Episodes
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A 1994 graduate of Springfield College and founder of Journeymen Wrestling, Frank Popolizio joins the PrideCast from Albany, NY! Coach Popolizio sits down to discuss the wrestling empire he's built, his coaching philosophy, the growth of his wrestling club, and the impact that fellow alumnus and Olympic Gold Medalist, Jeff Blatnick has had on his career.
Coach Popolizio was inducted into the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and receive the Lifetime Service Award in 2018. He was also a member of the coaching staff for the 2018 USA Cadet World Team. In this episode, Popolizio unpacks the impact that his events have had on the current landscape and the challenges and rewards associated with running large scale international competitions, and the influence of his younger brother, Pat Popolizio, the Head Wrestling Coach at North Carolina State University, has had on his career.
Frank graduated from Hudson Valley Community College in 1992, and during those two years, Frank successfully reinstated HVCC's NJCAA wrestling program, as well as being a volunteer coach at Niskayuna HS. He would later attend Springfield College and graduate summa cum alude in 1994. While at Springfield, he acted as volunteer coach at Cathedral High School in Springfield, and in 1995, Popolizio returned back to Niskayuna and coached with Joe Bena from 1995 to 2003. Fellow Springfield alumnus, Rob Weeks, successfully recruited Frank in 2004 to join him and Shenendehowa High School, and he has been at Shen since. While at Shenendehowa, the team has enjoyed great success, winning multiple Section II titles and garnering multiple New York State Team Championships along with multiple individuals winning NYS titles during his tenure.
In the 2008-09 wrestling season, Frank was selected by the National Wrestling Coaches Association as the NY State Assistant Coach of the Year. In 1999 Frank launched the "Journeymen Wrestling" in Albany area whose main mission statement was to promote, teach, advocate and showcase wrestling throughout the northeast. The main concentration of the early Journeymen Wrestling was to bring first class wrestling clinics and tournaments to the Northeast. Popolizio has brought great coaches as Dan Gable, John Smith, Jay Robinson, Cael Sanderson, the Brands brothers, Tom and Terry and other great wrestlers to the Albany area, including world champion Jordan Burroughs.
Some of Popolizio's major events include Pop & Flo Mini-Man Nationals, Pop & Flo National Duals held each year in May at Lake Placid and Pop & Flo Wrestling Duals. He also established the Journeymen World Classic--which has brought traditionally powerful wrestling countries Russia, Kazakhstan, Korea and Mongolia to the USA. In addition, he has coached Nick Gwiazdowski, 2018 Senior World team member, and Jesse Porter, 2018 U23 World Greco team member.
Follow Coach Popolizio and Journeymen Wrestling on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @Journeymenwrestling or at journeymenwrestling.com
Read more about Coach Popolizio here: https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/4498
This episode was recorded on May 24, 2022.
**The thoughts and views expressed by the guest on their own social media platforms or in this podcast episode do not reflect those of the host or the Springfield College Wrestling program**
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Colleen O'Connell recently concluded her fourth season as an assistant coach with the Springfield College women's basketball team in the 2021-22 season. While helping head coach Naomi Graves, O'Connell will continue the PhD program in Physical Education with a concentration in Teaching and Administration. She graduated with her Master's degree in Athletic Administration in 2020.
A native of Maywood, N.J., O'Connell was a four-year captain at Vassar College and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Behavior in 2016. While with the Brewers, O'Connell helped lead her team to two Liberty League Championships and also earned a pair of berths into the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. O'Connell was also the Liberty League and D3hoops.com All-East Region Rookie of the Year. O'Connell is no stranger to coaching, as she was the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach for the Montclair State women's basketball team from 2016 to 2018, where she was involved with all aspects of the program. O'Connell captured two NJAC Championships in her time with the Redhawks, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2017, and guided her squad to the Sweet 16 in 2018.
If you'd like to reach out to Coach O'Connell, you can email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @colleen_oc
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Episodes manquant?
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Mike Cunningham is a 1989 Springfield College Wrestling Alumnus and serves as the Head Wrestling Coach at New England Wrestling Power, Xavier High School.
Cunningham is a 2022 inductee to the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and joins the PrideCast fresh off of leading the Falcons to a runner-up team finish at the 2022 New England Championships.
Since graduating from Springfield College, Mike has been coaching for 26 years at the high school and collegiate level. He spent four years at Wesleyan including one year as head coach of the Cardinal. He was the head wrestling coach at Rocky Hill for four seasons (1998-2002) and has been at Xavier since 2002. Under Mike’s leadership, the Falcons have won four state championships (2011, 2012, 2020, 2022) and two State Open titles in 2012 and 2022. Both his sons, Tyler and Colin, wrestled under Mike at Xavier and are among more than 30 wrestlers to win individual state championships. At Xavier, Mike has also been head coach of the boys lacrosse and boys soccer coach programs. In 2019, Mike was named the recipient of the Theodore Ryken award for commitment to Xavier. Mike will join his father, Jim, a long-time coach at Holy Cross in Waterbury, in the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Jim was inducted in 2010.
News Releases Cited:
Seven to be inducted into Connecticut Chapter 2022
Augieri: Xavier's Cunningham to join Father in wrestling Hall of Fame -
Springfield College graduate alumnus, John Sutyak joined the PrideCast to rehash his time on Alden Street, his views on leadership, current events and issues in Division III, and the value of hosting the 2023 DIII Men's Wrestling Championships at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA.
Sutyak joined the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) Membership Committee in September of 2021 and will begin a four-year term on the NCAA Nominating Committee in January 2022. Sutyak's career began in a dual role as the assistant sports information director and area coordinator in residential life at Wheaton College (Massachusetts) in 2002. He then spent three years working in varsity sports operations and athletic facilities at Yale University before returning to Wheaton in July 2006 as the assistant director of athletics. At Wheaton, Sutyak was promoted to the associate director of athletics and interim director of athletics, before eventually assuming the permanent role of director of athletics and recreation in April 2012. He became just the second director of athletics in Wheaton’s coeducational era, which began in 1988.
Off campus, Sutyak served six years on the NEWMAC Executive Committee, including a two-year term as president which made him the first, and only, former NEWMAC student-athlete to also serve as conference president. Sutyak also served as the New England Chair for the NCAA Division III Softball Committee from 2009 to 2012. Outside of collegiate athletics, he worked at Gillette Stadium during New England Patriots home games from 2002-2019, both with the Patriots media relations team and the National Football League on its Player Participation crew.
A native of Scarborough, Maine, Sutyak received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Wheaton College (Massachusetts) in 2000 and a Master of Education in athletic administration from Springfield College in 2002. During graduate school, he served as an assistant baseball coach at Western New England University during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, where he played a part in the team's first Great Northeast Atlantic Conference (GNAC) championship and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. At Scarborough High School, he was a two-sport athlete (baseball and basketball) and a finalist for the Maine Mr. Baseball Award in 1996. As a four-year member of the baseball team at Wheaton, he was a member of the college's first varsity team in 1997, the program's first two NEWMAC championship teams in 1999 and 2000, and a part of its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2000. He also tied the NCAA record for home runs in one inning (2) against the University of Southern Maine in 1998.
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Known for his passion, drive, and enthusiasm for excellence in coaching, Dr. Adam Feit has over 15+ years of experience in the areas of strength and conditioning, performance nutrition, and sport and exercise psychology coaching. A former NFL and NCAA Division-I strength and conditioning coach, Adam now serves as an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Springfield College.
Adam’s journey into strength and conditioning started off with a season-ending injury in high-school. During that time, he learned about Springfield College and eventually completed his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Exercise Science while garnering all-consensus All-American football honors as a captain of the Springfield College football team. He later attended The Citadel and California University of Pennsylvania to finish his Master’s degree in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention.
Before coming back home to Springfield College, Adam recently worked as the Head Strength & Sport Psychology Coach for Precision Nutrition, Inc., the largest nutrition coaching, certification, and software company in the world. Prior to Precision Nutrition, Adam was the Co-founder and Director of Sports Performance for Reach Your Potential Training (RYPT), helping mentor and train over 5,000 youth athletes over the course of five years. Adam also served as a college and professional Strength and Conditioning Coach and Nutrition Coordinator for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Eastern Michigan University, University of Louisville, and The Citadel.
Adam is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is also a certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and Mentor from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa). In addition to his strength and conditioning certifications, he is also a certified Level 2 Master Nutrition Coach from Precision Nutrition.
He is the co-author of the Coaches Guide to Jump Training, Complete Guide to Training the Female Athlete, and recently completed his Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Adam and his wife, Mary Kate are the co-owners of TF Performance and provide training services, sport psychology coaching, nutrition consulting, and more!
If you'd like to reach out to Dr. Feit, you can email him at [email protected] or follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @aefeit
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For episode 20, we welcome back a familiar face and voice to the PrideCast and check-in with former co-host and former Springfield Assistant wrestling Coach and graduate alumnus, James Kaishian.
Jimmy Kaishian is a 2017 graduate of Perennial Power Ithaca College. With the Bombers, Kaishian strung together an incredibly consistent college wrestling career as a four year starter at 125lbs. Kaishian earned 126 wins in four years, four berths to the national tournament and was a 2016 All-American finishing his junior campaign with a seventh place finish on the national podium in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Following his impressive career with the Bombers, Kaishian began his coaching career at Springfield College where he served as an Assistant Coach for the Pride for four seasons from 2017-2021. In his tenure with the Pride’s wrestling program, Kaishian coached 22 NWCA Scholar All-Americans and six national qualifiers.
In addition to the instrumental role he played in the Pride’s Wrestling program, Kaishian established himself as a leader, scholar, and educator on Springfield’s campus. In his first two years on Alden Street, Kaishian earned a Master’s in Sport and Exercise Psychology and served as a teaching fellow in the Physical Education and Health Education Department. After completing his Master’s, Kaishian transitioned into the Teaching and Administration Doctoral Program. Amidst this transition, Kaishian wore several hats to stretch his impact beyond the wrestling room - He served as an adjunct faculty teaching Sport Psychology, and served as the President of the Graduate Student Organization. In his role with the Grad Student Organization, Kaishian served on several campus committees including the Campus Program Planning Committee on Race, Alumni Committee, and the Graduate Faculty committee. For his efforts and contributions, Kaishian won the 2021 Springfield College Campus Voice Award.
He is a product of Yorktown Heights, NY and formerly Iowa Style Wrestling Club, now known as Empire Wrestling Academy. Kaishian has come full circle and is currently back in his hometown of Yorktown, NY and serving as a coach at Empire Wrestling Academy in Somers, NY and the Head Wrestling Coach at his alma mater, Yorktown High School.
Jimmy is the first author of an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology titled, The Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions Among High School and Collegiate Student-Athletes: A Systematic Review
We hope you enjoy this conversation with Coach Kaishian as he discusses his growth as a coach, mental health in sport, his mindset in training as a college wrestler, and the value of the win the moment philosophy.
If you’d like to contact Jimmy, you can email him at [email protected], reach him on Twitter @JKaishianMS, connect with him on LinkedIn: Jim Kaishian, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-kaishian/
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For episode 19, 2014 Springfield College alumnus, and 2013 157lb Division III National Champion, Devin Biscaha joins the PrideCast!
Despite a lack of competition entering the postseason of his junior year, Devin managed to navigate a seemingly insurmountable national bracket where he was an unseeded wrestler that knocked off No. 6 seed Reece Lefever of Wabash, No. 3 seed Cole Welter of Wartburg, No. 2 seed Chris Burdge of Centenary, and No. 4 seed, Kris Krawchuk of Wilkes to capture gold.
Devin is a Jackson, N.J. native and a 2010 graduate of perennial powerhouse Jackson Memorial High School. With the Jags, Biscaha was part of a contingent that was the No. 1 team in New Jersey in 2007, and consistently ranked in the top 10 in the state during his high school career.
Biscaha was the first Springfield wrestler to compete in the national championship bout since John Roden was the national runner up at 174 in 2000. Biscaha became Springfield Wrestling’s first ever NCAA Division III title and only second national champ in the program’s long history next to Olympic gold medalist and the late Jeff Blatnick ’79, who won a pair of NCAA Division II national titles at heavyweight in 1978 and 1979.
After graduating from Springfield with a bachelor’s degree in Movement and Sport Studies, Biscaha began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at Powerhouse Christiansburg High School in Christiansburg, Virginia. While on staff, Biscaha helped lead Christiansburg to 3 team state titles, two team state runner-up finishes, coached 11 individual state champions that combined for 19 titles, and coached 20 state placewinners. He recently returned to his hometown of Jackson, New Jersey where he is now the head coach at Jackson Liberty High School.
Following Devin’s title run, Springfield finished 8th in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the 2013 Division III tournament. It was the highest team finish for the Pride since the 1998 team took seventh. Alongside Bischaha, Derek Adams and Joe Grippi wrapped up their seasons by earning All-America honors. This is the first time since 1999 that Springfield has produced three All-Americans. That year, Mike Gaydos (197-6th), Craig Vedrani (157-6th), and John Roden (174-4th) all took home the national honor.
You can watch highlight’s of Devin’s national title run here: 2013 National Champion, Devin Biscaha
If you would like to reach out to Devin, you can email him at [email protected] Keep up with Springfield College Wrestling on Facebook (facebook.com/scpridewrestle), Instagram (@scpride_wrestle), and Twitter (@scpride_wrestle).
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As the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Brian Magoffin ’05 G'17 is responsible for all aspects of communication, media, and sports information relating to the 26 intercollegiate men’s and women’s sports teams at the College.
Though the pandemic halted athletic competition in 2020, Magoffin and his staff were motivated to apply their creative energy to provide student-athletes a platform to share their stories and expand the capacity of empathy of others through the "My Story, My Truth" series, as well as, the "True Colors" series.
In the fall of 2020, Magoffin was recognized by the NCAA and D3SIDA with the Fall Recognition Award for the impactful nature of the "My Story, My Truth" series.
In August 2021, Magoffin was recognized as a national finalist in the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Fred Stabley Jr. Writing Contest for a feature that was written about Sringfield head men's lacrosse coach Keith Bugbee.
The article, entitled On Grief and Community, appeared in the Springfield College's Triangle Magazine in January of 2020 and was the District I winner which encompasses institutions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Newfoundland, Price Edward Island, and New Brunswick. The article was one of eight nationally that was awarded in the Coach/Administrator category.
Full Release: https://springfield.prestosports.com/.../20210714mi3ah4
Magoffin has been a member of the athletics staff at Springfield College since 2007, serving as the assistant director of sports communications until being promoted to director of sports communications for the College in July 2012. In 2016, Magoffin earned the role of assistant athletic director for communications.
Magoffin’s responsibilities include website maintenance and redesign, designing and creating athletics enrollment management materials, developing social media content, overseeing game-day functions, using video production and graphic design to promote the College, and enhancing alumni and donor communication in coordination with the Friends of Springfield College Athletics fundraising arm. In 2013, Magoffin unveiled "Inside the Pride", a weekly video web series dedicated to promoting Pride athletics, which has since had over 100 episodes produced in cooperation with students in the Communications/Sports Journalism major on campus.
Springfield College's rise among the social media ranks has been rapid over the past several years, with the Pride's social media accounts ranking among the best at the NCAA Division III level. Both the Instagram and Facebook accounts each rank in the top six nationally, while the Twitter account ranks in the top 15 among the over 450 Division III institutions.
Prior to his tenure at Springfield College, Magoffin spent two years as assistant director of athletic communications at Stony Brook University, where he led the athletic department’s Web site redesign in 2006, while working primarily with the men's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, women's soccer, and softball programs. Magoffin earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Springfield College in 2005 and a masters in athletic adminstration from in 2017, also from Springfield College.
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The PrideCast hiatus is over and welcomes 2005 alumnus, and Emmy nominated filmmaker, Tim O'Donnell to the show!
The New Hampshire native came to Springfield College after being coached by older brother, T.J. O'Donnell - Co-founder of Doughboy Wrestling Club - One of the premier training hubs in New England. A two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American, Tim was a staple in the Pride's lineup under Hall of Fame Coach, Daryl Arroyo.
An art education major, O'Donnell graduated from Springfield College and began his teaching and coaching career at nearby Springfield Central High School. During his stint with Springfield Central, O'Donnell was pursuing a Master's from the Massachusetts College of Art Design. Amid his teaching, coaching, and graduate school career, O'Donnell decided to capture the compelling story of one of his wrestlers, George Hargrove. This first project captured the essence of what overcoming adversity meant and the feature was titled "George: Wrestling with Resistance". The documentary gained the attention of the local community instantly as it had a premiere screening at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield in 2009. Following this, a major local television network wanted to air the documentary, and the rest was history for O'Donnell!
In 2010, O'Donnell founded Pixela Pictura, an Emmy-nominated award winning production and creative film company located in the Greater Boston area. From there, he created another major documentary centered around the story of his father, Tom O'Donnell. "No Quit: a film about Tod O'Donnell" captured the journey of Tim's father overcoming a traumatic brain injury. This piece captured the attention and hearts of many and was later aired on ESPN's SportsCenter.
Many in the New England wrestling community may have come across Tim's full length feature on Springfield College Wrestling alumnus, and heralded Lowell High School Wrestling Coach, George Bossi. The feature was titled, "Bossi: The Power of a Coach".
In recent years, Tim and Pixela have created work that has been seen on ESPN, ABC, PBS, at the Sundance Film Festival and events around the world. Available August 3rd 2021, Tim partnered up with Executive Producer, Casey Affleck, and will be releasing his new film titled "Tougher than a Tank". A story about a marine running 145 miles in three days to reconnect with a wounded vet - Click the following link for Pre-Sale details on ITunes: Tougher Than a Tank on iTunes
If you want to peruse through an archive of Tim O'Donnell's work, you can check out his Vimeo channel here.
If you want to learn more about Tim's company, Pixela Pictura, you can find them at www.pixelapicturafilms.com
Pixela Pictura Social Media Handles: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
If you would like to donate to Springfield College Wrestling, please click the following link (DONATE TO SPRINGFIELD WRESTLING) and in the "Designation" drop down box, please click "Doug Parker Fund" or "Wrestling".
Email PrideCast Host and Assistant Coach, Pankil Chander ([email protected]) with any recommendations for potential future guests for the show!
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No one word can justify the legend of Coach Jim Anderson, and the many that know him, characterize him in one word - Intense! To this day, Anderson's impact is felt through the example he set as a student-athlete and coach on Alden Street.
A product of Hanover Park high school in Northern New Jersey, Anderson joins the PrideCast to talk about a fascinating career progression in athletics and business. Anderson's introduction to wrestling occurred under Coach Joseph Krufka, a 1952 Olympic Alternate and 1955 NCAA runner-up to legendary, Dan Hodge.
Coming from humble beginnings, Anderson would go on to wrestle for Coach Doug Parker at Springfield, and met financial challenges along the way that derailed him from finishing his college career in the traditional four year span. The New Jersey native discusses his brief departure from Springfield to pursue a career in the Marines and start a family. He also shares what led to his return to Alden Street to finish his undergraduate career. Anderson went on to become a New England Champion in 1966 at 167lbs.
Following a short stint as an educator in New York Public Schools, Anderson pursued the opportunity to complete a graduate degree while being an Assistant Wrestling Coach under Doug Parker, and leading Springfield's Men's Lacrosse program for eight seasons where he tallied 50 wins.
The former men's lacrosse coach left Alden Street to travel globally to serve in a plethora of occupations including Westinghouse, and building theme parks in Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and more.
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In this episode, we have a pair of Springfield heavyweight alumni from two different generations of the Pride’s storied program, and they just so happened to be brothers!
Ron '11 and Joe '20 Fusco have etched their legacy on Alden Street with not only their dominance on the mat, but with their larger than life personalities that captures the attention and respect of their peers.
Ron Fusco currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Peter Reilly Elementary in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 2011, Ron led Springfield to a New England Wrestling Association Team Championship after winning gold at Heavyweight and qualifying for NCAAs under Hall of Fame Coach, Daryl Arroyo.
Nearly a decade later, younger brother, Joe Fusco followed in Ron’s footsteps and created a name for himself under the Holder era by eclipsing two berths to the NCAA Championships, and becoming the first four-time NWCA Scholar All-American in program history. Since August, Joe has been an officer in the Nashua Police Department in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Like, share, or drop a review on the PrideCast to continue to expand the reach of the incredible stories of the Pride's program!
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THE World’s Strongest Gay, Professional Strongman, and Springfield College alumnus, Rob Kearney joins the PrideCast! Kearney talks about his introduction and love for the sport of strongman, how overcoming a recent injury has created time for more coaching and LGBTQ+ advocacy, the liberating nature of publicly coming out, the mentality that has separated him as one of the strongest men in the world, and his impactful experience at Springfield College as an Athletic Training student.
Rob Kearney has built loyalty among his followers because of his authentic personality and the inside look he provides on how he trains to be among one of the world's strongest men. Click the following link for Kearney's YouTube Channel: World's Strongest Gay
Kearney is an American Professional Strongman as well as the first and only openly gay professional strongman in the world. His ascent in the professional strongman world is nothing short of exceptional. He took 2nd place at America's Strongest Man in 2014 and 2015. After competing at u105 kilos World Strongest Man in 2016, Rob decided to compete in the Heavyweight class where he took 1st place in the 2016 Log Lift World Championships and has gone on to compete at Worlds Strongest Man, is a Giants Live Champion (North American Open 2017) as well as an Arnold International World Series Champion that took place in Australia in 2019. Rob also currently holds the American Log Press Record of 476lbs (216kg).
Along with Strongman, Rob and his Husband Joey have become advocates for the LGBTQ+ community especially in the world of fitness and strength sports.
Kearney was also featured on the Joe Rogan Experience back in January 2020 (#1416 with Rob Kearney).
Rob Kearney's Website and social media handles: Kearney Power | Instagram | Twitter
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The leader of the Pride's historic program, Jason Holder hops on the PrideCast to catch up on all things Springfield Wrestling. (Read Coach Holder's entire bio by clicking the following link: Head Coach, Jason Holder)
A former standout at Boston University, the TImberlane, New Hampshire native was a four-year starter and four-year captain of the wrestling team, and an NCAA Division I National Qualifier in 2003.
Coach Holder enters his 10th season as the head wrestling coach and an assistant professor within the Springfield College Department of Physical Education and Health Education for the 2020-2021 campaign. Holder's leadership has sustained the standard of excellence that comes with the Pride's storied lineage.
In 2020, Holder was chosen as the NCAA Division III Northeast Region Co-Coach of the Year as he helped Springfield to a fourth-place finish as a team, produced four national qualifiers, and had the sixth-best team grade point average in the nation. For his efforts, Holder was named the Massachusetts Chapter Hall of Fame Coach of the Year, and the New England Wrestling Association Coach of the Year.
In this episode, Coach Holder discusses his coaching philosophy, the importance of the three C's (confidence, composure, and courage), and developing a high performance culture.
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One of the earliest and most accomplished wrestlers of the Legendary Doug Parker era is Oneida, New York native, Rick Moyer '62. Rick Moyer has left an indelible impact on the wrestling community as a wrestler, coach, administrator, and above all, mentor.
Coach Moyer joins the PrideCast to discuss his transformation under Doug Parker, the rich tradition of Springfield Wrestling, the lessons he's learned as a coach and educator, and the memories of being teammates and roommates with Japan Olympic Team Member and Benihana founder, Hiraoki Aoki.
A standout for the Pride, Moyer was undefeated in varsity dual meets (36-0) in his three years of competition from 1959-62, named the Outstanding Wrestler in the New England Championships, and a key contributor to four New England Team Championships. A co-captain 1961-62, Moyer was held in high regard among his peers as the President of the Varsity "S" Club.
Moyer served as a graduate assistant with Doug Parker and the Pride from 1962-63 while earning his Master's. After a one year stint with his alma mater, Moyer ventured to Amityville, Long Island, where he served as the Head Wrestling Coach at Amityville from 1963-1967. Following a successful run at Amityville, Moyer moved back to New England and assumed the role as Head Coach at Wayland in Massachusetts. After coaching at Wayland for over 30 years and serving as the Athletic Director for 10 years, Rick retired in 1997 with 478 dual meet wins. He also served as the President of the National Federation of High School Coaches and Officials. For his decades of competing, mentoring, and coaching he was inducted into 6 different halls of fame including the Oneida Athletic, Wayland Athletic, Springfield College Pride Athletic HOF in 1998 and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.
You can connect with Coach Moyer via email at [email protected]
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Dr. Michelle Moosbrugger '00 is the Associate Professor, Co-Chair, and Graduate Coordinator of the Physical Education and Health Education Department at Springfield College. Dr. Moosbrugger is in her 13th year as faculty at Springfield and was a swimmer for the Pride under current Coach, John Taffe.
In this episode, Dr. Moosbrugger unpacks various pedagogical theories that help student-athletes grow and develop. She talks self-determination theory, self-efficacy theory, and her intentional approach on creating a productive community of learners at Springfield.
After graduating from Springfield in 2000, Dr. Moosbrugger went on to earn a master’s in sports psychology from Ithaca College in 2002. Following her time in Ithaca, she went on to be the Head Swimming Coach and Assistant Softball Coach at Wells College before returning to Springfield to earn her doctorate in Physical Education with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology in 2006. Since then, she’s continued Springfield’s tradition of developing great educators and leaders. She has been professionally active and has numerous publications and has presented at multiple national conferences.
You can connect with Dr. Moosbrugger on Twitter (@moos_michelle) or by email or office phone: [email protected] | (413) 748-3486
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1977 Springfield College Wrestling Alumnus, Hall of Fame Coach, and State Championship Coach, Larry "the Legend" Tremblay joins the PrideCast!
A standout athlete at North Reading High School and Springfield College, Lawrence Tremblay is affectionately known as "the Legend" in the Massachusetts wrestling community. Along with his larger than life persona, his accomplishments place him among the most accomplished high school coaches in the nation. Tremblay is a Hall of Fame Coach and has been recognized by the North Reading Football Hall of Fame, Winchester Wrestling Hall of Fame, Massachusetts Wrestling Hall of Fame, New England Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Tremblay currently serves as the head wrestling coach at Melrose, where he led the Red Raiders to an MIAA Division 3 state championship in 2020. Prior to assuming the role at Melrose in 2018, Tremblay was the head coach at Winchester for 38 seasons.
With four decades of coaching experience under his belt, Tremblay has amassed over 760 wins, over 25 league titles, coached six all-americans, and won four state tournament team titles, and five state dual meet championships.
In his tenure, Tremblay has coached many wrestlers that have went on to impact the world in numerous ways. Most notably, former Winchester wrestler and current WWE superstar, Kofi Kingston, and Glen Doherty, a former Navy SEAL and Outstanding American Award winner who gave his life in service to our country.
At Springfield, Larry "the Legend" Tremblay wrestled for the Pride's all time winning coach, Doug Parker. Parker was a father-figure to Tremblay and his teammates and molded them to be a powerhouse that won four New England titles. Individually, Tremblay won the 1976 Saratoga Open and qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships twice.
The Legend also shares how his wrestling experience was positively influenced by Doug Parker's Assistant, Jim Anderson and his teammates. Some of which were Ed Gibbons, Vic Bueller, Thomas Lachiusa, Rich Munroe, Nick Porillo, Doug Leroy, Sean Bilodeau, Jay Mulligan, Bill Fiore, and Olympic champion Jeff Blatnick.
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The Diane L. Potter '57 Head Softball Coach at Springfield College, Kate Bowen joins the PrideCast to talk about her unique path of starting as a graduate assistant coach to being tasked with leading the Pride's storied program.
Bowen enters her fifth season as Head Coach in 2021. Despite the pandemic abruptly ending the 2020 season, Bowen has tallied 81 wins, and has developed multiple all-conference and all-region selections in her first three seasons leading the Pride. In her first season as Head Coach, Bowen led Springfield to the NCAA Tournament. For her efforts, she was recognized as the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England and the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Coach of the Year.
The Newton, Connecticut native was also a standout student-athlete at Division 1, Manhattan College. As a Jasper, she was valedictorian of her class, one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award for Division 1 Softball, a Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-American, and was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Nominee for NCAA's Woman of the Year Award following her senior year.
You can connect with Coach Bowen via email or follow her on Twitter! [email protected] | @coachkate_sc
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From 2013-2020, Dr. Brett Winston PhD, ATC, LAT has been the designated athletic trainer for Springfield College Wrestling. Dr. Winston joins the PrideCast to discuss the sport from the lens of Athletic Trainer and how wrestling has influenced his growth as a professional.
Dr. Winston is in his seventh year as an Instructor of Exercise Science and Athletic Training and an Assistant Clinical Education Coordinator in Springfield's renowned Exercise Science and Athletic Training department. The Longwood University graduate is professionally active through regional and state committee work and currently serves as the president for the Athletic Trainers of Massachusetts.
You can connect with Brett at [email protected]
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The positive impact of Joel Dearing is felt inside scholastic and intercollegiate athletic departments and volleyball programs across the globe. Affectionately known as 'Coach D', Joel Dearing is a former athletic director, coach, and faculty member. He is currently an author and the owner of Dearing Leadership, LLC, a leadership consulting and coaches education service. With 30 years of coaching experience, Dearing is no stranger to the challenges and dilemmas that leaders and coaches face daily.
In addition to his coaching success, Coach Dearing is widely heralded for how he has mentored coaches and administrators across the country through his role as faculty in Springfield's renowned Athletic Administration graduate program.
In this episode, Coach Dearing provides timeless insight and wisdom on what has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest collegiate volleyball coaches of all time. In 2019, Dearing was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame for his coaching success and proven and continued service to the profession.
Dearing has also authored Volleyball Fundamentals (1st and 2nd ed.) and The Untold Story of William G. Morgan - Inventor of Volleyball. He was honored in 2013 by the International Volleyball Hall of Fame as the Mintonette Medallion of Merit Award honoree and in 2015 was selected to the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame. Dearing has conducted clinics in Ireland, Aruba, Argentina, China, Bermuda, and served as faculty at Springfield College since 1989, and served as Program Director of the Athletic Administration Graduate Program from 2011-2020.
Find him: http://coachjoeldearing.com/
Email: [email protected]
Dearing's products and services are being marketed through the help of Rose & Gold (https://roseandgold.com/).
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Former Springfield College Wrestling Assistant Coach (2010-13), and current Head Coach at Sacramento City College, Marques Gales joins the PrideCast to reflect on his time on Alden Street. Gales' stint with the Pride included being an assistant on staff for the final season of Darryl Arroyo's storied tenure, while also coaching six NCAA DIII All-Americans, and an NCAA Champion in Devin Biscaha (2013). Biscaha was the first national champion since the late, Jeff Blatnick (1978, 1979).
Hailing from the Bay Area, Gales competed for Santa Rosa Junior College from 2005-07 while earning his associate's degree. This afforded him an opportunity to wrestle for the late, Hall of Fame and National Championship Coach, Lars Jensen at San Francisco State University. As a Gator, Gales placed in the region twice, earned scholar all-america honors, and qualified for the NCAA DII Championships.
The California native earned a Master's in Sport and Exercise Psychology while at Springfield. He went on to become the Head Coach at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) from 2013-19. Gales led the Trinity Bantams to 2 NCAA DIII Qualifiers in his first season as head coach - a feat not accomplished at Trinity since 2001. This successful run led Gales to be one of three coaches to share the 2014 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Rookie Coach of the Year honors. He concluded an impressive stint at Trinity with three NCAA DIII qualifiers and six NWCA Scholar All-Americans.
Currently, Gales serves as the Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Sacramento City College in California.
If you'd like to connect with Coach Gales, you can email him at [email protected].
Episode Breakdown
1:50: Reflecting on wrestling career at Santa Rosa Junior College and San Francisco State University
6:50: The impact of National Championship and Hall of Fame Coach, Lars Jensen
10:15: How the education and coaching experience at Springfield proved beneficial
15:15: Keys to succeeding mentally in performance
18:00: The type of environment that created six all-americans and an NCAA Champion in three seasons at Springfield
26:30: The impact of Jeff Blatnick's passing on the team
29:00: First Head Coaching job at Trinity and elevating the position from part-time to full-time
36:45: Favorite Springfield Wrestling Memory
41:30: 1 minute overtime
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