“There are less
injuries, it costs almost
half the price of ice
hockey, and there
are collegiate and
international levels of
play. The kids can take
it as far as they want.”
The USC Inline Hockey program plays within the
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Roller Hockey League (PIRHL),
which has more than 130 teams in western PA. Rules of play
include three 15-minute periods with no checking, and teams can
be coed all the way through high school.
In addition, teams are active all year. Players are placed on
teams during tryouts where coaches and board members assess
skill level to ensure fair play. Teams vary from beginners learning
to skate to highly advanced. USC teams for the 2017-2018 season
included one elementary school team, two middle school teams
and two high school teams.
“This was a thrilling season,” says Cathy Manalo, USC Inline
Hockey Board member. “To end with all five of our teams
reaching success and having one of our players from each team
take the top spot in the total points scored is fantastic! And
through it all their greatest successes have been teamwork,
friendships and memories.”
Bernstein is encouraging as many kids as possible to give inline
hockey a shot.
“There are so many pros to playing this sport,” he says. “There
are less injuries, it costs almost half the price of ice hockey, and
there are collegiate and international levels of play. The kids can
take it as far as they want. As well, our USC league really roots
itself as a family-based league. We keep a family environment
around the league and also have funds available to help those
who may not be able to meet some of the costs to participate.
We want everyone to have fun and work hard to ensure that
happens.”
To learn more about USC Inline Hockey, visit the Facebook
page or go to uscinlinehockey.com. n
UPPER ST. CLAIR
❘
SUMMER 2018
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