Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal

Dec 11 2024 96 ep. 51 mins 3
Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal artwork

Welcome to "The Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal" where we delve into the world of college and youth wrestling. Join Mike, the head coach of Poway RTC, as he sits down with guests from all levels of the sport, including high school, club, college, and senior-level coaches and athletes. Each week, Mike will bring you insightful discussions on the latest in college and youth wrestling, including training techniques, strategy, and everything in between. You'll hear from some of the biggest names in the sport, who will share their stories and offer their unique perspectives.

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Ep. 096 - Luka Wick

Dec 11 2024 60 mins  
In episode 096 of the Athletor Podcast, Luka Wick, standout wrestler at Cal Poly, joins the show to share his journey from initially disliking the sport to becoming one of wrestling’s top competitors. Luka opens up about his early struggles, the pivotal moments that sparked his passion in middle school, and the lessons learned from wrestling alongside his brothers, Zander and Eva

Ep. 095 - Hayden Hidlay

Dec 04 2024 48 mins  
In this episode of the Athletor Podcast, Hayden Hidlay, 5x NCAA All-American and Assistant Coach at Stanford, shares his journey from growing up in a sports-loving family in central Pennsylvania to becoming one of wrestling's top competitors. Hayden reflects on the pivotal role of his youth coach Ian, the fundamentals that shaped his style, and how a mat in the basement transformed

Ep. 094 - Lori Ayres and Erin Sparrold

Nov 27 2024 57 mins  
In episode 94 of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Erin Sparrold, a sports nutritionist with over a decade of experience working with wrestlers, and Lori Ayres, a trailblazer in women’s wrestling as co-founder of DI Women’s Wrestling and Executive Director of the California RTC. Together, they dive into the unique nutritional needs and challenges female wrestlers face, fro

Ep. 093 - Cary Kolat

Nov 20 2024 44 mins  
In Episode 093 of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Cary Kolat, Head Coach at the United States Naval Academy, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities of coaching at a service academy compared to a traditional college program. Kolat shares his insights on recruiting high-caliber student-athletes who excel in academics, athletics, and leadership, while navigating the

Ep. 92 - Alex Marinelli

Nov 13 2024 49 mins  
In this episode of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Alex Marinelli, head coach at Hawkeye Wrestling Academy and 4x All-American. Alex shares his journey from competing at the senior level to coaching the next generation, discussing the unique challenges and joys of working with youth wrestlers. He talks about transitioning from the competitive environment of Iowa to building

Ep. 091 - Steve Garland

Nov 06 2024 63 mins  
In this episode of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Steve Garland, head coach of the University of Virginia wrestling program, as he shares his journey from athlete to coach and reflects on the evolving challenges in college athletics. Steve opens up about how wrestling shaped his life, teaching him discipline and purpose, and how he aims to instill those same values in his a

Ep. 090 - Sean Gray

Oct 30 2024 52 mins  
In this episode of the Athletor Podcast, we talk with Sean Gray, assistant coach at Stanford University and former assistant coach at Princeton, about the exciting momentum behind Stanford Wrestling. Sean dives into the team’s mission to compete for a national championship, navigating a major transition from the East Coast to the Bay Area, and the unique talent mix in Stanford’

Ep. 089 - Frank Popolizio

Oct 23 2024 41 mins  
In this episode of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Frank Popolizio, founder and head coach at Journeymen Wrestling. Frank shares the origin story of the Journeymen events, from his early inspirations under John and Pat Smith at Oklahoma State to building one of the most influential wrestling event series in the U.S. We dive into how he grew from knowing little about recruiti

Ep. 088 - Ty Walz

Oct 16 2024 55 mins  
In episode 088 of the Athletor Podcast, Ty Walz, Assistant Coach at Brown University, shares his experiences transitioning from coaching at a large university to a smaller one like Brown. He discusses the unique challenges and opportunities that come with coaching in the Ivy League, including the pros and cons of recruiting and developing athletes in a highly academic environment.

Ep. 087 - Hayden Ancheta

Oct 09 2024 36 mins  
Join us in episode 087 of the Athletor Podcast as we sit down with wrestling influencer Hayden Ancheta, who has built a dedicated following of over 39,000 on Instagram and 10,000 on YouTube while wrestling at San Francisco State University. In this episode, Hayden shares his origin story and what ignited his passion for wrestling. He reflects on the influence of his high school coa