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NOTICE DATE CHANGE
to February 20-21, 2010
What
is the Bad Weather Date about?
Our climate
is unpredictable. During February of 2007, every day was a cold one, perfect
for outdoor hockey except for one day. The Sunday for the playoff series
when we got rain and warm temperatures ruining the ice surface, rendering
it unsafe.
We really
do not want to postpone the tournament, it means two more weeks of working
the surface so we will only do that under extreme circumstances where
player safety becomes an issue.
What
is the Kinsmen Canadian Pond Hockey Championship about?
The
Canadian Pond Hockey Championship is an initiative of the Kin Club of
Bolton to bring the game to the Greater Toronto Area but with participation
by teams from across the country and the world very much welcome.
Funds
raised by this event will be used to support the Canadian
Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation (the national cause of Kin Canada),
community youth sports, seniors activities, Christmas fund and other community
services. The motto of Kin Canada is "Serving the community's greatest
need" and it is to that end that Bolton Kinsmen organized this event
to support those needs.
Where
is the tournament to be held?
The
2009 tournament will again be held at the Albion Conservation Park just
north of Bolton, ON which is a GTA community just north of Toronto. You
will find directions elsewhere on this site
but basically, the site is about a 30min drive north of Pearson International
Airport.
How
is the Pond Hockey tournament managed?
The
Canadian Pond Hockey Championship will be run and managed by an all-volunteer
crew consisting of Bolton Kin, Kindred Spirits Dragon Boat Racing Club
members and local volunteers.
With
this army of volunteers, we will be able to provide services such as "Monitors"
who keep score and officiate each game. We will also have medical professional
volunteers who will be on-site to help players and spectators.
What
is pond hockey all about?
Pond
hockey is the fastest growing team sport in Canada and a variation of
the national pastime. The rules of the game are straight forward with
play and action pretty much the way the game was originally conceived.
Play
is 4-on-4 hockey with no goal tenders. In fact, "goal tending"
is not allowed in the game with all players using only skates, regular
hockey sticks and helmets for equipment. In that sense, play is similar
to where goalies have been pulled from the game on both sides. High scores
are normal in this game with scores in the high teens and twenties not
unusual.
A
pond hockey rink is approximately 75 ft wide and 150 ft long. Rinks are
set in a natural, outdoors environment. There are no boards, only snow
banks to define the rink and the regulation width net is only 10 inches
high - so no slap shots allowed. There are no lines so there are no offsides
and no icing calls.
Play
starts when a central horn blows and continues nonstop until the 15 min
periods are over again signaled by a central horn (there is a 5min break
between the two 15min periods of a game).
Play
is strictly non-contact so teams will rely on speed and skill to win.
In this game, size is not an issue at all but with the finalist teams
playing 5 hours of hockey within 48 hours, conditioning and stamina is
certainly key to survival.
What
are the origins of the game?
Hockey
is the definitive Canadian national sport but great credit and gratitude
for the pond hockey version must be given to the organizers of the World
Pond Hockey Championship in Plaster Rock, NB for its modern definition
and their pioneering efforts. This exceptionally well run tournament served
as the model for the Canadian Pond Hockey Championship.
How
many players make a team?
A
pond hockey team as noted above consists of 5 players only, playing 4-on-4
hockey. There are no substitutions allowed during a game with each player
playing each minute of each game. The 5th player may be used in any game
but can not substitute once a game has commenced.
Rules
of play are outlined elsewhere on this site but take note that if a Major
Penalty is assessed a player, that player will be banned from further
tournament participation and that player's team will play the rest of
the tournament in a 3-on-4 situation. Generally speaking, a major penalty
will be accessed if a player exhibits any behavior that could cause injury
to other players, spectators or indeed himself. Verbal or physical threats
to other players, spectators or officials will also be considered for
a major penalty.
"Canadian
Pond Hockey Championship "
is owned by
The Kinsmen Club of Bolton Inc.
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