A large pond hockey tournament will return near St. Albert for its fourth year, with the aims of eclipsing their previous totals and providing some improved ice along the way.
Blades of Steel is a pond hockey tournament being hosted at Cattail Crossing on March 1. Jason Wiwad is the director of golf at Cattail Crossing. He said the event grew out of their desire to become offer more winter activities for families, and they've seen their ponds used for hockey in the past.
"People can come out and skate and play shinny. We have hockey teams that will come out for practices and stuff like that," Wiwad said. They also saw their ponds used for Hockey Edmonton's Minor Hockey Week in January, where Wiwad said they had 144 teams participate over two days.
He says hosting an outdoor tournament brings a different element to the game than what people are used to.
"Pond hockey kind of brings us back to our childhood memories of the game. It's not full equipment, you play the pond hockey rules," he said. They'll use smaller nets to discourage shooting the puck up high, and games won't have referees.
"It's really about sportsmanship and having fun," he said.
The first instalment of Blades of Steel four years ago had around 30 teams, Wiwad estimated. This year, they're hoping to eclipse that with up to 64 teams playing across the 12 rinks he thinks they'll have set up.
He said that the day will have a multitude of festivities to go along with the actual games, aiming for a day of fun regardless of your skill level or if you're actually playing.
"We get a DJ out on the ice, we have a big tent where people can go. We have our banquet hall open and we have a meal after," he said. "Regardless of your skill level, you can come and have fun. And I think that's what's best about our pond hockey tournament. Everybody that takes part in it can enjoy themselves."
They hope to learn from the last three years, striving to improve ice conditions and organization.
"We actually have a zamboni that we bought from a local rink to make sure that the ice conditions are really good," he said. "It gets pretty chewed up depending on what the weather is like."
Teams are typically made up of six to eight players, and the games are three on three played in two 12 minute halves, Wiwad said. He added that the opportunity to play outdoors gives teams something new.
"A lot of teams are newer," he said. "They'll be a men's league team and they haven't really done pond hockey tournaments, so they experience that for the first time."
"It's a great opportunity to give something different for these teams that play indoors all the time," he said.
The Blades of Steel tournament runs on March 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Team registration is $600, but spectator access is free. The event won't go ahead if warm weather hurts the ice conditions, or if it gets too cold, Wiwad said. Visit https://cattailcrossing.ca/blades-of-steel-2025/ for additional information.
