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Bob O’Connor Award

By AAHA, 08/27/21, 7:45PM EDT

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BETHLEHEM, PA [August 12, 2021] – USA Hockey and its Atlantic District awarded David Moss the 2021 Bob O’Connor Award for Excellence in Coaching Education. The award is given each year to a member of the volunteer coaching staff of USA  Hockey’s coaching education program. The announcement was made in June at the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association’s Awards Ceremony.

The award, given annually, recognizes a member of the district’s staff for their years of service and contributions to excellence in coaching education. The award is named for long-time volunteer Bob “OC” O’Connor, who passed in 2015 and had been the USA Hockey National Coach in Chief, an assistant coach for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, and the 1991 and 1992 U.S. National Junior Teams that competed in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships. The USA Hockey coaches learning resources center and national library, containing thousands of references and research theses, is named for O’Connor.

David Moss, of Northampton, PA, made significant contributions to the Coaching Program’s ability to transform what is typically a series of in-person clinics to highly effective virtual certification events. David brought his technical expertise to the program where these skills allowed the District to host 36 individual clinics which were conducted via Zoom over 78 nights throughout the season. David has been engaged in coaching youth and scholastic hockey in the Greater Lehigh Valley where he is also a certified USA Hockey Official.

Moss is appointed Coach Developer for the Atlantic District and brings years of coaching and officiating insight to our audiences. Under a program sponsored by the U.S. Center for Coaching Excellence, Moss has been instrumental in training coaches as a Coach Developer while also providing behind the scenes support for the highly interactive Zoom meetings. Moss was an indispensable member of the Coaching Education Program as USA Hockey launched an entirely virtual certification process due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Mike Lichtenberger, USA Hockey’s Coach in Chief, says this about Moss: “David is a fantastic technician but more importantly a wealth of knowledge and is known locally as a go-to subject matter expert. David embraces a growth mindset as we develop 1,800 coaches each season. It is a pleasure to work alongside such a professional as Dave.”

David Moss joins prior Bob O’Connor Award for Excellence recipients: Jim Britt, Dave Baun, Ryan Carter, John Hyland, and Gump Whiteside.