YORK COUNTY— The Yorktown Admirals, a new junior hockey team coming to the region, unveiled its jerseys and coaching staff ahead of its inaugural season this summer.
CJ Sweigart, the new head coach of the team, spoke at a media event on Feb. 12. Sweigart comes to the Yorktown Admirals from the Hampton Roads Whalers elite team program where he served as head coach for three seasons.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to grow a new program and very grateful to Patrick Cavanagh and Brad Jones for the trust and support system they have worked so hard to build. We will strive to give our players ultimate value each and everyday and have already been at work completing our staff and laying the foundations for a strong and tight-knit culture in Yorktown,” he said.
Joining Sweigart on the coaching staff are assistant coaches Joey Carroll and Ian Erdman.
Brad Jones, General Manager for the Yorktown Admirals, is excited about growing youth hockey in Yorktown.
“This isn’t a weekend travel team—it’s a full-time development model,” said Jones. “For players in this region, it raises the ceiling of what’s possible without having to leave Virginia to pursue elite opportunities.”
In a ceremonial unveiling, the Chair and Vice Chair of the York County Board of Supervisors were presented with the team’s home and away jerseys.
The Yorktown Admirals will compete in the United States Premier Hockey League and will field a Tier II National Collegiate Development Conference team, the top level of junior hockey in the USPHL with over 1,000 alumni in college hockey each season, and a Tier III USPHL Premier team in the Southeast division alongside the Hampton Roads Whalers, Potomac Patriots, Carolina Jr. Canes, Charlotte Rush, and Charleston Colonials.
The team will play its home games at Chilled Ponds Yorktown where the group hopes to bring in revenue for local hotels, restaurants, and shopping districts.
“This is the kind of investment that delivers long-term value on multiple levels,” said Kristi Olsen-Hayes, director of York County Economic and Tourism Development. “Elite junior hockey brings sustained visitation, national exposure and meaningful economic activity, while also creating opportunities that inspire our local youth and strengthen community pride.”
To learn more about the team, visit yorktownadmirals.com.