Youth sports supporters traded hockey sticks for golf clubs to raise money for the Albert Lea Hockey Association and the Blue Line Club.

Green Lea Golf Course was filled with 36 four-person teams Saturday for the Albert Lea Hockey Open.

“Every year it seems to be getting bigger and bigger,” said Albert Lea boys’ hockey head coach and tournament participant Roy Nystrom. “When this first started, we were lucky to get enough foursomes to get nine holes (36 players), and now you’ve got two foursomes for every hole here at Green Lea (144 players).”

Nystrom, who has coached the Tigers for 43 years, said he attended about 30 of the golf tournament hockey fundraisers.

Albert Lea Hockey Association board member and treasurer, Brad Loch, said the Blue Line Club — the Albert Lea High School boys’ hockey booster club — and the Albert Lea Hockey Association — the youth hockey organization — had separate events before he became involved with the event six years ago. Since then, they’ve joined forces, and the money is split in half and given to both groups.

“We have a committee between the Blue Line Club and the hockey association,” he said. “There’s about eight of us who are here to get teams, get sponsors and put it all together.”

Those who participated included current players, players’ parents and alumni.

Current players supervised challenges at various holes. Carson Goodell, Jackson Goodell and Tyler Hendrickson were stationed at hole No. 13. Golfers made double-or-nothing bets to see if they could drive the ball onto the green of the par-three hole.

Matt Hoelscher, a member of the Albert Lea Hockey Association board and the father of three players took the course. His son Calen plays for the bantam division; son Brecklin plays for the pewees; and daughter Bella plays in the mites.

Along with Nystrom’s group was Albert Lea baseball coach Joe Sczublewski and Steve Cerrato, who skated for Nystrom’s team from 1976 to 1978.

“The theme this year was to unite players from the past, present and future,” Loch said. “They could share stories and get people up to date about what’s happening.”

Aside from some big differences, hockey and golf require some of the same skills, which could explain the fact that the three players from the Albert Lea boys’ golf team who qualified for the Class AA state tournament — Lucas Peterson, Brady Loch, and Alex Syverson — were also on the hockey team.

“It goes hand in hand,” Nystrom said. “It seems that hockey players and that hand-eye coordination with the stick carries over to the golf club, too.”

Money raised goes toward the Albert Lea Hockey Association and the Blue Line Club’s general budget: ice time, equipment, coaches and hockey-related trips.

“Our goal is to have events like this to keep Albert Lea hockey the cheapest to pay for in the area,” he said.