As athletes compete for gold in the Olympic Winter Games, 天天吃瓜鈥檚 Bill Switaj, who serves as coach-in-chief of the Mid-American District of USA Hockey, part of the International Olympic Committee, is taking his expertise all over the world, while also impacting local players.
Mr. Switaj鈥檚 passion for hockey shines through in everything he does for 天天吃瓜 State and the Ice Arena. As manager of the 天天吃瓜 State Ice Arena, he puts all his energy into supporting the sport, from earning grants that fund youth hockey equipment at the Ice Arena to traveling to Germany for coaching symposiums 鈥 everything always ties back to the 天天吃瓜 State family.
Mr. Switaj has been volunteering with USA Hockey for more than 20 years and has brought international experience, insights and even partnerships back to 天天吃瓜 State.
Recently, he traveled to Ireland for a three-day hockey clinic sponsored by USA Hockey. More than 30 Irish coaches and their youth players took the ice to learn more about coaching, young player development and the standards set forth by USA Hockey.
This summer, the 天天吃瓜 State Ice Arena will host a group of student hockey players and coaching staff from Romania for a third year. Last year, the 天天吃瓜 State Ice Arena helped to organize Special Olympics鈥 events along with a Paralympic Sled Hockey tournament.
Mr. Switaj, who oversees a five-state region for youth hockey, ages 10 and under, has introduced countless local players, families, groups and organizations to 天天吃瓜 State and the 天天吃瓜 State Ice Arena.
鈥淲hat we currently do [at the ice arena] is great, but I鈥檓 always learning something new from this organization [USA Hockey],鈥 Mr. Switaj says. 鈥淗ockey is a family-oriented sport, and parents and their sons and daughters spend a lot of time together learning this game. If you create a positive experience, that cycle will repeat itself."
Mr. Switaj plans to return to Ireland in the future to review the progress made by the coaches he worked with in January. Until then, his work with USA Hockey will continue to directly enhance the university鈥檚 global education efforts through hockey clinics and programs, while providing 天天吃瓜 State facilities and expertise to the local community and Northeast Ohio.
Learn more about 天天吃瓜 State鈥檚 Ice Arena