Staff photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Association President Lucas Heiderscheidt stands in front of seven pond hockey rinks where the Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Classic takes place Saturday. Pond hockey games begin at 8:30 a.m., Mite hockey games at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Classic continues to grow with new wrinkles at the fourth annual event this Saturday, Jan. 18.

Besides a 12-team tournament, curling and Mite division hockey and a concert are part of the event this year. Teams are coming from as far away as Grand Marais, North and South Dakota and the Twin Cities.

A number of local eight-person teams will compete for a $1,000 grand prize and trophy. The 1919s, a local team and the defending pond hockey classic champions, is one of those teams.

Pool play pond hockey games start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on pond hockey rinks just east of the Sleepy Eye Arena on the south end of town. A 30 by 60 foot heated warming tent will be used to warm up, relax and consume food and beverages.

One rink will be used only for curling (a sport in which players slide stones on ice toward a target). Homemade curling “stones” made of cement and pipes, will be used for curling. Curling will be available for participation.

Mites (young children) hockey scrimmages begin at 12:30 p.m. Other games include an adult and children’s puck shooting game with prizes.

There is no admission charge for spectators.

“We have many sponsors, some of which offer merchandise. We couldn’t do it without them,” said Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Association President Lucas Heiderscheidt.

The pond hockey class began with Heiderscheidt’s idea.

“I participated in a pond hockey tournament years ago at school in Mankato. After I moved back to Sleepy Eye, I thought it would be nice to do one here. My brother Max and brother-in-law Sean Mathiowetz agreed and helped me start it on Sleepy Eye Lake,” said Lucas.

“We later moved it to near the arena for better ice and not getting in the way of anything else on the lake. This year, we’re raising money for Sleepy Eye and New Ulm youth hockey progams,” he said.

“We couldn’t be happier with all the local support we have. There are a lot of hockey nuts and other people who jumped in to help us. We couldn’t do it without them. We all work hard to make this happen. It’s pretty cool. We want to make it grow a little bit at a time,” said Heiderscheidt.

A concert by Mankato rock cover band Steele Prairie is set for 8 to 11 p.m. at the Sleepy Eye Event Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. Jack Fairbairn, aka “Flow Fanatic” of New Ulm will also provide musical entertainment.

For more information, visit Sleepy Eye Pond Hockey Classic on Facebook.