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As I pondered what I would write about in my first installment on the Huron web page, I came to the conclusion that I should begin with a focus on the end; the results that all coaches should seek and always remain mindful of. Frankly, though winning is very important, there are other things that are far more important, particularly for youth coaches. For this reason, I chose to write about one of the great hockey men of our generation, Mr. Bob O’Connor of Minnesota. “What it’s all about” are Mr. O’Connor’s words, ones he uses to title and theme a presentation he often delivers at USA Hockey Coaching Education Clinics.

Those of us who coach hockey and get paid to do it are some of the luckiest people on Earth. To be able to remain involved in a kid’s game for a long period of time and earn a living from coaching hockey is truly a blessing. But the true heroes of hockey are those who donate their time, their energy, their passion for the game, and their hockey knowledge to the youth hockey players of the United States. It is these men and women who selflessly devote themselves to young people and to the great game of hockey who deserve recognition and our thanks.

Bob O’Connor is a native of Providence, RI, a graduate of Lasalle Academy, a former United States Marine, and a graduate of Providence College, a school with a rich hockey tradition. After marrying his sweetheart Alice, they soon relocated to the Twin Cities and started a family. Bob and Alice raised two fine sons, Michael and Paul. Michael went on to play hockey very successfully and graduated from the University of Vermont. The O’Connor family is still producing players; there are now two grandsons and a granddaughter who are enjoying hockey.

OC, the nickname that is commonly used to address Bob by his friends, brought his rich hockey knowledge to youth hockey and high school hockey in the city of Edina, MN. He began coaching in the youth program there and ultimately became the Junior Varsity Coach at Edina High School, working with the legendary Willard Ikola. Coach Ikola gave Bob the responsibility of developing athletes, preparing them to one day become regular and effective players for Edina’s Varsity squad.

During this same time period, OC became involved in what later became the Coaching Achievement Program in Minnesota at the time of its birth. He rose to become Coach in Chief for Minnesota (later the Minnesota District of USA Hockey) and ultimately became the National Coach in Chief for USA Hockey. Today, he still remains active in USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program and continues to serve USA Hockey as a Director Emeritus on USA Hockey’s Board of Directors. He has written and edited several of USA Hockey’s coaching manuals and was also one of the authors and a driving force in the initial wave of coaching education video’s produced by USA Hockey. Through the years he collected a massive library on coaching and hockey including video and print media that he recently donated to USA Hockey.

OC’s resume also includes coaching several national teams including the 1984 US Olympic team. He served as the video coach on several Olympic staffs for both the Men and Women’s National and Olympic teams. He coached several youth national teams including the National Junior Team and numerous Select 16 teams through the years. Most recently he has served as the assistant coach for the US National Men’s Sled Hockey Team (for handicapped players with non-functional legs) and is presently the head coach of the US National U-20 Sled Hockey Team.

When OC began his coaching career with Edina youth hockey, he had his first chance to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life. In 1969 he was running outdoor practices for his bantam team and noticed a tall red headed boy who came to watch on successive days. Finally OC went over to the youngster and asked him why he was there. He said, “I just moved here and I want to play hockey.” OC asked, “Do you have skates?” The youngster responded that he did not and OC told him that was the first task. He had a roster spot available and added the young man to his team. Later, that young man would attend Providence College, in part through OC’s relationship with his former teammate Lou Lamoriello, become one of that team’s Captains, graduate with honors, attend and earn a law degree from Harvard, play professional hockey, and become an NHL general manager. That man is Brian Burke, and that’s what it’s all about!

Perhaps the most difficult thing a coach ever has to do is to cut players. How a coach handles this unpleasant situation speaks volumes about the character and compassion of that coach. OC shared a letter written by a parent of a youngster he was forced to cut from his JV squad in November of 1987. This parent wrote: “Thanks for taking the time to talk to Jay after the cuts Wednesday night. That was an especially nice thing you did and although it may seem like a small thing at the time, that encouragement you gave him made all the difference in the world regarding how he felt about himself. I just wanted to let you know how important that gesture was to me as well as Jay. He came away from what could have been a negative experience with a very positive attitude and the determination to grow and improve for next year.” That’s what it’s all about!

Former NHL, University of Wisconsin, and Edina High School player David Maley also pointed to OC as having a profound influence on him as a player and later as a coach. David wrote: “On a more personal note, I wanted to tell you how much of an influence you had on my life Bob. There was never a person that I met in my career that had more passion for the game than you. That passion had an effect on me that will last my lifetime. I remember the positive ways you taught me. I remember the things you said to me that you saw in me as a player and what you thought I could be as a player. You made me believe in me. You also helped me understand the hard work and dedication that was needed to reach the type of player you thought I could be. You made my dreams seem that much closer and attainable. That is what I now try to pass on to the kids that are playing here. Thank you for your patience and your lessons. You put me in my place when you knew I stepped out of line and you had the ability to turn any bad situation into something positive. Like it said in the locker room when I played in Montreal, “From these failing hands we pass the torch to you to carry and hold on high,” I am taking that torch from you as a coach to pass on to these kids here at Rollin’ Ice.” That’s what it’s all about!

There are countless other stories chronicling OC’s commitment to the game and more importantly to people. If I included all of these gems, this piece would not be an article; it would be a book. His contribution to the game has been enormous and it continues unabated. But, it is his humanity that is most compelling. Hockey has merely been the vehicle used by a man simply trying to help others succeed and have fun doing it. In the dedication of one of OC’s own publications he wrote, “I dedicate this collection of eclectic hockey materials to my sister Geraldine, who bought me my first pair of skates when I was 10 years old. She gave me a love for my lifetime.” Geraldine built a bridge for her brother that turned into a life’s work and Bob repaid her kindness by building countless bridges for thousands of players and coaches.

Coaching youth hockey as a volunteer, serving in the Coaching Education Program as a volunteer, and coaching junior varsity hockey for minimal pay certainly didn’t make OC a wealthy man. The wealth he acquired is measured in the friendships he created and the satisfaction of knowing how many people he successfully mentored on both the playing and coaching sides of the hockey equation. Clearly, OC has taught us all how to keep priorities in order, how to stay mindful of what’s really important and, be aware of what we want the end result to be. For all of us who coach, we must keep our feet on the ground and remember why we coach; remember, “What it’s all about!”

Red Gendron
Assistant Hockey Coach
University of Massachusetts
Huron Program Director