Gov. Mifflin grad and Alvernia defender Ammit Bhogal finds success with Reading United AC
Jun. 10—As a Gov. Mifflin graduate and rising senior on the Alvernia men's soccer team, Ammit Bhogal is no stranger to playing soccer in Berks County.
So when the opportunity presented itself to play for Reading United once again this summer, Bhogal couldn't pass it up.
"I'm happy to be back and representing Reading (and) being in my own hometown in front of my family, in front of my friends," Bhogal said. "I took that (opportunity) with open arms and I'm happy to be back."
Bhogal was also welcomed back to United by coach Casey Moore, who also serves as Alvernia's men's soccer coach. After playing under Moore with the Golden Wolves for several years, this is Bhogal's first season with Reading in which Moore is at the helm.
"We have good confidence in him and a lot of trust in him," Moore said. "Really happy to have him."
In his second season with United and third overall season in USL 2, Bhogal is a veteran of the league, which features top amateur talent from around the country. Positioned below Tier Three on the American soccer pyramid, the 113-team league is primarily made up of college players who will be eligible for the MLS draft in the coming years.
"Playing against these guys week-in and week-out, it's just improved my game every single week," Bhogal said. "Playing against older guys, more experienced guys, it teaches you a lot on and off the field."
Prior to this season, Bhogal last played for United in 2018, when they advanced to the league final under former head coach Alan McCann. Bhogal was on Reading's reserve team in 2020, but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bhogal played in nine games for division rival West Chester United SC in 2021, helping guide them to a division title. A defender, Bhogal helped anchor West Chester's defense that allowed just six goals, the fewest in the Mid Atlantic Division.
In college, Bhogal played in 18 games with Alvernia as a freshman in 2019, registering one goal and one assist. After the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhogal started in all 20 of the Golden Wolves' games as a junior in 2021.
"Every aspect of his game has improved," Moore said. "His maturity as a person and as a leader has really taken great strides."
Heading into his senior season at Alvernia, Bhogal said he hopes his experience this summer with United will help prepare him for the upcoming fall season.
"It's going to take me into the next level," Bhogal said. "I'm going to take everything I'm learning and transition that into when I go (back) to college."
But before returns for his senior season of college soccer, Bhogal hopes to guide Reading to a division title. With eight games remaining in the regular season, including Saturday's game at Philadelphia Lone Star at 7 p.m., Reading sits in third place in the Mid Atlantic Division with a 2-1-3 record and nine points.
"We have a great team," Bhogal said. "We just have to take it one game at a time."
