Pond hockey tournament raises $70,000 for Barrie cancer centre

A pond hockey tournament in Coldwater raised thousands for a local cancer centre.

The inaugural Braestone Winter Classic Charity Pond Hockey Tournament wrapped up on Saturday at Braestone Farm.

Sixteen teams took to the ice Friday and Saturday to raise money for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre (SMRCC) in Barrie.

Ted Markle, the organizer of the pond hockey tournament, says that players are excited to be playing for a good cause.

"This is an opportunity for people to come together collectively for a good cause, friends, families, loved ones," Markle says. "So the energy is great. Despite the weather, everyone's having a good time."

On Saturday, heavy snowfall and high winds sent a wintery blast for players out on the ice. Still, volunteers and more than 100 players showed up.

Markle created this event for his brother, who recently passed away from cancer.

"Everybody's been touched by cancer, and everyone has a story," Markle says. "And (my brother) was the best possible hockey tournament participant you could imagine. His sense of humour, his comradery, his passion for the game is the reason I'm playing and the reason that we came together to launch this event," he says.

Originally, organizers set a goal of reaching $40,000 but raised more than $70,000.

Ryan Mcleod from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) says the funds will benefit those in need.

"It's incredible to see such an incredible show of support from the community," Mcleod says. "We're always so thrilled to have members of our community who choose to raise funds in support of patient care at RVH."