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This throwback style of hockey has a low-tech charm to it, played under a cano- py of brilliant blue skies on a snowy frozen lake rimmed by hearty pine trees. "It doesn't get better than the setting here at Dollar Lake, surrounded by pines and a few summer homes," Don Mulder said when asked about the event's allure. "The way the whole community rolls out the red carpet for this event, it's like a community event." As the Amateur Hockey Association, Mulder has been on the ground floor of the growth, yet even he is constantly amazed that the event has never lost its small-town appeal even as it approaches the 300-team mark. "You can read about it in the paper or see it on NBC, but you have to come here to see what it's all about. Once you do, you'll be coming back year after year after year," he said. president of the Wisconsin BE COMING BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR." — DON MULDER, PRESIDENT OF WISCONSIN AMATEUR HOCKEY PAPER OR SEE IT ON NBC, BUT YOU HAVE TO COME HERE TO SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. ONCE YOU DO YOU'LL "YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN THE "What do they say? This is something you have to put on your craigslist or your bucket list." squeeze the entire hockey-playing universe out there. But the local volunteer fire depart- ment and rink professionals from Serving The American Rink are already stretched thin, working from before dawn until well after dark just maintaining the 24 rinks that are already here. Who knows how much bigger this can get? Looking out at the barren white expanse of Dollar Lake, it looks like you could Still, as long as the beer and brats hold out, many would argue that there's always room for one more player, one more team and even one more division. 18 outstanding job in their own right. But ask anyone out here and they will tell you that Eagle River, the self-proclaimed "Snowmobile Capital of the World," is now synonymous with pond hockey. All of this is due in large part to the efforts of one man, Don Kohlman, who even four years after his passing remains a beloved figure not only among Wisconsin hockey people, but fans of the game around the United States. There are a lot of places that host pond hockey tournaments, and they all do an Back in 2004, when USA Hockey's Adult Council was looking to get on the pond hockey bandwagon, it was Kohlman who spoke up and said he knew the perfect place to host such an event. Was he ever right. "I wish Donny was around to see it," said APRIL/MAY.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Mulder, who still chokes up when talking about his long-time friend. "He would have a huge smile to see how this event has grown." As the tournament wound down on Sunday afternoon, a small group of vol- unteers finished their duties and sat in a semi-circle enjoying a well-deserved cold one. As they chatted and laughed about the long hours and days it took to stage the event, one raised his glass and said, "To Don Kohlman." The rest of the group fol- lowed suit, as did others within earshot of the conversation. It was a fitting tribute to the man who started it all. It was pure and simple, and it came from the heart. N PHOTOS BY Kitty Sookochoff