Sports in Allentown, Pennsylvania facts for kids
While most of the Allentown, Pennsylvania area supports professional sports teams in New York City or Philadelphia, Allentown itself is home to a Triple-A-level baseball team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms affiliated with the American Hockey League, and other professional sports teams.
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Gymnastics
Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center, which has been the training ground for numerous Olympians and U.S. national gymnastics champions, is based in Allentown. In 2003, CNN aired a documentary on Parkettes, Achieving the Perfect 10, which depicted it as a hugely demanding and competitive training program.
Hockey
On February 12, 2009, the owners of the Philadelphia Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced their interest in moving the team to Allentown. At the time, it was decided that the team would play their home games at a proposed arena to be built on either the Lehigh River front or adjacent to Coca-Cola Park. The team, currently named the Adirondack Phantoms, plays their home games at the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, New York.
In March 2011, it was announced that an 8,500-seat arena was to be built in Allentown for the Phantoms. Plans include retail, restaurants, a convention center, and a hotel. The arena is being constructed in Downtown Allentown on West Hamilton Street. The Phantoms could play their first game in Allentown as soon as 2013.
Soccer
Allentown is also home to the Pennsylvania Stoners, a professional soccer team. From 1979-1983, the Stoners were members of the American Soccer League. The team had a five-year league record of 76-49-25, and won the league championship in 1980. Due to increasing competition from other soccer leagues, and decreasing attendance, the team folded in 1983. The team was resurrected in 2007 as the Pennsylvania Stoners, and competes in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The team played its home games at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown until 2009, when the team changed venue to Zephyr Sports Complex in Whitehall. The Easton-based Northampton Laurels FC, of the Women's Premier Soccer League, plays their home games at Allentown's at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
Images for kids
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Allentown, Pennsylvania, the largest city in the Lehigh Valley, third largest city in Pennsylvania, and county seat of Lehigh County, May 2010
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PPL Center in Allentown is the home arena of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League, the primary development team of the Philadelphia Flyers
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J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown is the second largest high school stadium in the state of Pennsylvania and home field for three large Allentown-based Eastern Pennsylvania Conference high school football teams, Allen High School, Central Catholic, and Dieruff High School
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J. Milo Sewards Gymnasium at Allen High School in Allentown, February 2021
