Pond Hockey Tournament

The 6th Annual Pond Hockey Tournament! This is a tournament Sam looks forward to every year. I love watching it. I've gone since Nate was a baby, carrying him on my back. Hockey in an arena is cool...but hockey on a pond is awesome! Four guys play the whole time, the surface is smoothed by shovels...no zamboni, so the puck isn't quite as predictable, the goal is now just a couple holes in a board, and you're in the great outdoors. The great outdoors being Beaver Meadows near Red Feather Lakes where it is windy 360 days out of the year! Today was no surprise, nice and calm until we were about 2 minutes from our destination, then windy and snowy. Here's some pics.


Sam's in the white getting ready to shoot the puck.




Go Sam Go! This year they added nets behind the goals. Good idea, we've almost been drilled with a few pucks before these were installed.


Chloe and Mac playing in the snow. The kids did awesome! It was very cold and they played out in the snow for 3 hours! Only had one 20 minute break when I coaxed them into the van for snacks. Of course it helped having they're good friends the Kershner kids there to play with them!


Quick stop! I love seeing them change direction on a dime. Probably something they don't think twice about, but for someone who tries to do this and falls every time...I like seeing the snow spray!


And finally, the zambonis. The guys are tired after playing 20 minute halves without a break, yet they then shovel the ice to get it ready for the next teams.

Sam played two games today, will play some tomorrow, and will end with the finals on Sunday. We're hoping to go up on Sunday again to see him play some more. Maybe it'll be one of the days that it's not windy...not likely :)