The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

On this episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, we’re joined by former professional hockey player and longtime captain Madison Packer. Madison reflects on growing up playing hockey in Detroit, her path to the University of Wisconsin and professional hockey, and the coaches and experiences that shaped her along the way.

She also discusses the evolution of the women’s professional game, leadership and team culture, and her transition from player to coach. Madison shares lessons from her own coaching experience, including the importance of empathy, creating an environment where players feel heard, and understanding the impact coaches can have on their athletes both on and off the ice.

On this episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, host Zack Nowak is joined by former professional player, executive and coach Anya Packer to discuss her journey through hockey and the continued growth of the women’s game.

Packer shares how playing multiple sports, finding coaches who fueled her love of hockey and embracing the work required to improve helped take her from Massachusetts youth hockey to Boston University and eventually the inaugural season of the NWHL. She also reflects on her transition from player to executive leadership and the growth she has witnessed throughout professional women’s hockey.

The conversation also explores what comes next for girls’ and women’s hockey, including accessibility, representation, inclusion and the importance of creating environments where young athletes feel welcomed, challenged and supported. Packer shares practical thoughts for coaches and youth hockey organizations on developing athletes, growing girls’ hockey and creating experiences that inspire players to remain connected to the game long after their playing careers end.

Former NHL goaltender Rick DiPietro joins host Zack Nowak on the USA Hockey Podcast to reflect on his journey from youth hockey to the NHL and share what he has learned about developing goaltenders and young athletes.

DiPietro discusses the value of playing multiple sports, the importance of athleticism and puck handling for goaltenders, and how coaches can create better practice environments that develop goalies alongside the rest of the team. He also shares his perspective on how the goaltending position has evolved, his experiences with the U.S. National Team Development Program and representing Team USA, and the lessons he has carried into coaching youth hockey today.

The conversation closes with DiPietro’s advice for coaches working with goaltenders: if you do not know, ask, find resources, involve your goalie and make their development an intentional part of practice.

In the final episode from Mental Health Awareness Month, the USA Hockey Podcast welcomes special host Abby Woodford back again for a thoughtful conversation with Dr. Kristen Dieffenbach of West Virginia University and the United States Center for Coaching Excellence. Together, they explore what it means to build a mentally healthy hockey culture, starting with respect, proactive education, open communication, and intentional leadership. Dr. Dieffenbach shares practical ways coaches, captains, and teammates can support one another before challenges become crises, while also helping athletes navigate difficult moments, team transitions, and the balance between competitive toughness and compassion. This episode encourages the hockey community to view mental health as part of everyday athlete development, not something addressed only when problems arise.

In this Mental Health Awareness Month episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, host Zack Nowak and co-host Abby Woodford are joined by Dr. Erica Force, a lead psychological services provider with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Dr. Force shares practical insight on athlete mental health, mental performance training, handling pressure, staying present, building self-awareness, sleep and recovery, and why asking for help should be seen as a strength. The conversation also explores how coaches, parents, and teammates can help create a sport culture where athletes feel supported both on and off the ice.

Dr. Sue Schimmel and Maureen Breeze join the USA Hockey Podcast, with Abby Woodford serving as special guest co-host, to discuss how parents can support athletes through pressure, burnout, failure and growth. The conversation explores practical ways parents can listen, ask better questions, model resilience, communicate with coaches and help athletes build ownership over their sport experience.

Purchase their book, Playing the Long Game: A Handbook for Parenting Elite and College Athletes, here: https://a.co/d/0aaarBrq

On this episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, host Zack Nowak is joined by Darren Elliott, former NHL goaltender, broadcaster, and VP of Hockey Programming and Facility Operations for the Vegas Golden Knights. Elliott shares how street hockey, multi-sport participation, skating out as a young goalie, and playing with older kids shaped his development and long-term view of youth sports. The conversation explores how the game has changed since his playing days, especially the evolution of goaltending, the increased importance of skating, and the way today’s players must learn to play with their heads up, make decisions, and create space in small areas.

Elliott also discusses the value of age-appropriate environments, cross-ice hockey, small-area games, and allowing young players to discover solutions through play. From there, he offers insight into building hockey in nontraditional markets, including the growth of youth programming in Las Vegas, the importance of clear pathways from learn-to-skate to house league, and why programs should avoid rushing players before they are ready. The episode closes with practical advice for coaches, including the importance of fun, trust, intentional practice design, and understanding the skill inside each drill.

In this episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, host Zack Nowak sits down with Bill Kangas, head coach at NCAA Division III Williams College and one of the longest tenured coaches in college hockey.

Coach Kangas reflects on more than four decades behind the bench and shares the lessons that shaped his approach to coaching and player development. The conversation explores the value of multi-sport participation, why individual sports can build accountability, and how coaches can create environments where players learn to think and react rather than simply follow systems.

Kangas also discusses how coaching has evolved over time, the importance of building trust and relationships with players, and why reflection and communication are critical tools for team culture. He explains how his program uses weekly player reflections to support athlete well-being, development, and honest dialogue.

For coaches at every level, this conversation offers practical insight into teaching the game, developing people, and creating an environment where athletes can thrive both on and off the ice.

Former NHL defenseman Alex Biega joins the USA Hockey Podcast to share his journey through youth hockey, multi-sport participation, college hockey at Harvard, and the perseverance required to earn, and sustain, a career in the NHL. In this episode, Alex reflects on the importance of patience in player development, how finding a role can shape long-term success, and why preparation, both mental and physical, matters at every level of the game. Now a youth hockey coach and father, Alex also discusses what hockey teaches beyond the rink and how the sport can help develop confident, resilient people for life after the game. This conversation offers valuable insight for players, parents, and coaches navigating the long-term development pathway.

Key Topics Covered

• Youth sport experiences and the value of multi-sport participation
• Choosing development pathways: junior hockey vs. college hockey
• Transitioning from NCAA hockey to the AHL and NHL
• Finding a role and redefining success at the professional level
• Deliberate practice and tracking what matters
• Mental preparation, mindfulness, and performance under pressure
• Coaching youth hockey and teaching life skills through sport
• Why patience and love for the game matter in long-term development

In this episode of the USA Hockey Podcast, former NHL player Ryan Suter shares his journey from youth hockey in Madison, Wisconsin, to playing in the NHL and representing the USA on the international stage. He discusses the importance of foundational skills, the impact of experiences at Culver Military Academy, and the transition to the National Team Development Program. Suter emphasizes the significance of head-up play, safety on the ice, and the role of other sports in developing hockey skills. As a parent now involved in youth hockey, he reflects on the changes in the sport and the dedication required to reach elite levels.