ABOVE: A tributary has melted as water flows into Sisseton Lake. The ice surrounding it is shallow also and snow was packed in several areas on the ice. All of these were factors in moving the Southern Minnesota Pond Hockey Tournament indoors to the Martin County Arena.

FAIRMONT – The Southern Minnesota Pond Hockey Tournament is entering its 16th year, but this year it is going back indoors to the Martin County Arena in Fairmont.

This continues a back-and-forth trend for the tournament that began after the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled due to COVID-19. The 2022 event was held at its intended location on Sisseton Lake behind the Marina Lodge, but 2023 had to be held at the Martin County Arena due to the odd ice conditions.

“We had ice, and then we ended up getting snow and then it rained on top of that and unfortunately we hadn’t kept up with snow removal,” Event President Logyn Cone said.

Warm weather kept it indoors in 2024, but 2025 offered an opportunity to get back on Sisseton Lake because of favorable ice conditions and considerable work.

This year, Cone said it did not work out by their set deadline of the first of the year.

“We went out on Wednesday, and we were seeing a couple of eight inches,” she said. “We saw some nines. We saw 10 once in a while. The quality of the ice isn’t great, because we’ve had all these warm days, a little bit cooler nights, so it keeps warming up and dropping back down.”

Since its inception, the event has grown dramatically. It started on Hall Lake, and in the first few years was paired with snowmobile drag races on the lakes. It shifted to Sisseton Lake and the Marina Lodge due to the wind protection and atmosphere it provides.

This year, they have 43 registered teams from across the Midwest and beyond.

“We’ve got some from St Paul, Clear Lake, Iowa, Mason City, Sioux Falls,” Cone said. “We’ve got some Shakopee cities up there. We also have one listed right now as Tampa Bay, Florida for a youth team.”

To reach this point, Cone said social media and word of mouth have been significant sparks in raising awareness for the event.

“We usually try to make sure our association passes along information and flyers and the brochures to other towns when they’re playing in tournaments and going to towns to play their normal seasonal games,” she said. “We’re really getting the word out that way, because that’s where we’re going to get the most people coming is obviously the ones that are invested in the sport itself.”

Having this event move indoors is a circumstance Cone said changes the experience as a whole.

“Being on the lakes is something you can’t put into words,” she said. “You have to be a part of it and experience that atmosphere. Seeing the games out there is truly incredible. The winter wonderland vibes that you get when you’re outside is awesome, and having the kids be a part of that is really cool.”

Regardless, Cone said the event is still looking to bring the excitement of the tournament as a whole.

“We’ve got everything figured out to make sure we still have the best tournament possible,” she said.” It’s just in a different venue.”

The event will be held from Jan. 9-11, with night games on the 9th and games all day on the 10th and 11th. While there won’t be any games near the Marina Lodge, performances scheduled to support the tournament will still be held there. Admission to the event is free.

For more information, visit facebook.com/SouthernMNPondHockey.