Five Things to Know about Coach Lichterman

Coach Chris Lichterman isn’t just building hockey players—he’s building confident, resilient young athletes who thrive both on and off the ice.

Coach Chris Lichterman isn’t just building hockey players—he’s building confident, resilient young athletes who thrive both on and off the ice. With a lifelong passion for the game and a deep dedication to youth development, Lichterman is taking the lead for girls hockey at the Northwest Chargers. Whether he’s behind the bench, on the whistle, or cheering from the stands for his own kids, Coach Lichterman’s influence runs deep. Here are five things to know about the man behind the new face of Chargers girls hockey.

1. He’s a Lifelong Hockey Guy—Player, Ref, Coach, and Dad
Chris Lichterman’s hockey journey started in Mount Prospect, IL. He played youth hockey for the Skokie Flyers and Glenview Stars before heading to Miami of Ohio University, where he laced up at the collegiate club level. He’s been officiating hockey since he was 11 and has now logged nearly 30 years with a whistle in hand. His coaching roots run just as deep—he began with learn-to-skate programs and high school hockey while still in college. Over the years, his stops have included Champaign-Urbana, St. Louis, and now back to Illinois where he’s coached mites, squirts, pee-wees, and midgets.

And his love for the game runs in the family. All three of his children, aged between 4 and 11, are hockey players, including his daughter, who will play for the Northwest Chargers girls program.

2. He’s the First Girls Hockey Director for the Northwest Chargers
This year marks a major milestone for the Northwest Chargers as the program launches their first-ever all-girls hockey program. Coach Lichterman stepped in to lead the effort as the Girls Hockey Director, coaching both the 10U and 12U teams, while also assisting with the 2016 birth year youth (co-ed) team.

After years of having to send female players to other organizations due to limited ice time, the Chargers can now offer a dedicated home for girls in hockey at both the Nicholas Sportsplex and the new Rosemont Ice Arena - also home to the Chicago Wolves practice facility and several other youth hockey teams, the new two-sheet arena is currently being built by Nicholas & Associates and will be managed by Spectate Group, both of which are entities within the Nicholas Family of Companies. “Our desire has always been there,” he said. “Now, with both rinks, we have the ability to keep the girls engaged as they move out of youth (co-ed) teams—and that’s huge.” For Lichterman, it’s more than building teams; it’s about creating a space where female athletes can feel empowered, supported, and confident.

3. He Believes the Right Environment Builds Great Players—and Great People
Ask Lichterman about wins and losses, and he’ll quickly redirect to something more important: the process. “Everyone will develop skills at a different rate,” he emphasized. “What matters is that they’re excited to come to the rink, that they get along with teammates, that they focus on effort and attitude.”

His coaching style is grounded in emotional intelligence and long-term development. He believes confidence can’t be taught directly—it must be nurtured. “So much of coaching happens off the ice—in the locker room, around the rink, during warm-ups,” he clarified. “It’s all about the environment we create.”

4. Officiating Made Him a Better Coach
Before Chris was a coach, he was a referee—and he credits that experience for shaping his view of the game. “I always told myself I made a better ref than a player,” he laughed. “And I promised myself I’d be an even better coach as a result.”

Officiating gave him a unique perspective on hockey’s flow and rules, as well as the emotional dynamics between players, coaches, and officials. While his coaching responsibilities have increased over time, he still carries the lessons of officiating with him—especially the importance of clear communication and composure under pressure.

5. He’s Just Getting Started—And the Future Is Bright
With the opening of the state-of-the-art Rosemont Ice Arena, Lichterman sees an opportunity to take girls hockey to the next level. “The new arena is going to rival professional practice facilities,” he smiled. More importantly, it’s designed to foster a thriving environment for female athletes.

His vision is to mirror the success and structure of existing Chargers programs—without losing sight of the heart of youth and girls hockey. “It’s about keeping the focus on the pure love of the game,” he said. “And creating experiences that boost confidence, build self-esteem, and support the kind of person each player wants to become.”

Oh, and if you think he slows down off the ice—think again. He’s completed the Chicago Marathon twice and has run more than a dozen half-marathons.

Coach Chris Lichterman is a hockey lifer. But more than that, he’s a builder of people—on the ice, at home, and everywhere in between.