Gonzalez Serving on U.S. Under-18 Women’s Hockey National Team Staff

OXFORD, Ohio — Stephen Gonzalez, the Corrigan Family Assistant Athletics Director for Leadership and Mental Performance, is set to make his mark on hockey's national stage. Recently, he was named head of mental performance for the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team, the same team led by Dartmouth head women's hockey coach Liz Keady Norton, who was named the U18 head coach this spring (after serving as an assistant coach this past winter). This week, Norton and Gonzalez are at the University of Miami in Oxford, Ohio for development camp.

I am beyond words to describe my excitement and gratitude for this opportunity with @usahockey Proud to represent my home base @DartmouthPeak on the national stage pic.twitter.com/AMu9nuzbq6
— Dr. Stephen P. Gonzalez, CMPC (@StevePGonzalez) July 16, 2023

"I was asked by some people in USA Hockey if I was interested in supporting the U18 Women's National Team and I immediately said yes," said Gonzalez. "One of the dreams I've had for the longest time was to be a part of the Olympic movement and this is a great opportunity to start working with individuals who are the future of our Olympic program, specifically in women's hockey."

There was an application process, which Gonzalez went through, and those at USA Hockey liked what they saw.

"I am conducting activities and seminars over the course of the week, in addition to watching practices, watching games, and interacting with the coaches and other staff members to conduct staff development and answer questions," said Gonzalez.

The more than 70 women at this week's camp will be going through a variety of different evaluations, such as on-ice testing, strength and conditioning evaluations and more.

"They'll be playing games and receiving information about nutrition, mental performance, strength and conditioning and more," said Gonzalez. "The whole reason is not just to select a team, but to also make sure that we're setting up some of the top players in the country with information and skills to continue their development."

It's possible an athlete doesn't make the cut this time around, but could be back in the USA Hockey pipeline in the near future.

"Just because you don't make the U18 team doesn't mean you're never going to make the Olympic team," said Gonzalez. "Somebody might not be ready at 18 for national competition, but two years later at 20, now all of a sudden, they're more likely to make the Olympic team. USA Hockey's focus is really to make sure that we're developing people."

Learning and developing is a concept that Gonzalez is familiar with from his time at Dartmouth.

"I'm really excited to learn," he said. "Learn from those individuals around me in almost a Dartmouth Peak Performance model. There will be a nutritionist, there'll be a physician, there'll be a strength and conditioning specialist, athletic trainers and more. I'm really excited to learn how they do things process-wise."

That insight can help Gonzalez not only in the moment with USA Hockey, but also when returning to Dartmouth.

"I hope to come back with some things that might be beneficial for our DP2 team to explore," he said. "I'm there to help elevate the mental performance of the players, but it's also an incredible learning opportunity to continue my professional development and growth."

After this week's camp comes Lake Placid and the USA Hockey Women's National Festival in Lake Placid in August. The roster is expected to be down to about 30 for that event, which will see the United States square off against Canada.

The buildup is all to the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship, set for Jan. 6-14 in Switzerland.

"It's the honor of a lifetime [to be involved with USA Hockey]," said Gonzalez. "My family immigrated from Spain in the 1930s and we haven't been in the United States for long. It's incredible to think my great grandfather, my grandfather came here with nothing to work in the steel industry and here I am, a second-generation American, family lineage not even in the country for 100 years and I get the chance to support the country that they aspired to reach."

Schedules