USA Hockey Magazine

ILLUSTRATION BY Darren Gygi R I N K RAT 16 // AUGUST 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM THE HOCKEY MOM By Christie Casciano Burns Lifelong Learners Stay One Step Ahead Of The Game MIKE LICHTENBERGER Age 63 Bethlehem, Pa. Mike Lichtenberger has always made it a practice to put community first, whether that means the Lehigh Valley arts district or the hockey community at the local, state and national level. Lichtenberger has been the coach in chief for the Atlantic District since 2009. In that role, he takes pride in overseeing coaching clinics in the dis- trict, helping pass along the word of USA Hockey to coaches with various levels of experience. During the 2020-21 sea- son that was impacted by Covid-19, Lichtenberger and an army of dedicated volunteers exceeded the goals put forth by USA Hockey when it came to conducting virtual coach- ing clinics. "We answered the bell and came out swinging," Lichtenberger said. For leading the charge, Lichtenberger was named the volunteer of the year during the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association awards ceremony. He is quick to deflect any praise to the dedicated coaches and volunteers who made things happen. "It's not about me, it's about all the people who did the hard work," he said. "I'm really proud of the team and the work we've done to keep things going." VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH BEH I N D T HE G L A SS Yo u wo u l d n ' t t h i n k s o m e o n e w h o h a s b e e n involved with USA Hockey for 27 years would be taking notes at a recent coaching conference in Detroit. But anyone who knows Joe Eppolito would not be surprised. From skill development to safety and inclusion efforts, there are constant changes being made to improve the game on and off the ice, and Eppolito doesn't want to skip a beat. The former teacher takes pride in being a lifelong learner. His continued dedication to the betterment of the sport and the coaching profession has positively influ- enced coaches across the country. For his role with USA Hockey 's Coaching Education Program to his many contributions with the New York State Amateur Hockey Association, Eppolito was recognized with the 2021 Walter Yaciuk Award during this year's Annual Congress. "Our game is changing," Eppolito says. "It's not the way it used to be. So, if we don't continue to be lifelong learners, we won't become better as coaches." That applies to when rules of the game change, like the new icing and offsides rules this year. "I look forward to the changes and think about how I'm going to change my coaching habits and styles," he says. I wish I could say that about all my children's coaches. There were a few screamers and a couple of hot heads who insist on continuing to coach the way THEY were coached. Or they watched the Herb Brooks "AGAIN" scene in Miracle and thought that would be the way to bring a group of 8-year-olds together. They may have been wonderful tacticians but failed to connect with the kids in meaningful ways. They had no desire to embrace change. Their "my way or the highway" approach sent some kids scrambling for the exit ramp, opting to play for another organization, or perhaps another sport. T h a t 's n ot t h e p a t h c o a c h i n g n e w c o m e r Ja s o n Donahue wants to take. He became a coach rather unexpectedly during a season hit by Covid-19. The pan- demic forced a separation of parents and players, and that had the Haverford Hawks hockey dad worried, with his boys so new to hockey. He volunteered to serve as an assistant coach so he could be in the same building with his boys. To his surprise, they made him head coach. A quick study, he calls his first year of coaching, "amazing." He also rec- ognizes his important role as a mentor. " M y j o b a s a [ 8 & U n d e r ] c o a c h i s n 't t o groom the best players on the ice. It's to help t h e m a l l g r o w t h e i r self-confidence in the sport, make sure they have fun and stay safe," Donahue says. Coaching is teaching, mentoring and adapting to changing times. It's not about the final scoreboard or how many champion- ship photos we find ourselves in. "It's my job to spark the player's interests and keep the fire burning," Donahue says. But he also acknowledges that we all play the important role of fanning the flames. While coaches may have a more easily identified con- nection with their teams, parents can impact a season just as much. It's up to all of us to take a page out of Joe Eppolito's playbook by learning, adapting and listening to figure out what's in the best for our kids. P "If we don't continue to be lifelong learners, we won't become better as coaches."

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