GEORGETOWN, Colo. (KOAA) — The second weekend of February saw hundreds of hockey players and hockey enthusiasts descend upon Georgetown to take part in/enjoy watching a massive pond hockey tournament.
Now, having wrapped up its 17th year, the Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament was initially situated at Dillon Reservoir before moving to its current location on Georgetown Lake in 2024.
The massive event was founded by David Janowiec, who operates the Recess Factory, an event management business based in Erie.
The tournament hosts a total of 300 teams and typically boasts 24 separate rinks all running games at once; however, this year, Janowiec says that unseasonably warm weather pushed his team to settle for only 22 rinks.
For an idea of how popular the tournament has become in its nearly two decades of operation, their initial pond hockey venture hosted only 30 teams on two ice rinks; clearly, it's gained momentum since then.
"Now we cap it at 300 because we want to keep that intimate feeling," commented Janowiec.
According to participants interviewed at the event, the hockey is almost a secondary focus of the tournament, "Yeah, I think the hockey is the excuse to show up, right? But the people we're here with, the relationships, the guys we get to hang out with, that's what makes it all worth coming to," said one participant.
Janowiec went as far as to say that, "Hockey is kind of the second thing here, it's such a family, and there's so many people that are coming here for just the community of it."
If you're interested in learning more about this annual happening or want to try to sign up for the 2027 tournament (registration takes place on March 1st), click here.
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