Findlay High School Assistant Hockey Coach Cliff Browne will be receiving the 2023 OHSAA Ethics and Integrity Award.
Cliff will receive the award at the first intermission of the State Hockey Championship game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Sunday, March 12th.
The OHSAA Ethics and Integrity Award is presented annually to an Ohioan who has displayed outstanding traits of ethical behavior and integrity in the performance of duties and responsibilities and is a role model for others.
The award is the highest honor the OHSAA Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Committee may bestow.
Cliff tells WFIN News that he was very surprised to learn that he would be receiving the award, especially after seeing who some of the other recipients have been over the years.
“Then I thought, over the last 50-plus years of coaching baseball and hockey and hopefully making a difference in many young boys’ and girls’ lives, I began to feel very, very proud and appreciative that there was such an award like this to honor people who have done this over their livelihoods.”
Cliff joins a prestigious list of previous winners that includes Archie Griffin, Katie Smith and Jerry Snodgrass.
Since 1979, Cliff has been involved in coaching all levels of youth and high school hockey, and in initiating Findlay Amateur Hockey Association (FAHA) Annual Golf Outing to raise funds to reduce ice fees and fund player cost scholarships.
After retiring from Marathon in 2005, Cliff devoted even more time as an assistant coach for Findlay High School.
Last October, the Findlay High School Hockey program was presented with the “Excellence in Community Service Award for the Northwest Region” given by the Ohio School Boards Association for their continued dedication to the community.