Scott Chamness, Posthumous (Player, Archbishop Carroll and Little Flyers/Junior Flyers)
A standout player on all levels, from 1976 to 1980, Chamness captained Archbishop Carroll's high school hockey team. His 271 goals in four seasons of high school hockey remain a record. Chamness, who was nicknamed “The Shot” by then Inquirer High School Sports Editor, Don McKee, scored dozens of hat tricks during his career, while also leading the Archbishop Carroll Patriots to multiple championships in the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League.

On numerous occasions, Chamness was also named a recipient of the Philadelphia Inquirer's Athlete of the Week, and was a multi-year, multi-sport All-Area Team member and scholar-athlete in hockey, baseball, and football as selected by the Inquirer and Daily News.

In 1980, Chamness was named Athlete of the Year by The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Magazine. Scott was also the unanimous choice recipient of the first-ever Bobby Clarke Award as the Most Valuable Player in the first-ever Flyers Cup High School Hockey Championship. After graduating from St. Lawrence University, where he played college hockey, Chamness tragically lost his life in 1992 in a car accident.

"Scott was the magnet that changed the face of high school hockey in the Delaware Valley," said Andy Abramson. "His on-ice accomplishments and his off-ice charisma made him incredibly popular with the media, bringing attention to the sport when high school hockey was just starting to attract their attention."

Don McKee (Philadelphia Inquirer High School Sports Editor)
“No other member of the press did more to establish high school and amateur hockey in the Delaware Valley in the media than The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Don McKee.” commented Lindy Snider. “Don's barrier-breaking news coverage and reporting of high school hockey brought area-wide attention to amateur hockey throughout the Delaware Valley by the mass media.”

In 1976, McKee was approached by Hockey Central's founding Executive Director Sy Roseman to name Germantown Academy center Chris "Gump" Whiteside to be the first high school hockey player selected as the Inquirer's Athlete of the Week. That initial recognition of Whiteside led to regular news coverage of high school hockey in the Inquirer, and was quickly duplicated by the Daily News, Evening Bulletin, and TV news stations.

As a result of Don's groundbreaking decision to include high school hockey in the Inquirer's sports section, he established high school hockey across the Delaware Valley as a legitimate sport. His naming of Scott Chamness as Athlete of the Week in 1979 for a 13-goal performance attracted nationwide attention to Delaware Valley high school hockey from Sports Illustrated.

In 1978, McKee started the Inquirer's "Hockey Top Ten Poll," a weekly ranking of the best teams across the three leagues, and in 1979 selected and launched the Inquirer's "All-Area Hockey Team." In 1980, it was McKee who broke the story about The Flyers Cup being established and ended the season by selecting Scott Chamness as the Inquirer's Athlete of the Year.

"Ed Snider's vision was to make high school hockey a recognized sport so it would grow and flourish, and the players, like all youth hockey players, would grow up to be lifelong Flyers fans," said Abramson. "Don's weekly coverage, and in-depth reporting about high school hockey in the Inquirer and subsequently in the suburban Neighbors editions, garnered the respect for high school hockey by many all across the Delaware Valley," added Abramson. "Don’s coverage of high school hockey is why today, the Flyers Cup High School Hockey Championship is the highlight of the high school hockey season for so many players and their parents."

Bruce Craig (former Flyers-Central Coach-in-Chief)
“Bruce's skill and insight helped establish programs for the Flyers-Hockey Central that enabled so many other players to not only enjoy the sport of hockey but to become scholar athletes as well,” commented Jim Doyle. “He was largely responsible for the development of Mike Richter, who went on to play with the NY Rangers following his success with US National Teams and the University of Wisconsin after a standout career with Germantown Academy and the Little Flyers.”

Craig coached Richter and many others, first at the Wissahickon Skating Club and then with Germantown Academy, The Little Flyers, and Junior Flyers. In the mid-80s, Bruce was part of the Atlantic Affiliate's Coaching Achievement staff, working with both Steve Penman and Jim Plunkett to train and improve coaches. He also served as a Counselor at the USA Regional Midget Development Camp in Colorado Springs (1981). In 1984, he was hired to be Hockey Central's Coach-in-Chief working with Flyers players, coaches, and alumni, leading the on-ice youth hockey player clinics and directing the many learn-to-play programs the Flyers established with the City of Philadelphia's ice rinks. During his time with Germantown Academy, Craig led the team to two back-to-back Flyers Cup championships in 1982 and 1983. Previously, he played varsity hockey for the University of Pennsylvania Quakers, and later worked for the university as Controller.

"Bruce's dedication to the sport enabled many players to advance to college and have successful off-ice careers. He was a dedicated contributor to the sport, not just to the teams he coached, but to the community overall," said Doyle.

Ron Goodman, Posthumous (AAHA Vice President – Protests, Suspensions & Appeals)
Ron served the Atlantic Affiliate for many years as Vice President of Protests, Suspensions and Appeals after being active with the Hershey Youth Hockey Association. His work was exemplary in many areas of resolving disputes and issues on and off the ice. As a parent, he was active with the teams his son played on, but he was never partial and was the type of hockey parent and volunteer who was did what's needed right for the players, teams, and, most of all, the sport. Goodman's sense of fairness, calm manner, and work ethic set a high bar in how affiliate-level officers needed to conduct themselves and manage their responsibilities.

"Ron was a tireless worker and contributor to the success and growth of the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association, who always had the players' best interest first," said Glenn Hefferan. "Ron was more than the typical volunteer officer throughout his time with AAHA, as he made a difference with everything he did."