Northwood School is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Morris as the head coach of its top hockey squad, which this year will be playing in the newly created Prep Hockey Conference (PHC) that will showcase six of North America's top school-based programs.
During his fourteen-year tenure at Clarkson University, Morris won 306 games while losing 156 and tying 42 and was twice ECAC coach of the year. He returned to Northwood in 2004, leading the team to Northwood's first 40-win season ever. In 2006, he was appointed head coach of the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL. There he posted a record of 339-223-67. After his time at Northwood from 2004-2006, he also coached with the Florida Panthers, Charlotte Checkers, and Saint Lawrence University.
"However impressive is his breadth of experience and W/L record, it more significant at our age level that Mark is truly one of the game's best teachers," stated Head of School, Mike Maher. "Watching on any day one of his purposeful and upbeat practices, hockey aficionados will appreciate his ability to communicate the intricacies of individual skills and team strategies. At every level he has coached, the players stay on the same page and compete with intensity, character, and sportsmanship."
The post-Northwood accomplishments of its past hockey coaches speak to both the high quality of the school's program and the abilities of the coaches themselves. Jim Fullerton and Charlie Holt are both in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame after legendary careers at Brown and University of New Hampshire, respectively. Other Northwood coaches who made an impact as head coaches at the college level include Brian Mason (RIT and Dartmouth), Bruce Delventhal (RIT and Union), and Glenn Thomaris (Elmira and Potsdam). Both Bill O'Neill and Tom Fleming won the AHCA's John Mariucci Award for lifetime achievement in coaching at the prep/high school level. Kevin Constantine served as head coach of three NHL squads: San Jose, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey. Our most recent coach, Chadd Cassidy has been named Head Coach and GM for the Omaha Lancers, a Tier 1 junior hockey team in the USHL.
"As a former student-athlete and coach at Northwood School, I am very fortunate to have first-hand experience with the school's unwavering commitment to both personal growth and the creation of cohesive teams," states Morris. "Northwood's focus on integrity and a commitment to excellence are among the many reasons the school holds a special place in my heart, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as a hockey coach and mentor to further grow its rich tradition."