If you stop by a local ice rink this Friday through Sunday, you'll catch a girls' hockey game, guaranteed.
That's because the Collingwood Lightning is hosting its second-annual Thundersnow Classic tournament for 800 girls' hockey players this weekend Jan. 17-19.
From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. all three days, 17 Collingwood Lightning and another 35 out-of-town teams from across Ontario will be playing at least four games each one ice pads in Collingwood (Central Park and Eddie Bush), Thornbury, Stayner, Creemore and Wasaga Beach.
The tournament directors Paul Crane and Devon Baldry, and several other volunteers spend the whole year organizing the logistics for 109 games from U7 to U18 at six area ice rinks.
Since the inaugural tournament last year, the event has grown by five teams.
Crane, who doesn't have kids in the Lightning program, said he's been volunteering for the organization for five years, and talking about the Thundersnow tournament for at least three years.
"We just said, let's go do it and make it happen and see how it goes, and if it goes well, we'll try to make this thing an annual event," said Crane.
The success of the first year inspired the group to keep the tournament going.
He gives credit to the Lightning organization and a big group of volunteers who help run the tournament.
"I've been involved in a lot of hockey organizations throughout my hockey career, and this is by far the best to be involved with," said Crane. "There's no egos on the executive, everybody's in it for all the kids."
In addition to about 40 to 50 volunteers working at the various rinks during the tournament, there are also about 25-30 referees, plus timekeepers, some of whom are students in the CCI Hockey program.
"It should be a good tournament with competitive games all weekend," said Crane.
One day, Crane hopes to have two tournaments – a house league and a rep league tournament – to accommodate even more girls' hockey teams. Growth, however, is limited by two challenges.
First, ice time.
Crane said Collingwood needs at least two more ice pads.
The second, is accommodation. Since the tournament falls on a winter weekend, many of the local hotels are booked up with skiers. It's hard, and expensive, for teams to find enough hotel rooms.
All the games are free for spectators, and the championship rounds will be on Sunday at the two Collingwood rinks. There will be a raffle with large prizes available to be won and proceeds going to the local women's shelter.
There will be games all day Friday and Saturday at Central Park, Eddie Bush, Creemore, and Stayner rinks. Championship games will be at the Collingwood rinks on Sunday.
For a schedule of games and locations, visit thundersnowclassic.com, select a division to see the game schedule for that age group.
