By Abby Farrell
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced that Steffany Hanlen has been awarded the 2025 Doc Counsilman Science and Technology Award for her contributions to athlete development while prioritizing support for their emotional, physical, social and mental well-being through the use of sports science.
Hanlen, the 2024 U.S. Figure Skating Sport Science Coach of the Year, was responsible for creating The Champion’s Journey – From Purpose to Podium, a program that is designed to utilize research, psychology and technology to create custom processes that help athletes use the lessons learned from on-ice training to develop lifelong skills and integrate them into their life outside of the rink, such as co- and self-regulation, critical thinking and decision making. This approach blends elements of visualization, journaling, neuro-linguistic programming and performance psychology through the use of various technological platforms to support coaches in both on-ice and off-ice training.
As the co-founder of the Ice Academy of Montreal, Hanlen facilitated the I.AM Holistic Isolation Bootcamp in 2020, which provided skaters emotional support for their overall well-being so they could train and stay connected with each other during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
I am deeply honored to receive the Doc Counsilman Award.” Hanlen said. “The true reward of coaching is elevating athletes to become who they’re meant to be using every available technology — on and off the ice, as competitors and as people. This recognition from the USOPC affirms the often invisible but essential work of mindset, emotional resilience and mental performance that empower everyday excellence."
Hanlen is best known for working in collaboration with Patrice Lauzon, who has coached several well-known Team USA ice dance teams, including Olympic medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue.
This award is presented through the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Coach of the Year Recognition Program, and it aims to recognize a coach who utilizes scientific techniques and equipment as an integral part of their coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sport science.
Hanlen is the second consecutive and fourth total U.S. Figure Skating coach to be honored with this award.
To learn more about the USOPC Coach of the Year Recognition Program, visit https://www.usopc.org/coaches-awards.
