• Dave Witting - 2008

Dave Witting was born in Hancock, Mich., and played youth hockey with the Copper Country Youth Hockey Association. He played for the Lauren Juvenile Team in 1964-65, that won the national championship, and scored seven goals and two assists in one game. Witting attended the Detroit Red Wings junior camp and was invited to play in Western Canada. He was offered a scholarship to play at Michigan Tech University, but went on to play for the University of Wisconsin-Superior, a team he captained as a senior. Following his collegiate career, Witting played semi-pro hockey with the Copper Country Chiefs of the United States Hockey League, and than played adult hockey with the CLK Wolves, the Eagle River Falcons and the Fond du Lac Bears.

Subsequent to a very successful playing career, Witting would go on to great achievements in coaching and mentoring hockey players. After short stays as a teacher and coach in Fond du Lac and Alaska, Witting would settle in Beloit and begin the first of two stints as a teacher and the coach for the Beloit Memorial High School boys hockey team. During the break in his coaching career at Beloit Memorial, he took on the head coaching job for the UW-Whitewater Club Hockey Team.

Hockey was more than a winter activity for Witting as he involved himself in hockey activities year around. He served many years as a board member for Beloit Youth Hockey, and coached youth hockey in Beloit and Superior. Witting has served USA Hockey and the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association in numerous positions including WAHA Player Development Director and Coaching Director, USA Hockey Central District Associate Coaching Director, WAHA Head Coach and Director for boys and girls elite camps, USA Central District Select 15 and 16 Coach, USA Hockey Girls 18 and 19 Assistant Camp Director, and Head Coach of the USA Hockey Select 15 team in the Czech Republic. Since 1986, Witting has served as the coach or general manager for the Chicago Showcase Wisconsin Boys and Girls Teams, winning two gold and one silver medal. He has worked as an instructor at numerous summer hockey camps in Eagle River, Minocqua and West Bend, and at Michigan Tech and the Chicago Blackhawks Youth Camps. Witting was one of the first coaches for the Wisconsin Selects AAA Summer Hockey Program and gave numerous kids from the across the State the chance to compete against the finest youth players in North America and Europe. He became involved early on in the growth of girls hockey and coached the Madison Capitols 19/U Team. His continuing involvement with girls hockey has helped lead the growth of girls hockey in Wisconsin and in USA Hockey Central District.

His passion and devotion for the game resulted in Witting being awarded the “Walter Yaciuk Award” from USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program at the USA Hockey Annual Congress in 2001.

Witting and his wife Beverly have two children, Kristen and Christopher.