A crowd braves freezing temperatures for the annual Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic

Syracuse, NY – The annual Pond Hockey Classic in Syracuse was as exciting as ever on Saturday as teams battled freezing temperatures for their rights.

The round-robin tournament combines the soul of a sport built on cold winters with the warm spirit of community.

Sixteen teams of three players battled for the number one spot at the event, which originated on Lake Hiawatha in the city’s Strathmore neighborhood. This year marks the third time the event has been held at the Clinton Square rink.

Teams raced against time in an abbreviated event shortened by about two hours due to the cold weather. Matches were played simultaneously on two rinks throughout the day. Creative team names included Lake Effect Lunatics, Hard Telling Not Knowing and Hat Trick Swayze.

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A small crowd braved the extreme temperatures to share a love of the sport as well as a deep pride in the city of Syracuse. Children played with friends on the snow patches in front of the rink, while adults huddled around heat lamps and fire pits during games.

Many in the audience didn’t know anyone who was playing, they just wanted in on the fun.

“I’ve been interested for a while and thought I’d volunteer to help sign teams in,” Megan Tully said. “First time doing this. But I got here a little late because it took me so long to put on all the layers.” Tully sipped tea from a thermos as she watched the games, doing her best to keep warm.

Tournament founder and director Tim O’Donnell grew up playing hockey and lived in Syracuse’s Strathmore District since 2009. In 2019, he thought of the ideal place to combine these two aspects of his life.

“I’ve always seen Lake Hiawatha as an underutilized resource because no one has ever been there in the winter,” O’Donnell said. “I drove by it almost every day and I complained about it for years. People were like ‘well shut up or do something about it’.” So I decided to do something about it.”

To begin the tournament, O’Donnell gathered some of his most trusted friends to prepare Hiawatha Lake for intense play. “The first event was in 2020, right before the world stopped,” O’Donnell said.

“And then we had some weather anomalies and it would have to be a swim to make it an event. We wanted to keep going, and even though this isn’t a pond, it was the best we could do for consistency.”

Since the first SPHC, O’Donnell’s mother, Francine O’Donnell, has run a hot drink stand with her friend, Christine Cassidy, and Paul Daniels, Tim’s father-in-law. The trio works together to warm up the spectators and players with coffee and hot chocolate.

“Every year it grows,” Daniels said of the tournament. “It started up at Lake Hiawatha, and because the weather was unpredictable, it just didn’t work out. So this is a lot nicer. There are restaurants and bars open, so people come down.”

On the weather, Daniels said, “Syracuse, you never know. It could be 50 degrees or 2 below.”

Dallas Martin, the manager of the Skins team, was excited about the first participation. “Everybody here loves hockey,” Martin said. “They grew up playing hockey or watching it with their brothers, sisters or kids. Hockey plays a really important role here in New York.”

Tim Philley, who played for the Dump & Chasers, has been playing hockey for 15 years.

“I played here two years ago and I’m glad to be back,” Philley said. The team was created as a group of friends who play hockey every Thursday night. Philley was optimistic but realistic about their chances of winning the championship: “We’re hopeful, but there’s good competition out there.”

In the end, Team Galaria took home the trophy.

The community fundraiser, part of this year’s SPHC proceeds, will benefit We Rise Above The Streets, a nonprofit that helps the homeless, and Tillie’s Touch Community Center, an organization that provides school and sports equipment for children in need. The annual tournament has donated $35,000 to local charities since its inception. The Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic features philanthropist Vinny Lobdell and family.

O’Donnell described the process of setting up the tournament as “brutal”.

“You go out at night and spray ice because you have to make sure,” he said.

While the Clinton Square rink isn’t a pond, O’Donnell is careful to follow the rules and focuses on puck handling and skating rather than skill-based play.

“It comes with its challenges, but every year we seem to come together and make it work,” O’Donnell said.