BIO

For the last 12 years, Stephen Volek has been a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with hundreds of athletes across all levels of sport, from youth and high school ages all the way up to the NHL. He has always had a strong growth mindset and continues to want to learn and develop as a practitioner, the way he hopes to develop the athletes he works with. When asked about what he loves about his profession, “I love building relationships with the athletes I work with. Getting to know them and their story, finding out what motivates them, and how I can help them improve and reach their performance goals. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing the athletes I work with succeed, whether that is hitting a new PR on a lift that they have been chasing or seeing them step onto the ice for their first NHL game. I love playing a small part in their journey as an athlete and a person.”

Most recently, Stephen spent the 2021-2022 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a part-time sports science and performance coach. In that role he managed the team’s sports biometric systems, including heart rate and GPS, as well as being tasked with creating various reports and dashboards as needed by the team. He also assisted with lifts and other duties as needed by the performance and medical staffs. 

Before working with the Penguins, Stephen spent four seasons working for the New Jersey Devils as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Devils. Here Stephen oversaw all workouts, sports science, supplements, nutrition and return to play training for the team. 

Other stops on Stephen’s journey include: The University of Wisconsin, Quinnipiac University, Yale University, The University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University-Mankato, The University of Findlay, Robert Morris University and Penn State University. 

As someone who is always trying to learn and grow himself, Stephen also wants to share his knowledge with others, to help them develop into the professional that they want to be. Because of this he has done multiple public speaking engagements as well as appeared on multiple sports performance-related podcasts. 

Stephen holds a Level 1 and Level 2 certification from Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR), as well as certifications from the NSCA and Red Cross. 

On the sports science side, Stephen’s background includes using multiple different types of technology and platforms, including: Firstbeat, Kinexon, Catapult, Omegawave, Athos, Elite HRV, Vald Force Frame, Kistler and Hawkins Dynamics Force Plates and the 1080 Sprint and Quantum systems. He also has a strong background in data analysis and performance visuals using the Microsoft PowerBI and Tableau programs. 

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Stephen graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology in 2010 from Penn State University and finished his Masters Degree in Sports Management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2012.