SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The temperatures barely cracked the single digits, but the cold didn’t stop families, players and longtime hockey fans from filling Clinton Square on Saturday, January 24th, for the Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic.
Now a signature winter ritual in Syracuse since 2020, the event thrives on the very thing that might keep others away: the cold. For many, the chill is part of the experience.
Skaters carved across the ice while spectators bundled up along the boards, clutching blankets and hand warmers. Children leaned forward to watch parents and neighbors compete. The event has become a bright spot in late January, a welcome excuse to step outside during a time of year that often keeps people inside.
Among the players was Connor Treacy, who has competed in the tournament several times and said the day is about much more than hockey.
“It’s just a fun day,” Treacy said. “You get to hang out with friends, have family come down, and everyone watches the games. It’s nice to get together and get the competitive juices going.”
Treacy, who grew up in Canada, said the cold hits hard at first, but once the games begin, players warm up quickly.
“It’s certainly pretty chilly out here,” he said. “But once you get moving and sweating a little bit, it gets easier to stay warm.”
Rinkside, his wife Shannon watched with their two young daughters, who recently started playing hockey themselves. The family hadn’t planned to come out at first, but the sunshine and the kids’ excitement changed their minds.
“They wanted to come watch Dad play,” she said. “He loves it, and we’ve been doing this for years. It’s fun for the kids to see what he can do, especially now that they’re starting to play too.”
Shannon said she was also relieved to see a lively crowd despite the frigid temperatures. “We were worried it might be quiet,” she said. “But seeing other spectators and vendors out here makes it feel like a real event.”
Transcript Summary: Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic
Antonio Dunston, Reporter: In most cities, single-digit temperatures are more than enough to keep families indoors. But in Syracuse, cold weather isn’t a deterrent — and at the Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic, parents, kids, and players are layering up and leaning into the cold, turning a frigid weekend into a community gathering.
Dunston: Weather that would shut an event down anywhere else becomes part of the draw here. Instead of staying home, families treat the cold like an invitation, and for Connor Treacy, that invitation goes beyond the game. It’s one of those winter weekends where friends meet up, families pack the rinkside, and the fun feels unmistakably Syracuse.
Connor Treacy: Yeah. That’s kind of what it is all about. Bringing everyone together. Syracuse is a pretty tight-knit little town so to have everyone out here supporting us it kind of makes things more fun for sure.
Dunston: For the Treacy family, days like this are nothing new. Connor’s Canadian roots and the fact that he has played in this tournament before mean the cold barely fazes them. He and his wife Shannon have two little girls who just started playing hockey themselves, and for her, seeing them light up as they watch their dad skate in that moment is her favorite part of the event, no matter how harsh the weather gets.
Shannon Treacy: I just like watching my kids see their dad play. They have a blast. They love it. They get into it. There’s nothing better than that.
Dunston: Organizers say that’s exactly why this event thrives. Tournament director Tim O’Donnell says the turnout means the world because anyone can show up on a warm spring day, but the people who bundle up and brave these freezing temperatures are giving the ultimate compliment. Some are here to cheer on friends and family, but plenty came simply to support the event and the community, making the most of the winters that define this place.
Tim O’Donnell: I think that people are thirsty for something this time of year after being kind of cooped up after the holidays. Just wanting to get out and I think this is a really tight-knit community, particularly the hockey community but Syracuse in general. And here we are and the people are drawn to it. They see what it is now and what it’s become. I think people are excited about it every year.
Dunston: The Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic becomes more than a tournament. It’s a snapshot that captures how this community doesn’t just endure the cold — it embraces it, refuses to let it dictate their joy, and turns these harsh winters into a point of pride. Antonio Dunston, N-C-C News.
Tournament director Tim O’Donnell said the turnout is the ultimate compliment. “People are here to support their friends and family, but a lot of folks are just supporting the event and the community,” he said. “That means the world. That’s why we do it.”
O’Donnell said the event offers a chance for people to shake off cabin fever and embrace the season.
“You can either complain about the cold or get out and enjoy it,” he said. “Today shows people here choose to embrace it.”
Despite unpredictable weather, including several inches of snow that had to be cleared from the rink earlier that morning, O’Donnell said the community’s enthusiasm never wavers.
For many, the Pond Hockey Classic is more than a tournament. It’s a celebration of winter, resilience and a shared willingness to brave the cold together.