The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

The USA Hockey Podcast brings powerful and engaging interviews from ice hockey and youth sports and development to your ears. Follow along as we provide informative interviews that will benefit players, coaches, and parents.

The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation is a sports podcast hosted by USA Hockey, with 60 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

USA Hockey hosts The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation, a sports show with 60 episodes published.

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  The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

  #60 Rick DiPietro: Developing the Complete Goaltender

  Aug 13, 202647 min

  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.

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  The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

  #59 Building a Mentally Healthy Hockey Culture with Dr. Kristen Dieffenbach

  Jun 12, 202645 min

  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.

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  The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

  #58 Building a Healthier Mental Game with Dr. Erica Force

  May 28, 202648 minS0

  <p>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.</p>

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  The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

  #57 Parenting the Athlete with Dr. Sue Schimmel and Maureen Breeze

  May 12, 20261h 11mS0

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

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  The USA Hockey Podcast: A Youth Sports Conversation

  #56 Growing the Game, One Player at a Time with Darren Elliott

  May 5, 202647 minS0

  <p>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 cr...

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