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Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. The Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation also supported the event. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL6 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL7 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL8 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL9 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL11 / 15Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Teams compete in hockey action Feb. 13, 2021, during the Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament on Big Sandy Lake on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. The tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities. There were also $1,280 in proceeds from the event that went to supporting Army Emergency Relief. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Scott Abell with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss pose with a $1,280 check being given to Army Emergency Relief (AER) during the 2021 AER Campaign Kickoff Breakfast held Feb. 25, 2021 at McCoy’s Community Center at Fort McCoy, Wis. The money was raised recently through a pond hockey tournament that was held on the installation on Feb. 13 at Big Sandy Lake. Fort McCoy Army Community Service Director Kevin Herman said it was a great way to kick off the AER Campaign at Fort McCoy. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
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Scott Abell with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss pose with a $1,280 check being given to Army Emergency Relief (AER) during the 2021 AER Campaign Kickoff Breakfast held Feb. 25, 2021 at McCoy’s Community Center at Fort McCoy, Wis. The money was raised recently through a pond hockey tournament that was held on the installation on Feb. 13 at Big Sandy Lake. Fort McCoy Army Community Service Director Kevin Herman said it was a great way to kick off the AER Campaign at Fort McCoy. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)
(Photo Credit: Scott Sturkol)VIEW ORIGINAL
A pond hockey tournament supported by Fort McCoy and held at the installation’s Big Sandy Lake on South Post proved beneficial to all involved, organizers said.
The Fort McCoy Pond Hockey Tournament included eight teams from the post and local communities, said Jim Sprackling with the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security who helped organize the event.
USA Pond Hockey rules were in use for the event, and proceeds from the event went to supporting Army Emergency Relief (AER). On Feb. 25, Scott Abell, chief of the Business and Recreation Division with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, presented a check for $1,280 from the tournament to Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss for AER.
“Through the eight teams that entered the tournament, $160 of each entry fee was earmarked as a donation to AER,” Abell said.
Sprackling said he played in one game in the tournament and was happy to see it all happen. He said a lot of people put in a lot of effort to get it done.
“The Air Force folks at Volk Field (Wis.) were a big help in putting this together,” Sprackling said. Air Force Maj. Jim Behn was instrumental in getting teams to commit to playing. There is a large military and veterans hockey community made up of several associations that play charity tournaments throughout the year.
“Due to COVID, many tournaments were canceled around the country, so Maj. Behn was able to tap into the local teams to participate in our AER event,” Sprackling said. “He was also able to tap into senior noncommissioned officers at Volk Field who were willing to volunteer their time to fill positions to help organize the event.”
Sprackling also said Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Mantha, garrison command sergeant major, and 1st Sgt. Leonardo Ramos, Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Parks, and Staff Sgt. Anthony Cintron with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy's Headquarters and Headquarters Company were also helpful in setting up the tournament.
“They worked extremely hard in harsh weather conditions to get the ice sheets playable,” Sprackling said. “Their efforts were extraordinary. Additionally, the Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department and firefighters brought out a water pump to put a final skating surface on the ice sheets.”
Teams included the 115th Fighter Wing from the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Fort McCoy Fire Department, Volk Field, The Illinois Warriors, Army National Guard-Madison, Schmitty’s Old Time Tavern, and Onalaska.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set "Fort McCoy" or another installation as your preferred base.
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