The Black Bear National Academy is the midget hockey academy affiliate of the 2023 Clark Cup USHL Champion Youngstown Phantoms. The program, based out of Black Bear’s Philadelphia area ice arenas, will support teams at the 18U, 16U, and 15U Tier 1 AAA level in partnership with Black Bear’s National Bound AAA affiliates: the Flyers Elite, Mercer Chiefs, Philadelphia Revolution, and Palmyra Black Knights, bringing together the best of those organizations with elite national players.  The program will target the development of NCAA Division I caliber athletes led by General Manager, Chris Kanaly, as well as National Scouting Director, Dennis Scuderi. The program will embrace many innovative initiatives like the “Black Bear Top 50”, with core values centered on cognitive game analysis and advanced training. The Black Bear National Academy’s affiliated teams will play an elite schedule, compete at top Tier 1 AAA events, in partnership with Black Bear AAA teams, vie for Nationals, and offer visibility to leading junior hockey, Division I, and NHL coaches and scouts for all its players.