PIHL mourns loss of Mucha
Amateur hockey lost one of its biggest supporters when John Mucha of Mt. Lebanon passed away.
On Jan. 5, the son of the late Joseph C. and Bette Mucha died of an apparent heart attack while in New York with his wife of 33 years and daughter. He was 63.
Mucha served as the commissioner of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League. He oversaw 57 hockey clubs, created a girls high school hockey league and helped the sport negotiate its way through a worldwide pandemic.
“John will really be missed,” said Justin Glock. “He made every team and every coach feel important to the PIHL. He was very level headed, listened and valued everyone’s opinion.”
Glock played scholastically at Bethel Park, where he led the Black Hawks to three three Penguin Cups and three Pennsylvania state titles. As a coach, he most recently guided Baldwin to a PIHL title and state crown in 2021.
As a coach, Glock became better acquainted with Mucha. During the 2019-2020 season, they were in constant communication because of the COVID-19 restrictions and how they applied to the league.
“John did a fantastic job of communication and being fair to all teams,” Glock said.
Baldwin, like other teams, had games canceled and rescheduled that winter. In fact, the Highlanders were to play Latrobe in the Penguins Cup on the day the playoffs were suspended.
“John did everything he was allowed to do in order to allow us to finish out the season. He was great in orchestrating all that he had to do in what was a super difficult time,” Glock said. “He kept hope alive but ultimately he had to cancel the playoffs because of the state-mandated COVID restrictions.
Limitations continued the following season but the Highlanders prevailed to win the PIHL and state championships, thanks to Mucha. Both finals were played at the UPMC Lemieux Complex in Cranberry.
“John was at every one of our playoff games and I had many conversations with him as he always took the time to get to know all of the coaches and show a level of interest in each team.” Glock said. “John did another great job overseeing another difficult season. He got the PIHL through to completion.”
According to Mt. Lebanon ice hockey coach Jeremy Church, Mucha was youth hockey’s supreme champion. He was also devoted to Mt. Lebanon and his relatives.
“John’s consistent support of youth hockey in Western Pennsylvania was sparked by a deep passion and enthusiasm for the sport,” Church said. “He also loved being an active part of his community. Most importantly, John was extremely dedicated to his family.”
Though he gained employment in the banking industry after his graduation from Duquesne University in 1982, Mucha stepped away from his career to stay at home to care for his children.
Mucha and his wife, Anne, have two children, Sarah and Joseph. Mucha coached all their sports teams from baseball, softball and basketball. He worked behind the scenes with his children’s youth hockey programs as well. Once they graduated, he continued his endeavors, even becoming the PIHL commissioner in 2019.
Church grieves for the family.
“I want to extend my heartfelt and sincere condolences to them on their loss.,” he said.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Bernard Church (St. Michael the Archangel Parish) on Jan. 14.
Memorials can be made in Mucha’s name to Meals on Wheels of Southwestern Pennsylvania or Mighty Penguins Sled Hockey