

“Since most of the women had little or no experience playing pond hockey, we learned it’s a whole different ballgame,” Nelson continued. “You have to keep the puck down. There aren’t any boards and there isn’t a goalie. Plus, the ice is different so you have to adapt to it.”

BLB’s first trip to Eagle River wasn’t exactly an overwhelming success because the team only one a single game in the Beginners Division. But the results were markedly improved in the 2013 tournament.

“We reached the finals this year and wound up placing second,” Nelson said, referring to the championship game that was won 5-4 by Sirens/Thong Show. “We really built the team just to have fun. But after we won our first couple of games, it was like, ‘We could do this.’ But it was all really about having fun.”

What’s made the two trips to Eagle River “fun” for the BLB women has been the area’s passion for hockey and the hospitality of the Eagle River community.

“Everyone loved it,” Nelson said. “A lot of people up there love to play hockey. It was a great group of people to be around. You can’t get that experience anywhere else.

“They did a really great job of keeping the ice in good condition. And the people in Eagle River are really friendly and were willing to help in any way they could. They’re really great people.”

With two trips to nationals under their collective belts, the BLB women are adamant about making this part of their itinerary on a regular basis.

“This will be an annual thing,” Nelson said. “We have about seven teams from our area that have gone there and we know each other. We love it so much. We love to play hockey and we have such a great time when we go to Eagle River.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.