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Saints Get Their Miracle

Story by Amy Impellizzeri

Dec 01, 2021
photo credits to Phil Mar Photos

photo credits to Phil Mar Photos

When the East Penn Scholastic Hockey League disbanded last year, the future of Berks County scholastic hockey came into question. Some schools merged teams. Some joined the Central Penn Interscholastic Hockey League (CPIHL) which plays on rinks in neighboring counties of Lancaster and York, and others wondered if their programs would survive at all.

The Berks Catholic Ice Hockey Club was a team in jeopardy. With a growing number of players making the move to competitive travel teams, and the rising costs of playing scholastic hockey, registration numbers were low. By the end of the summer 2021, it was unclear whether the team would have sufficient numbers to join the CPIHL at all. The Berks Catholic Seniors (Chris Avram, Paul Impellizzeri, and Andrew Walker) – who have been playing hockey together since elementary school – were asked to merge onto other teams joining the CPIHL but declined, remaining adamant that they wanted to play their final year of high school hockey as “Saints.”

They were told that might not be an option this year.

They just couldn’t accept that.

The seniors met with their teammates one September morning before school in the Berks Catholic library and made a pact as a team to find a way to play hockey in Berks County and as “Saints” for the 2021-2022 school year. They realized it just might take a miracle, but they were prepared to make one happen. Together, they called their Coach, Jeff Wertz, an alum of Holy Name, one of Berks Catholic’s predecessor schools, who pledged his support in helping make a Saints season happen as well.

Asking their parents to mobilize to help secure ice time and game opponents (and mobilize they did!), the players began recruiting new players and securing pledges from their travel teammates that they would double roster for the season. One such travel player, sophomore, Billy Moore, said for him the decision was easy. “I’m just happy to play. I love the game.”

Parents of alumni from the hockey team, like Scott and Nancy Mauer, parents of former Saints Hockey player, Ben Mauer, stepped in to help as well, anxious to see the club they love, survive.

Of course, there were hurdles.

For starters, due to the demands of local college teams, the only remaining local ice time available for practice was 6-7 am, before school. Undeterred, the boys enthusiastically signed on for the early morning practices, arranging carpools to get to practice and then school on time. Coach Wertz jumped in and got licensed to drive the school van to assist with the early morning transportation as well.

Financial hurdles were ever present. But several local companies (Trevose Specialty Care Surgical Center, Medical Management Associates, Fort Washington Surgery Center, and Stone Recyclers) heard about the team’s drive and mission, and signed on to sponsor the team, providing needed funds to secure practice ice, book game time ice, and help equip brand new players.

The players recruited new teammates, and with a roster of 15 varsity-level players, they were soon up and running (skating!) at practice.

The lack of a Berks County-based league was an initial hurdle – but quickly overcome by the Saints’ decision to play an independent non-league season, thanks in large part to the support of Santander Arena, which agreed to negotiate affordable game ice time with the Saints. David Farrar, General Manager of ASM Global Managed Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center, was supportive of Berks Catholic Ice Hockey’s plan to save their scholastic team from the outset. Farrar says “It would be great if every local high school had their own team.  At least that’s our hope as we push to increase involvement in youth hockey through the Reading Royals Youth Hockey Association.”

Even after Santander agreed to host the Saints’ games, there were many, many moving parts to actually getting games on the schedule, including finding willing opponents, scheduling games around several travel players’ schedules, training a new team goalie, and navigating a state-wide shortage of referees, just to name a few.

But by the time of the puck drop of their first home game against the Berks Beasts at Santander Arena on Monday night, the players weren’t thinking about those obstacles or hurdles. They were just focused on playing a sport they love.

For freshman Carter Gasperack, newcomer to the team, this was a chance to play varsity hockey for the first time, an opportunity he described as pure “fun” as the team welcomed him easily.

Sophomore, Luke Impellizzeri, says that for him, “Hockey means brotherhood. Once you step on the ice, that’s your family.”

Paul Impellizzeri, Team Captain said:  “I couldn’t even wrap my head around the thought of not having a senior season. Without the dedication of these boys that would have been the reality.”

Senior Andrew Walker, Assistant Captain agreed wholeheartedly. “It’s a great day to be a Saint.”

Berks Catholic won their season opener 4-3.

They needed a miracle to save their 2021-2022 hockey season. It turns out these Saints just might have gotten one.

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