JEFFERSON TWP — The Knoch hockey program lacks numbers.

So coaches Ryan Haynes and Scott Grumski decided to do something about it.

This duo, with the support of the Knoch Hockey Association, is working with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League in developing a PIHL developmental league to increase player interest.

“There are 58 school hockey programs in the PIHL and we've got 29 putting together teams for next year,” Haynes said. “The way we're putting together the Knoch Lil Knights is the blueprint we're supplying if other programs want to follow suit.”

Pine-Richland and Freeport are other local programs who are putting together developmental PIHL teams.

Knoch's varsity finished 3-16 this season and 12 of its 14 players were seniors. The Knights did not have a junior varsity squad this season and the freshman team is in the PIHL finals against Canon McMillan at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Ice Mine Arena in Connellsville.

Knoch will have a junior varsity and freshman team next season, but no varsity. Haynes coaches the freshmen, Grumski the JV, with each serving as the other's assistant.

“Interest is growing fast in hockey, but it's an expensive sport and a lot of parents can't make that monetary investment not knowing if their kid is going to stick with it,” Haynes said.

Through recycling of used equipment, the Knoch Hockey Association is prepared to fully equip a youngster who wants to try hockey for that first year. Parents would only have to pay for ice time.

“A ‘Skate Knight' is being held this weekend to introduce interested youths to ice hockey and approximately 35 kids are expected.

“That's how many have signed up for the developmental program so far. We could get more,” Haynes said.

“We had 111 kids show up at a registration table we set up, but we knew we'd lose a number of them to commitment or financial issues.”

Haynes sent 1,800 fliers out to every school — public or private — in the South Butler School District to inform students of the program.

The PIHL developmental program set up a Facebook page and 2,500 families logged on in less than two weeks.

“The interest is there,” Haynes said.

Knoch's freshman team consists of players in grades 6-9, with the more skilled ninth-graders playing junior varsity.

“We'll have enough numbers to field a freshman and JV team next year with this year's freshmen moving up, a couple of holdovers from the varsity team and a solid group of talented players at the fifth-grade level,” Grumski said.

Grumski has two sons — Brandon and Stephen — in the Knoch hockey program.

“The success of the Penguins has more and more kids wanting to try it,” he said of ice hockey. “Inline players and dek hockey kids want to try the ice. We're trying to give them a financial means to do that.”

The PIHL developmental program is scheduled to begin sometime in June. It will have three separate sessions — 8-to-10 games per session — around the calendar.

“Kids won't be pushed into a competitive system right away,” Haynes said. “That can happen sometimes in amateur hockey programs and kids can get discouraged quickly.

“Young players have a mixed array of skills and they'll be worked with. For each game played, there will be two practices. That's the ratio we want to have.”