Fans love their teams and players for what they do on the ice, but gain even more respect for them when they get involved in their community.
This season, no ECHL player has better exemplified the latter than Reading Royals Captain Todd Skirving. The club and the league announced on Friday that Skirving has been selected as the recipient of the 2024-25 ECHL Community Service Award.
“First and foremost, thank you to president David Farrar, head coach Jason Binkley and assistant coach Ryan Anderson for the opportunity to wear the Reading Royals sweater as the captain this season,” Skirving said following the announcement. "It is an honor to be a part of a long list of former and current players throughout the league that give back to the community that they play in. The ECHL continues to grow and there are many outstanding individuals who are deserving of this award. I am proud to be among all those who use their hockey platform to make a difference in the lives around them.”
Each ECHL team was given the opportunity to nominate a player for their efforts supporting community and charitable causes during the season. The nominations were voted on by League Office personnel.
“We are excited to see Todd selected as this season’s ECHL Community Service Award recipient,” said David Farrar, Team President of the Reading Royals. “Todd’s dedication to enriching the Royals Youth Hockey Association, Slapshot Charities, and Reading community as a whole has been wonderful to see in his first season in Reading. His selection is well deserved.”
Since arriving in Reading during the offseason, Skirving has dedicated his time and effort to growing the game of hockey by attending various youth hockey clinics, supporting the Royals official charitable arm, Slapshot Charities, through multiple charity fundraisers, including a charity golf tournament and celebrity ice cream event, as well as upraising his personal fundraising for cancer research through his initiative “The Skirvy 3.0” for No Shave MOvember, in honor of his dad, Rod, who is in remission for Prostate Cancer.
“We never know what others are going through and the game of hockey gives us the opportunity to make a difference each and every day,” Skirving said. “As I have always said, 'It takes zero effort to be a good person.' Thank you.”
The ECHL is appreciative of the efforts of all its teams and players for their efforts in their local communities during the 2024-25 season.
The other nominees for the 2024-25 ECHL Community Service Award were: Grant Loven (Adirondack), J.C. Brassard (Allen), Louie Caporusso (Cincinnati), Jordan Sambrook (Florida), Jacob Modry (Greenville), Colin Bilek (Indy), Justen Close (Jacksonville), Ryan Naumovski (Kalamazoo), Daniel Amesbury (Kansas City), Wyllum Deveaux (Maine), Matt Radomsky (Rapid City), Reilly Webb (South Carolina), Chaz Reddekopp (Toledo), Morgan Adams-Moisan (Trois-Rivières), Paxton Leroux (Tulsa), Peter Laviolette (Wheeling), Nico Sommerville (Wichita) and Anthony Repaci (Worcester).