SIDNEY — The Maine Pond Hockey Classic is an annual fundraising tournament supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA of Greater Waterville. This year’s tournament will be held on Feb. 10-12 at the Snow Pond Center for the Arts on Snow Pond (Messalonskee Lake) in Sidney, Maine. Registration opened on October 1, 2016 for the 2017 Maine Pond Hockey Classic, interested teams must register prior to Jan. 10.

The Tournament offers six divisions for players of different ages and abilities; including, Open “A”, Open “B”, Women’s, Recreational, 40+, and “Just for Fun.” Each division winner receives a prize pack including complimentary entry to the following year’s tournament, Championship Sweatshirts, and a very unique trophy featuring the State of Maine cut from old hockey sticks. 

The Maine Pond Hockey Classic provides a festival-like atmosphere for players and spectators alike. The tournament site will contain at least eight rinks, community skating area, beer garden, fire pits, music, tournament store, food vendors, a Polar Bear Dip on Saturday morning and more.

Each team plays three pool play games for seeding followed by a single elimination tournament. Pond hockey is played 4-on-4 without goalies or on ice officials, and each team is allowed to have up to seven players on their roster.

More information can be found on the tournament website at www.mainepondhockey.org. The tournament can on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mainepondhockey, or on twitter @mainepondhockey.

For those looking to get involved with the MPHC, there are several volunteer opportunities available. If interested, please contact Patrick Guerette, Tournament Director, via email at mepondhockeyclassic@gmail.com.