Bison Announce Additions To Hockey Operations Department

Bloomington, Ill. - Bloomington Bison Head Coach Phillip Barski announced four new additions to the hockey operations staff today. Parsa Monsef has been named video coach, Dylan  Martin will serve as assistant equipment manager and Bob Buckland and Chad Letterle have been named strength & conditioning coaches.

Monsef has a longstanding history of developing young hockey players and has had success behind the bench in both youth and collegiate organizations. The Toronto, Ontario, native joins the Bison after serving as Hockey Director for the AAA Windy City Storm, which has developed youth hockey players into professionals for parts of four decades. Monsef’s focuses have included individual video sessions to improve player development and has helped many athletes reach the U.S. National Team Development Program and NCAA Division-I levels.

Prior to the 2024-25 season, Monsef had coached teams at the 15U, 16U, Tier II junior, NCAA Division-III and ACHA Divion-II levels. During his time with the latter (St. Cloud State), he earned WCCHA Coach of the Year honors and led them to a Northwest Division title. He also brings junior hockey success in his repertoire, having captured NAHL and NA3HL regular season titles with the Lone Star Brahmas in 2019-20. He played at Hamline University from 2013 to 2017, and earned a master’s degree  in Sports Psychology at St. Cloud State University with specialization in coaching and management.

Martin, originally from Evansville, Wisconsin, attended and played hockey for Robert Morris University Ilinois (now part of Roosevelt University) and earned a master’s degree in Sports Administration and bachelor’s degree in Professional Studies.

His professional career has included stops at the University of New Mexico, Roosevelt University, Midwest Blackbirds and Southern Oregon Spartans and his experience includes coaching, management and team ownership.

Buckland brings over 20 years of experience training athletes for various sports, including hockey, and most recently served as the head strength & conditioning coach for the Indy Fuel from 2015-2018 and 2021-2024. Currently, he is the president of High Octane Sports Academy and head strength and conditioning coach for the Fishers Freight indoor football team, Jr. Fuel Hockey and Indiana Elite Hockey.

At High Octane Sports Academy, Buckland also specializes in improving mental, visual, functional and physical aspects of athletes at all levels. The all-encompassing method of performance enhancement will be implemented into Bison players’ experience.

Letterle is the lead strength coach at The Pit Strength and Conditioning and strength coach and assistant defensive-line coach for the Normal Community Ironmen. After a 22-year career in Fire Service, he received his certification and held gym ownership and coaching roles in Peoria before moving to Bloomington.

The new talent will join Head Coach Phillip Barski, Assistant Coach Jesse Messier, Recruitment Manager Dan Larmer, Head Athletic Trainer Matt Borucki and Head Equipment Manager Josh Pentico to round out the 2025-26 Hockey Operations staff.