Page 33 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 61

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #61 December 2017 33

A Passport to Pond Hockey Passion

By Casey Leger

t’s coming. And it’s going to
Ibe huge. And it’s going to raise
$10 000 for the Heart and Stroke
Foundation.

At least that’s the plan, according
to the organizers of the inaugural
Pond Hockey Classic tournament.
The tournament is the brainchild
of local hockey personalities Mitch
Gagne and Alain Quenneville. “We
wanted to do something for the
community,” said Quenneville. “My
uncle Norm Dubeau passed away
eleven years ago after a hockey
tournament at the Bob Turner
Memorial Centre,” he explained.
“He died right on the ice. Heart and
Stroke seems like a good choice to
benefit from this.”
Gagne and Quenneville are
organizing the event under the aegis
of “Dangles and Dekes”; a company
that organises and runs hockey
tournaments. They held a well-
attended launch night on Tuesday,
November 12, at the Glengarrian
Pub, which along with Bud Light Michelle O’Shaughnessy and Lynn Kenny from local Heart and Stroke Foundation, speak at the press
and Visual Vinyl are the three major conference. Photo Submitted
sponsors of the event.
four-a-side for youth teams. Cost for the seniors’ players. auctioned off at the event, and there
Lynn Kenney, local Heart and per team is $300 for adults; $100 for Big names in hockey such as will be live music and entertainment
Stroke Director, attended the launch youth, which includes pizza for the Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Jesse at the tournament. “There will be
and was elated at the idea of the pond kids and two buffet meals (provided Winchester, Patrick Roy, and Dale something there for everyone,”
hockey tournament and good it will by the Glen) and a beverage coupon Hawerchuck have donated items to be explained Wilson.
do for Heart and Stroke.

To their credit, the folks at Dangles
and Dekes have planned big. The
tournament will be held from
Saturday, February 17, to Monday,
February 19. The tournament has
been scheduled to include 50 adult
and 24 youth teams. Anyone familiar
with the Benson Centre will know
the venue: the plan is to create four
pond-like rinks in the north field that
abuts the Centre.

The organizers are not in the
least concerned about filling the
event: as of the launch, there were
10 teams registered, and that was
without the benefit of any publicity
whatsoever. Rodney Wilson, the
organizing committee member in
charge of communications invites
all interested teams to check
out the tournament Facebook
page at https://www.facebook.
com/2018PondHockeyClassic/

Quick facts: Teams are five-a-side,
including goalies, in the adult bracket;