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<\/p>\nFile photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Association President Lucas Heiderscheidt stands in front of a pond hockey rink near Sleepy Eye Arena.<\/p>\n
SLEEPY EYE \u2014 Fifteen teams of local and Midwest pond hockey players will compete for a $1,000 cash prize at the fifth-annual Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Classic Saturday.<\/p>\n
Games begin at 9:45 a.m. Saturday and continue until about 4:30 p.m. on outdoor rinks near the Sleepy Eye Arena at the southwest end of town. A game of area boys and girls age eight and under, begins at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Association President Lucas Heiderscheidt said pond hockey tournament interest continues to grow with 15 teams competing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout half the teams are from this area. Other teams including men and women come from Milwaukee, Grand Marais, North and South Dakota,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Heiderscheidt said new tournament wrinkles this year include more on site shelter.<\/p>\n
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File photo by Clay Schuldt The 1919 Root Beer team (grey jerseys) battles River Valley Sanitation (blue jerseys) in the pond hockey classic last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re inviting people to set up their camping trailers and fish houses on the event grounds that includes fire pits and a heated tent,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
As in the past, a full bar and hot food will be available. There is no admission charge.<\/p>\n
Three-time defending team champion 1919 Root Beer includes A. J. Arneson, Dan Sandvig, Ryan Petersen, Jacob Berg, Braxten Hoffmann, Teagan Kamm, Toby Sengvonxay and Keagan Schiro returns to the tournament.<\/p>\n
River Valley Sanitation, a mix of former New Ulm and Sleepy Eye players finished second last year and could be considered a leading contender.<\/p>\n
Heiderscheidt said pond hockey is played on a smaller rink than traditional hockey games, has fewer players on the ice, is more fast-paced, making passing and positioning important.<\/p>\n
The pond hockey tournament began a few years ago with Heiderscheidt\u2019s idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI participated in a pond hockey tournament while at school in Mankato,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter I moved back to Sleepy Eye, I thought it would be nice to have one here. May brother Max and brother-in-law, Sean Mathiowtz agreed and helped me start it on Sleepy Eye Lake. We later moved it to near the arena better ice. I lot of hockey enthusiasts and others jumped in to help us host the tournament. We couldn\u2019t do it without them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heiderscheidt said $2,000 worth of tournament proceeds will go to local youth hockey programs. Remaining funds will be used to cover pond hockey classic costs.<\/p>\n
Tournament events conclude with an 8 p.m. concert with the Mankato-based Steele Prairie band at the Sleepy Eye Event Center.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tFile photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Association President Lucas Heiderscheidt stands in front of a pond hockey rink near Sleepy Eye Arena.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tFile photo by Clay Schuldt The 1919 Root Beer team (grey jerseys) battles River Valley Sanitation (blue jerseys) in the pond hockey classic last year.<\/p>\n \t\t\t <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Minnesota state Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls, has announced that he will not be seeking re-election this …<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/low-shadow-1100x733-1-450x300.jpg\")
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