Elementary-age campers at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA's Temple Ambler location traded their usual summer activities for hockey sticks and ball hockey drills on Monday, when the Philadelphia Flyers' Hooked on Hockey program rolled into Whitpain Township.

Flyers alumni and the team's community relations staff led two back-to-back clinics at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. at 580 Meetinghouse Road in Ambler. The team set up inflatables, including a "shoot on goal" challenge.

Between sessions, Gritty appeared.

The Flyers' seven-foot, googly-eyed mascot greeted campers as they rotated between the morning clinics, according to the YMCA.

Bryan Ford, association sports director at the Greater Philadelphia YMCA, said in a July 20 press release announcing the partnership that the program aims to build life skills alongside hockey basics.

"Getting kids into sports early is about so much more than the game itself," Ford said. "When a child picks up a stick, they're building confidence, teamwork, and healthy habits that last a lifetime."

The Temple Ambler camp, which serves children ages 6 to 14, was the first of four YMCA locations to host the program this summer. The Flyers' remaining stops are Northeast Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 28; Spring Valley in Royersford on Tuesday, August 11; and Hillside Elementary in Mt. Laurel, N.J., on Thursday, August 13.

What campers take home

Each participating camp receives a full set of ball hockey equipment to keep for the rest of the season, according to the YMCA. Campers also receive information on how to register for the Flyers Rookie Kids Club and the Flyers Learn to Play program, plus a ticket offer for a Flyers home game during the 2026–2027 season. Registration details are available on the Flyers' community programs page at nhl.com/flyers.

No additional Hooked on Hockey visits to the Temple Ambler location are scheduled. The camp keeps the full set of ball hockey equipment for the rest of the summer.