Coaching Staff
Head Coach – Todd Hassett
Coach Hassett is a native of Montgomery County, Maryland. He grew up playing hockey in Silver Spring, Maryland. After attending the University of Maryland, he began his youth hockey coaching career as an assistant coach for several Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA) travel teams in several age groups: U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-18. For the past five years, Coach Hassett has been a coach for one of the MYHA AA level youth travel teams. Coach Todd as he prefers to be called took over as the co-head coach for the Upper Montgomery Lightning High School hockey program during the abbreviated 2020-2021 COVID pandemic impacted season. He is a level 4 USA Hockey certified hockey coach with over 12-years of youth hockey coaching experience. As the founder of Premier Hockey, Coach Todd runs off-season hockey boot camps that focus on off-ice conditioning for youth hockey student athletes coupled with on-ice skills development. Coach Todd’s philosophy is building individual skills development and improving team play as core concepts that he teaches the Upper Montgomery student athletes. Coach Todd wants the student athletes to have fun, enjoy playing the great game of hockey, and to experience the excitement of high school hockey! Coach Hassett lives in Germantown, Maryland with his wife and two sons.
Associate Head Coach – John “Scott” Cameron
Coach Cameron is a native of western Pennsylvania. He began playing ice hockey as a young child culminating in his participation with the college hockey program at Mercyhurst College. He is a level 4 USA Hockey certified hockey coach with over 12-years of youth hockey coaching experience for several Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA) and Tri-City Hockey Association teams in age groups U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-18. He has coached all levels of youth hockey from house league to AA level travel teams, and in international tournament competitions. Coach Scott as he prefers to be called took over as the co-head coach for the Upper Montgomery Lightning High School hockey program during the abbreviated 2020-2021 COVID pandemic impacted season. Coach Scott’s philosophy is helping young student athletes become better people and contributors to society. He provides a positive, constructive environment for student athletes to learn the game of ice hockey as well as valuable life lessons such as cooperation, teamwork, and mutual respect for the game and for opponents. Coach Scott lives in Clarksburg, Maryland with his wife and two sons. Upon his relocation to Montgomery County in 1997, he began his career as a Montgomery County Police Officer. The entire Upper Montgomery hockey program thanks him for his dedication and service.
Assistant Coach – Mark Cassel
Coach Cassel is a native of Nebraska having moved to Montgomery County, Maryland in 1993. He grew up playing baseball and wrestling as a teenager finding his passion for hockey later in life once his son began playing hockey. Coach Cassel has volunteered his time with the Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA) as a team manager, assistant coach, and house league commissioner. He is a level 3 USA Hockey certified hockey coach. Coach Cassel’s philosophy is to have fun, play hard, and respect the game. He is a retired Army Officer and continues to work for the Department of the Army as a civilian. Coach Cassel lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland with his wife and son. When not on the ice coaching or playing, Coach Cassel enjoys golfing, fishing, and hiking with his family.
Assistant Coach – Matt Honacki
Coach Honacki is a native of western Pennsylvania. He grew up playing golf continuing to play on the golf team at Clarion University. Coach Honacki has been an assistant coach on several Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA) travel teams over the past 8-years. This year, in addition to his assistant coaching duties with the Upper Montgomery Lightning, he is also the head coach for one of MYHA’s U-14 travel teams. He is a level 4 USA Hockey certified hockey coach. Coach Honacki’s philosophy is to enjoy the game, for the team to be competitive, and for the team to grow to its fullest potential over the season. He lives in Damascus, Maryland with his two sons.
Hockey Operations
Director of Hockey Operations – Chuck Levine
Chuck was born in Madison, Wisconsin, although he considers himself native to Montgomery County, Maryland as his family moved to the area when he was a young child. Chuck is entering his second season working with the coaching staff and the student athletes and their families as the team’s administrator. Chuck is involved with many of the off-ice administrative activities that are involved with running a high school ice hockey program. A self-described hockey fanatic, Chuck enjoys working with youth hockey teams and contributing to the team’s success. When not at a hockey rink he enjoys reading, exercising, and community service. Chuck lives in Clarksburg, Maryland with his wife and two sons.