BEIJING — Of all her teammates on the U.S. women’s hockey team, Lee Stecklein may have the most “professional” LinkedIn profile.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management – she won three national championships as a defender for the Gophers (2013, 2015, 2016) – Stecklein, 27, decided after winning gold four years ago that she would step away and examine the commitment required to be part of the national program.
Determined to enter the business world, Stecklein became connected to Clif Bar through Chelsea Rosenthal, a fellow Minnesota alum and U.S. women’s hockey Olympian. In May 2018, she began as a digital content specialist at Clif Bar. Stecklein worked on the company’s Target account as a contractor and devised ways to display the brand online. Eventually, she added other retailers to her responsibilities.
Stecklein bought into the company’s “Five Aspirations,” which emphasizes employee wellness while creating a sustainable and healthy food system in the communities Clif Bar reaches.
“Once I was there, I was impressed,” Stecklein told USA TODAY Sports by phone prior to the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. “They’re about something more than selling granola bars.
“The culture was incredible.”
While the U.S. won the Four Nations Cup that November, the Roseville, Minnesota native was promoted to sales coordinator in a full-time role, working on a team that ranged from five to six employees.
At Clif Bar, Stecklein says she used skills from her hockey days, noting “how important those skills are in another team-like environment.”
“Because we had people coming in and out,” Stecklein said. When a member of the team left and was replaced, it was similar to a coach switching up the lines.
U.S. head coach Joel Johnson, who coached Stecklein as an assistant at Minnesota and was an assistant for the national squad at the time, called her toward the end of 2018 and asked if she’d consider rejoining the team; the national team was examining its player pool for upcoming tournaments.
“She said ‘I’m doing this and I’m loving it.’ And I said ‘Well why not one more kick of the can with hockey?’ ” Johnson said. “And then she like ‘I don’t think so.’ ”
He told Stecklein to think about it. The pondering led her back to the team by the 2019 world championships that March. Now she’s playing in her third Olympics.
“I’m just excited,” said Johnson, who said she was the team’s best defender at the 2021 world championships. “I just had the chance to chat with her (recently) and it reminded me of what a special person she is. Great leader for our team, a timely leader on and off the ice.
NEWSLETTER:We’ll share news and a behind-the-scenes look at the Beijing Olympics
TEXT WITH US: Get behind-the-scenes access to the Beijing Olympics over text
“She just wants to help us win. She’s willing to do whatever it takes. She can play in any situation.”
At six feet, she’s listed as the tallest player on the U.S. team. Stecklein typically leads the team in ice time, although fellow defenders Cayla Barnes, Megan Keller and Savannah Harmon played more against Finland in a 5-2 U.S. victory to open the team’s play in Beijing.
Brad Frost, who coached Stecklein at Minnesota, called her the “ultimate team player” and “super steady.”
“You notice her doing things right all the time,” he said. I remember at practice, nobody beat Lee Stecklein 1-on-1. She’s just that solid. Haven’t seen her get beat at the national level, either.”
Clif Bar was instrumental in allowing Stecklein to juggle training responsibilities, beginning in September 2018 when she began playing for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Professional Women’s Hockey Team.
“They were awesome sort of working with the off time I needed: camps and tournaments and any training,” Stecklein said. “In general, as a company, they want the best for their employees.”
Stecklein stayed with the company until July of this year looks back on her time at Clif Bar fondly. She admires their dedication to community and environmental initiatives and considers herself spoiled to have such an experience at her “first-ever job.”
“They’re just really committed to doing what they say they’re going to do,” Stecklein said.
And now Johnson and her teammates couldn’t be happier she’s re-committed to them.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
Leave a Reply