Experience in Sweden Serves as Stepping Stone for Keady Norton

Late last week, Dartmouth head women's ice hockey coach Liz Keady Norton was named head coach for USA Hockey's Under-18 Women's National Team.

It's a role Keady Norton will be ready to attack with confidence after serving as an assistant coach this past winter in Sweden for the 2023 IIHF Women's U18 World Championship where she helped the Red, White and Blue to its 15th-straight medal.

"It was a sold-out arena, it was loud and it was women's hockey at the U-18 level," said Keady Norton. "That was awesome. It shows so much growth in the game. To coach in that atmosphere, for those players to play in that atmosphere, you can't recreate it.

"It's literally the best players in the world in one arena."

Keady Norton has had significant involvement in the USA Hockey system as a player and now coach. In 2005-06, she trained with the U.S. National Team, appearing in 16 games during the team's pre-Olympic tour. She also played for the Under-22 team.

"They didn't have a U-18 team when I played," said Keady Norton. "I played for the U-22 team and then I played for the national team, but as a coach. This winter was my first time coaching for any national team."
Liz Keady Norton Action US Under-18 Team Hockey

Liz Keady Norton Action US Under-18 Team Hockey

Keady Norton had been coaching at USA Hockey's summer camps, which are both developmental and evaluation based, leading to her invitation to join the coaching staff.

"You're working with the kids and evaluating them, but the people running USA Hockey are also evaluating you as a coach, as a leader and how you help them," she said.

Keady Norton clearly made her mark, much like she has done at Dartmouth. No matter the setting, Keady Norton doesn't change who she is, understanding that the demands with the Under-18 team are different than with the Big Green.

"It's a short timeline [with U-18] where you need the kids to perform quickly, so there's only so much you can change," said Keady Norton. "You have to pick what you want to focus on, whether that's your systems or the type of play, and emphasize that in a short pre-camp before you're in Sweden playing against another country. There's a lot of management in terms of keeping the kids confident, keeping them comfortable and helping them be at their best."

With USA Hockey, Keady Norton is coaching the best players from their respective teams, people who are used to being on their teams' top lines or top defensive pairs.

"Now, with Team USA, some have completely different roles," she said. "Up front, you have your powerplay kids and your top six kids, but you also have your third and fourth lines, which is so critical; those kids are your grinders and they play a different role. Some of them have never been asked to do that and it's about managing that message.

"The communication is different for everyone if you're going to get the most out of them and help them and the team be successful."

That communication had to be done in a very short amount of time.

"You have a three-game series in the summer and a selection camp before that, so you're with them for 10 days in the summer," said Keady Norton. "We keep evaluating through the fall and select the team right around November."
Liz Keady Norton women's hockey action versus Brown

Liz Keady Norton women's hockey action versus Brown

Prior to the U-18 games, the coaches met half the team in Minnesota for a day, and then the other half in Rochester, New York.

"We worked with them, on and off the ice, in small groups," said Keady Norton. "And then we met with them right after Christmas. We flew to Sweden and had a five-day pre-camp before you're into international play."

A word to describe Keady Norton as a coach is authentic, no matter the setting or group of people she's working with.

"You're getting me wherever I am; the only difference with USA Hockey is you have to speed up the process," she said. "I have these kids at Dartmouth for four years and I might get to know some quicker than others. But over there, they're wearing that USA jersey pretty quickly, so you need to figure out how to connect with them almost immediately."

Connecting with people is one of Keady Norton's biggest priorities, and strengths, as a coach.

"One of my biggest focuses has been people over players and connecting with the players to be able to figure what motivates them and what helps bring their best self every day," she said. "My goal is to empower the next generation of young women. Hockey has given me so much, but I look at our room here at Dartmouth and we have so many high-achieving young women that some of them may lack the confidence they've earned.

"If I can impact that even one percent, that's a really big deal," Keady Norton continued. "In terms of the hockey stuff, I'm very process-based. I like to have a plan."

For Keady Norton, progress is the standard.

"That could be in a bunch of different ways, whether it's on-ice or in our locker room culture," she said. "I like to have a really detailed and disciplined approach so at the end, regardless of the result, you can learn from it."

After all, learning and growing is what college athletics — and athletics in general — is all about.

Speaking of learning and growing, Keady Norton's involvement with the Under-18 team gave the rest of her Dartmouth staff (Max Gavin, Nina Rodgers and Tina Kampa) an opportunity to take on added responsibilities while she was away.

"It was really nice to be able to make the decision to serve on the U-18 staff knowing that I had a really qualified, really invested support system and they would be able to lead with no problem," said Keady Norton. "They have the student-athletes' respect. For that to be as seamless as possible makes it an easier decision to accept the role and be excited about it. That's a win-win.
Liz Keady Norton 2022-23

"It also gave them a valuable experience in their development."

While Keady Norton's staff was holding things down in a strong way in Hanover, Keady Norton was representing Dartmouth College at the international level, which is also extremely valuable.

"I always think associating the Dartmouth brand to the highest level of anything is great," she said. "I'm grateful to be a part of it. From our entire country, I got to be one of four coaches on that staff, which is awesome. That association helps for sure, and you're surrounded by a bunch of other brilliant coaches.

"You get an inside look at how other excellent coaches go about their business," Keady Norton continued. "The hope is that it makes me better and I can bring different ideas and perspectives back to Dartmouth.

"It's helpful on so many levels."