Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
As the world prepares for the 2026 Winter Milano Cortina Olympics, join Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and Pat Kelleher, the Executive Director of USA Hockey, for a behind-the-scenes look at the process, timing and experiences as Team USA is formed.
To moderate their conversation, Sarah and Pat will be joined by Rachel Axon, Olympics & Women’s Sports reporter for the Sports Business Journal.
Sarah Hirshland – CEO, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
Sarah leads Team USA’s overall Olympic and Paralympic strategy. With a strong focus on athlete wellness, data-driven medal forecasting, and global diplomacy, she oversees collaboration across 60 National Governing Bodies and manages Team USA’s preparations for global competition.
Pat Kelleher – Executive Director, USA Hockey
Pat oversees all facets of American ice hockey, from youth development to Olympic performance. Under his leadership, USA Hockey has invested deeply in the NTDP, built a dominant sled program, and now eyes an unprecedented triple-gold sweep in Milan 2026.
0:00 Introduction
1:12 Team USA’s Gold Medal Year in Review
4:28 USA Hockey’s Grassroots to Gold Strategy
9:30 What USOPC Really Does Behind the Scenes
13:45 Olympic Movement Reboot Post-COVID
17:50 Can Team USA Dominate Milan 2026?
22:12 NHL Players Return – What It Means
27:00 Building a Winning Women’s Hockey Program
32:05 The Russia Question – Bans, Doping, & Impact
36:30 Logistics Nightmare: Milan vs Salt Lake 2034
41:45 Team USA’s Medal Projections Explained
46:02 Stars to Watch: Shiffrin, Malinin, Stoles & More
51:30 The Kachuk Brothers & USA’s Swagger
54:00 Paralympics’ Rising Power & Athlete Pipeline
59:40 Long-Term Olympic Sustainability & the IOC
#TeamUSA #WinterOlympics2026 #USAHockey #HilaryKnight #OlympicHockey
As the world prepares for the 2026 Winter Milano Cortina Olympics, join Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and Pat Kelleher, the Executive Director of USA Hockey, for a behind-the-scenes look at the process, timing and experiences as Team USA is formed.
To moderate their conversation, Sarah and Pat will be joined by Rachel Axon, Olympics & Women’s Sports reporter for the Sports Business Journal.
Sarah Hirshland – CEO, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
Sarah leads Team USA’s overall Olympic and Paralympic strategy. With a strong focus on athlete wellness, data-driven medal forecasting, and global diplomacy, she oversees collaboration across 60 National Governing Bodies and manages Team USA’s preparations for global competition.
Pat Kelleher – Executive Director, USA Hockey
Pat oversees all facets of American ice hockey, from youth development to Olympic performance. Under his leadership, USA Hockey has invested deeply in the NTDP, built a dominant sled program, and now eyes an unprecedented triple-gold sweep in Milan 2026.
0:00 Introduction
1:12 Team USA’s Gold Medal Year in Review
4:28 USA Hockey’s Grassroots to Gold Strategy
9:30 What USOPC Really Does Behind the Scenes
13:45 Olympic Movement Reboot Post-COVID
17:50 Can Team USA Dominate Milan 2026?
22:12 NHL Players Return – What It Means
27:00 Building a Winning Women’s Hockey Program
32:05 The Russia Question – Bans, Doping, & Impact
36:30 Logistics Nightmare: Milan vs Salt Lake 2034
41:45 Team USA’s Medal Projections Explained
46:02 Stars to Watch: Shiffrin, Malinin, Stoles & More
51:30 The Kachuk Brothers & USA’s Swagger
54:00 Paralympics’ Rising Power & Athlete Pipeline
59:40 Long-Term Olympic Sustainability & the IOC
#TeamUSA #WinterOlympics2026 #USAHockey #HilaryKnight #OlympicHockey
