Dear Fellow Vermonter,

Vermont has some great traditions that go on year after year after year. Pond hockey is one of them. 

Every year, as the temperatures go down, ice skating rinks across the state go up. Whether it takes place on a pond, on a lake, your town green or even your neighbor’s backyard, “pond hockey” has been a long-standing staple of Vermont winters. 

In 2012, this cold weather tradition was taken to new heights thanks to an ambitious group of organizers and a large community of enthusiasts through the Pond Hockey Classic (PHC). 

The Lake Champlain Pond Hockey Classic – one of two events organized by PHC – is a showcase of the most dedicated pond hockey teams not just in Vermont, but around the country and beyond. This year, on a perfectly cold February weekend, the pond hockey faithful flocked to Mallets Bay in Colchester for the 12th annual tournament. 

Malletts Bay offers an ideal location for the event, with low temperatures, shallow water, and close proximity to local restaurants and businesses prepared for the annual influx of visitors. PHC staff transform the Bay into a series of hockey rinks that stretch out onto the lake and fill up with dozens of creatively named teams in colorful, custom-made jerseys along with family and friends cheering them on.