Thanks to the Reading Royals Youth Hockey Association, the sport is once again seeing a resurgence in Eastern Pennsylvania at the grass roots level.

Since 2019, the Reading Royals Youth Hockey Association (RRYHA) has made a firm commitment to grow the sport of hockey at the grass roots level in and around the Berks County, Pennsylvania community. While competition is encouraged, the goal is to develop a young player’s skills and abilities in a positive environment.

Over the past five years, RRYHA has seen steady growth in all areas of the program, from the Learn to Play phase for beginners to its travel teams. The ages range from 4 to 16, with four travel teams and a tournament team.

“In our Learn to Play, a lot of older kids were there before, so they’re phasing out,” explained Bryce Witman, RRYHA’s assistant director of youth hockey. “The travel program grew this year. Going from Select to Travel, we’ve gained some numbers. Last year, we had three Select teams, now we have five total with our tournament team.”

A Fresh Start

It hasn’t always been this way. Witman, who played NCAA Division III before finishing his career in junior hockey with the NAHL’s New Jersey Titans, took up the sport at age four. He spent part of his childhood with the Junior Royals travel program before playing the next 10 years with a team in Philadelphia.

The biggest reason Witman moved away from Reading to continue his hockey career was because the youth program wasn’t consistent.

“The program kind of went in and out when I was younger,” he said. “Hockey wasn’t really a thing around the area for a while.”

That no longer seems to be the case. One of the best ways to introduce kids to the sport is through Try Hockey for Free events.

Held in hundreds of rinks around the U.S., THFF gives children ages 4-17 a brief glimpse of how the game is played. Certified USA Hockey coaches and volunteers spend about an hour on the ice teaching basic skating, puck-handling and shooting. On average, RRYHA holds Try Hockey for Free sessions about once a month.

The Learn to Play program is a USA Hockey-sanctioned cross-ice instructional initiative designed to teach more of the basics of the game, usually after participants have completed a Try Hockey for Free day. Learn to Play sessions are held every six weeks throughout the year, with a one-week break between sessions.

The Royals offer house leagues comprised of four teams in the fall who play against each other for a chance at a championship, and players receive jerseys.

“In the spring and summer, the numbers dwindle down a bit because of vacation,” Witman said. “We usually have two teams for each age level, (from) 10U to 16U. We also have two teams we scramble up every other week so everybody’s playing against everybody.”

The Junior Royals travel program consists of kids from 8U to 14U. Over 50 players are expected to play in the Delaware Valley Hockey League (DVHL) during the 2024-25 season.

All RRYHA practices and games are based on USA Hockey’s American Development Model (ADM), a curriculum for all age groups that promotes competition, skill development, safety and physical activity. The ADM is specially designed to make the game fun and give kids skills they can take with them long after they stop playing.

The idea is to increase the number of puck touches and prevent kids from standing around on the ice.

“We start every practice with a cross-ice game, because you want to start a practice like you start a game,” Witman explained. “It’s a lot more about getting them engaged. You’ve got to keep their attention.”

Learning from the Pros

Over the week of August 12, RRYHA offered its annual skating intensive summer camp for kids ages 6-16. The five-day camp, held at the Body zone Sports and Wellness Complex, featured both on- and off-ice activities for beginners and advanced players alike. All campers received a free jersey and camp t-shirt.

For the first time, campers were treated to three hours of on-ice instruction with Royals head coach and general manager Jason Binkley. Several Royals players were also there, including Connor McMenamin, Shane Sellar and Kenny Johnson.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C-50MvXSBuT[/embed]

It was hard to tell who enjoyed themselves more: the kids or the pro players.

“(The players) thought it was awesome,” Witman said. “You could tell they went out there and had a good time. I let them run a few of the sessions they were there for. It’s good for the kids to see everybody’s perspective. Everybody skates and coaches a bit different. I like to give the kids a little diversity once in a while.”

Witman is glad hockey is thriving again in Reading. It’s one of the reasons he wanted to come back to the area he started his journey, to give back to the sport he’s still passionate about.

“It’s a great area, especially with a pro team here,” he said. “They help out a ton, which is awesome. It gives the kids a chance to get away from everyday life, come here and have fun with their friends.”