This upcoming Saturday, Feb. 15, UND RecSports programming is hosting the first Pond Hockey Tournament. The event will take place between 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will take place at the outdoor rink in University Park. Registration opened on Feb. 3 and closes on Feb. 13. Teams of three can sign up to take part in the tournament following the payment of the $30 registration fee for each participating member on the team.    

The tournament will take on a unique format with teams being comprised of three skaters each opposed to regulation goal post, and there will be specialized nets that alleviate the need for a goal tender. This leads to more open ice that enhances the recreational vibe that coincides with pond hockey, and the thrill that comes with skating outdoors.    

Keeping this outdoor element in mind, it checks out that this year’s inaugural edition of the RecSports Pond Hockey tournament takes place in the middle of February when temperatures are still well-below freezing. In the off chance that it is not cold enough outside for the conditions of the rink to be playable, it can be presumed that the event will either be canceled or postponed to a later date. However, the current weather forecast projects yet another cold front passing through Grand Forks in the upcoming weeks, and bearing any drastic changes in the forecast, it can be expected that the inaugural outdoor pond hockey will go on as planned.  

The RecSports program manager, Kevin Bowe, has played a pivotal role in making this year’s pond hockey tournament possible by helping organize and layout the logistics for the tournament. Kevin stated that “it will be a fun way to get students out on a Saturday morning for some outdoor hockey with a touch of healthy competition” as the winning team of the tournament will forever be recognized as champions on the pond.   

Make sure to let all your friends know about this year’s pond hockey tournament, and if you have not done so already, be sure to register yourself and your teammates for the tournament prior to the upcoming deadline Feb. 13. So, lace up your skates and gear up for some old-school North Dakota hockey this winter at University Park in Grand Forks.   

Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.silva@und.edu.