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Joe Bonnett Joins USA Hockey as ADM Regional Manager

By USA Hockey, 09/02/14, 9:30AM MDT

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Joe Bonnett (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has joined USA Hockey's staff of American Development Model regional managers. In that role, he will provide nationwide support for USA Hockey's age-appropriate skill development efforts, bringing with him more than 20 years of hockey coaching experience, including 18 seasons at the NCAA Division I level.

"Joe has a tremendous amount of experience, knowledge and passion for player development, and he'll be a major asset to our staff and to youth hockey associations throughout the country," said Kevin McLaughlin, senior director of hockey development for USA Hockey.

A Canton, Michigan, native, Bonnett most recently served 14 seasons (2000-2014) as an assistant men's ice hockey coach at Colorado College. While at CC, Bonnett helped guide the Tigers to three Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships, seven NCAA tournament appearances and one trip to the NCAA Frozen Four. He also helped produce 16 NCAA All-America selections and two Hobey Baker Memorial Award recipients.

"Player development has always been a passion for me, going back to my first experiences as a coach, and I'm excited for the opportunity to have a positive impact on American hockey as a whole with USA Hockey," said Bonnett. "I'm not only a firm believer in age-appropriate skill-development from a philosophical standpoint, I've seen the benefits of it as kids make their way into the higher levels of hockey."

Prior to his time at CC, Bonnett spent four seasons with the hockey staff at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he served as an assistant coach after a one-season stint in hockey operations. While at Miami, he worked primarily with the team's defensemen and goaltenders, while also leading the RedHawks' video analysis and recruiting efforts.

Before entering the college coaching ranks, Bonnett was a peewee and midget hockey coach in Kalamazoo, Michigan. At the same time, he served as a middle school teacher and girls volleyball coach in Galesburg, Michigan. He also spent one season as a junior hockey associate head coach in the North American Hockey League, helping guide the Kalamazoo K-Wings to a national tournament appearance.

As a player, Bonnett was a four-year letterwinner at Western Michigan University, where he played forward and served as an alternate captain in his senior season. He graduated from Western Michigan with a bachelor's degree in secondary education, majoring in earth science. He later earned a master's degree in sport studies from Miami University.

No stranger to USA Hockey, Bonnett has volunteered often to serve American players. Most recently, in 2013, he was part of the coaching staff for USA Hockey's Select 14 regional camps. In prior years, he served in similar capacities with the Select 15, Select 16 and Select 17 camps.

In 2003, Bonnett was an assistant coach with USA Hockey's Under-17 Select Team which finished in first place at the Five Nations Tournament in Prievidza, Slovakia.


Joe Bonnett

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