Author: Rick Woelfel

Rick has worked in print and broadcast journalism for more than 35 years. He's covered golf in one medium or another for more than 30. He is the co-author of the book So You Want to Play Golf with PGA professional Kim Verrecchio and the host of the Women's Golf Report podcast. Most recently, Rick served as an associate editor for The Mulligan Magazine. He also served as an associate editor for Philadelphia Golf Magazine and New Jersey State Golf from 2004-07. Rick covered his first LPGA Tour event in 1986 and continues to cover women's golf for various media outlets. High on his bucket list is having the opportunity to one day play in an LPGA Tour pro am. Rick is also a longtime correspondent for two suburban Philadelphia daily newspapers, the Intelligencer and the Bucks County Courier Times in Doylestown, PA. Over the course of his career he has coverzed a wide variety of sporting events. He is also a veteran play by play and public address announcer, and handles the PA mic for the nationally ranked Delaware Valley University football program. Rick is also a longtime contributor to Referee, a magazine devoted to sports officiating. He called his first baseball game at age 13 and continues to umpire softball and baseball today.

Bud Wilkins Obituary

Edmond “Bud” James Wilkins Jr, aged 73, passed away on August 27, 2024, at St. Mary’s Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family. Bud was a cherished resident of Langhorne, PA, where he was known for his dedication to community service and his unwavering commitment to his family and friends.

Born in Camden, NJ, Bud was the beloved son of Edmond Wilkins Sr. and E. Ora Wilkins (nee Hagan). He graduated from Egan High School in 1969, where he remained actively involved, including serving on the reunion committee. Bud continued his education at the University of Hawaii, which set the foundation for his long and fulfilling career.

Bud spent over 50 years working as a manager at Big Marty’s Carpet, a role in which he earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues. Following his retirement, he took on the role of a Crossing Guard for the Neshaminy School District, demonstrating his continued commitment to his community. Bud also proudly served in the United States Navy as a Cryptologist for four years, earning the National Defense Service Medal and a Navy Commendation Medal.

Bud’s passion for hockey and youth development was evident in his 35 years of service with Neshaminy Ice Hockey, where he was a dedicated Club President and a long-time commissioner for USA Hockey. He also served as an elected board member and secretary for the Suburban High School Hockey League. His volunteer work extended to the Special Olympics, local orphanages, and numerous other charitable organizations. Bud was a 3rd degree Knights of Columbus member and supported causes such as the Gift of Life and Project Children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edmond and E. Ora Wilkins, and his sister Margaret Johnson (nee Wilkins). Bud is survived by his devoted wife Kathy Wilkins (nee Hogan), his son Mark Wilkins (Sarah), and his daughter Erika Evans (Kenneth Jr). He was a loving grandfather to Kenny III and Ella Evans, and Jack and Madison Wilkins. Bud is also survived by his siblings: MaryOra Hedgepath (John), Fran Wilkins, Nancy Frey, Joe Wilkins (Holly), numerous nieces and nephews, and his grand niece Liberty Frey. His extended family includes Dolores Butynskyi, Diana Snyder (late Jim), John Hogan (Marjie), and their families.

A visitation will be held on Monday, September 9, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, 2200 Trenton Road, Levittown, PA 19056. A memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM, officiated by Father Nasta from Our Lady of Grace Church. Bud will be laid to rest with full military honors at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, 830 Highland Road, Newtown, PA 18940, at 1:00 PM.

Bud’s legacy of service, kindness, and dedication will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him. He leaves behind a lasting impact on his community and a legacy of love for his family.

Philadelphia Area Hockey Community Remember Bud Wilkins

The Neshaminy Ice Hockey Club issued this statement today folowing the death of longtime club president Bud Wilkins, who passed away on Wednesday.

It is with a very heavy heart that I announce our long-term standing Neshaminy Ice Hockey club President, Bud Wilkins, has passed away yesterday. Bud has been in the Hockey community for over 35 years volunteering and dedicating his time for many hockey organizations. He was the Vice President of Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey league and elected current board member acting as Secretary for the Suburban High School Hockey League (SHSHL).

Bud was one of the nicest, most genuine, and humble guy known by many in our community and hockey family. He dedicated a lot of his time and energy for our club and enjoyed watching many play the game of hockey, the sport he loved. Bud was also a crossing guard within the Neshaminy School district keeping our kids safe to and from school.

Please send good intentions to his wife Kathy and the entire Wilkins family at this most difficult time. Bud may you rest in forever peace and much gratitude for all you’ve done in the community for our children and the game of hockey, but especially for our Neshaminy Ice Hockey Club. You will truly be missed by many.

Greg McDonald Foundation to Host Golf Event

The Ridge at Back Brook in Ringoes, NJ will host the inaugural Greg McDonald Foundation Golf Classic on September 12, 2024.  Sponsoring the event are:

  • Gold: Hampton Consulting Corp.
  • Silver: Princeton Brain & Spine; Stoltzfus Structures; Structural Services
  • Bronze: Courtyard Marriott; Firstrust Bank; Cargas

Greg was a Philadelphia Eagles Executive for nearly 24 years.  He was a loving husband and father of two young children.  Sadly, he passed away from Appendiceal Cancer in October of 2023.  He is sorely missed at home, at work, and on the ice – as he was a dedicated youth hockey coach for 20 years in the Philadelphia area. 

The Greg McDonald Foundation (GMF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization with a mission to empower the hockey community by providing opportunities to those with the greatest need through scholarships, equipment donations, and community service. 

“We will have two large scale events each year: The GMF Golf Classic; and a Pond Hockey Tournament.  The funds raised at these events will continue to support our mission.  Greg’s journey, woven with threads of leadership, passion for ice hockey, and boundless love for his family, continues to inspire us and we are committed to keeping Greg’s legacy alive”, explains Patti, Greg’s widow.  “We are thrilled to be able to give back to a community that provided Greg with so many opportunities in his life.  Paying it forward was very important to him, and we will continue to honor that.”

The golf registration is now full for the GMF Golf Classic.  Limited seating is still available for the post-golf banquet – which runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  The banquet will include live music, great food and drinks, celebrity guests, and a silent auction.  If you would like to be placed on the waiting list for golf, or if you would like to purchase a seat at the banquet, please email: patti@gregmcdonaldfoundation.org For more information about Greg and the foundation, please visit: www.gregmcdonaldfoundation.org

Jim Britt Steps down a APAC Commissioner

After guiding the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference through the first six years of its existence, Jim Britt is stepping away from his commissioner’s post. The conference issued a statement Monday afternoon.

Jim Britt has notified the Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference (APAC) schools that he is stepping back from his role as Commissioner.  Jim will assist during the transition and will remain affiliated with the conference in the future as an advisor.  APAC schools are grateful for the leadership that Jim has provided the conference since its inception in 2018.  Jim’s understanding of the conference schools, his belief in scholastic hockey and all the great things that the game of hockey teaches, made him the right man to help build APAC.

At the APAC May meeting, conference schools appointed Steve Mackell as their new Commissioner.  Steve is a longtime coach in the Atlantic District at the youth level and as a former head coach at Malvern Prep.  For many years, Steve has also been heavily involved with the Atlantic District Player Development Program Staff.  He is a proven leader who knows the conference schools, the value they place on providing a well-rounded education, and their commitment to the sport of ice hockey.  APAC school administrators and coaches are excited to work with Steve in the years ahead.

Looking Back 50 Years

It’s been 50 years. To those of us of a certain age, it doesn’t seem possible.

On Sunday, May 19, 1974 the Flyers scored a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins at the Spectrum to win their Stanley Cup Finals series four games to two.

Those not among the 17,007 packed into the building watched on NBC-TV or listened on radio,
The following day, an estimated two million fans out for a parade, one of the largest gatherings of humankind in Philadelphia’s history.

The occasion was the defining moment in Philadelphia’s hockey history and proved to be the jumping off point for the growth of the sport in the region.

What hockey has become in this part of the planet in the years since, from preteens through the high-school and club levels, to adult levels, is due in part to what that Flyers team accomplished.

The Flyers’ roster that season included future Hockey Hall of Famers Bill Barber, Bobby Clarke, and Bernie Parent plus a Hall of Fame coach Fred Shero and a Hall of Fame general manger in Keith Allen (Bill Clement, who was also on the roster, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a broadcaster).

Clarke led the team in scoring with 35 goals during the regular season and 52 assists for 87 points. He added five goals and 11 assist in the playoffs. Rick MacLeish, who scored the only goal in the Cup-clinching game provided 32 regular-season goals plus 45 assists for 77 points in the regular season, plus 13 postseason goals and nine assists.

Barber added 34 goals and 35 assists for 69 points in the regular season plus three goals and six assists in the playoffs.

Parent played in 73 regular-season games and compiled a league-best 1.89 goals-against average. In 17 postseason games he put together a GAA of 1.84 with two shutouts. Parent shared the Vezina Trophy that year and won the Conn Smythe Award as the most valuable player in the playoffs.

And the Flyers’ moniker, The Broad Street Bullies was not undeserved. They accumulated 1,740 minutes in penalties during the 78-game regular season. Dave Shultz accounted for 348 of those minutes, which led the league in that category, but he also scored 20 goals that year.

Andre ‘Moose’ Dupont, who assisted on the Cup-winning goal, was fourth in the league with 216 minutes.

But it should be remembered that the Flyers were underdogs going into the finals. They were still considered an expansion team, in just their seventh year of existence and while they finished first in the West Division that year, that division, with one exception, included teams that like the Flyers, had come into existence in 1967-68 or later (there were 14 teams in the NHL that year.

The Bruins led the East Division which included five of the Original Six teams and were considered heavy favorites. Their roster included the like of Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr.

The Bruins enjoyed home-ice advantage but when Clarke scored an overtime goal in the Boston Garden to win Game Two and square the series, it changed the complexion of event. The Flyers took Games Three and Four at the Spectrum, then dropped Game Five in Boston before returning home for what turned out to win the final game.

Ever since then, the members of that Flyers team and the 1975 team that won a second consecutive Stanley Cup, have been celebrated heroes. Some settled in the Philadelphia area and raised families.

Today’s generation of hockey players and fans owes them a debt of gratitude.

So, where did 50 years go?

APAC Names All-Conference Squad

The Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference as announced it 2023-24 All-Conference team. The honoree were selected by the five conference coaches.

First Team

F Dean Carvalho    Sr.    La Salle

F Jeremy Jacobs    Sr.     Malvern Prep

F Justin LaPlante    Sr.     Hun School

D Brady Doyle        Sr.     Malvern Prep

D Thomas Doucet  Sr.     La Salle

G Jake Rossi            Jr.      La Salle

Second Team

F Brayden Collins Sr.      St. Joseph’s Prep

F Patrick Brace     Sr.       La Salle

F Jake McCaw      Sr.       Holy Ghost Prep

D Mike Holt          Sr.        Holy Ghost Prep

D John Lynch       Sr.        Joseph’s Prep

G  Matt Crawford  Jr.      Malvern Prep

Honorable Mention

Forwards: James Carpenter (La Salle), A.J. Prete (HGP), Ryan Levesque (Hun), Aidan Kelly (Malvern), Tristan Winata (SJP), Jake Schultz (SJP), Caiden Canale (Malvern)

Defense: Will Gregorio (La Salle), Ryan Lippy (HGP), Calum Hartnell (SJP), Andrew Darst (Hun), Cole Scarbinsky (Malvern)

Goaltenders: Jack Unger (HGP), Jacob Aranda (SJP), Julien Arseneault (Hun)

Philadelphia Blind Hockey Founder McGuire Nominated for NHL’s O’Ree Award

Kelsey McGuire, the founder and executive director of Philadelphia Blind Hockey, has been named as one of three American finalists for the National Hockey League’s Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award Presented by Discover.

The general public my cast votes for the nominee of their choice through May 19. The public’s vote will be combined with votes by NHL executives and O’Ree himself before the winner is announced in June.

Individuals can vote once in each 24-hour period through this link.

https://www.nhl.com/community/willie-oree/willie-oree-community-hero-award

The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award honors the NHL’s first Back player. O’Ree played in his first NHL game for the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958 despite being blind in his right eye. His 21-year professional career included 45 NHL appearances, all with the Bruins. The bulk of his career was spent in the Western Hockey League.

For more than 25 years, O’Ree has served as the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, promoting the importance of inclusion and diversity in the sport.

Neumann University Partners With Ed Snider Foundation for On-Campus Rink

 Neumann University and the Ed Snider Foundation are joining forces for the construction of a hockey rink on the Neumann campus. The Ed Snider has pledged $15 million toward the construction of the building; the university will match that sum.

Once construction begins, the projected to take 12-15 months, perhaps a bit longer depending on weather issues.

Neumann University President Dr. Chris Everett Domes credits the Snider Foundation for making the project possible. The university and the foundation formed a partnership in January of 2020

“Thanks to their partnership and a $15 million commitment,” Domes said, “we’re able to launch this fundraising campaign to help us see this building through.

“This project will not only enliven student life hear on our campus, it also provides an avenue for academic programs as we continue to expand here at Neumann. Certainly, our sports business and sports management students, our physical therapy and athletic training students, will have first-hand access to a great facility.

But also, most importantly, this project helps us reach out to the broader community to [impart] our mission and our values at Neumann University through the interaction with the Snider kids. Young people that this organization looks to life up and support every single day.”

Scott Tharp is the President and CEO of Ed Snider Youth Hockey. To date, 23 Ed Snider Hockey participants have enrolled at Neumann. Two of that 23 have graduated and five more will enroll this fall. All have received financial assistance from the Foundation.

“When this opportunity to build a rink came up, it was a no brainer for us,” Tharp said.

The rink will be named in Ed Snider’s honor.

Neumann University to Highlight Partnership With Ed Snider Foundation

Neumann University will highlight its ongoing partnership with the Ed Snider Foundation during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

The meeting will detail information about the future of the Neumann University hockey program and the SNIDER/NU Partnership Challenge.

Those interested in joining the event can register HERE

PA Hockey Hall of Fame Moving Closer to Reality

The Pa Hockey Foundation has begun the process of honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and teams for over 50 years in Pennsylvania.  The Nomination Form is now available for the Top 10 for your school or Top 15 Players and Coaches and should be submitted to Jeff Mauro at jeffmauro@aol.com .

The goal is to have an induction of the Inaugural Class in March 2025 for Eastern and Western Pennsylvania. To be considered for the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Selection Committees, please submit your selections to PAHF.  

General Assembly of Member Schools 

Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Schools will be part of the General Assembly to help honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and Teams for over 50 years for the Pennsylvania High School Hockey Hall of Fame. Our Vision is as Individuals and Teams are inducted, we welcome our school organizations, families, teammates and the hockey community to join us in celebrating the achievements at an Annual Banquet in honoring Players, Coaches, Officials and Teams from Eastern and Western Pennsylvania. 

The General Assembly will have one or more individuals from Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Schools in charge of Celebrations of Historical Records and Accomplishment of each organization to displayed on the Pa Hockey Website at www.pahockey.net and League Websites.