How Sports Teach You to Believe in Yourself | NIL, Confidence & Life Lessons | The Gametime Guru Podcast
Release Date: 11/07/2025
Paul Diasparra of Crown Refs: The Truth About Basketball Referees
The Gametime Guru
What really happens behind the scenes for basketball referees? In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I sit down with Paul Diasparra, the founder of Crown Refs, to talk about the side of basketball that coaches, players, parents, and fans often misunderstand: officiating. I’ll be honest, those who know me know referees and I have not always seen eye-to-eye. As a former player and now as a coach, I’ve had my share of frustrations with officials. But that’s exactly why this conversation was so valuable. Paul gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what basketball officials go...
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Ariel Frantz: MMA Comebacks, Achilles Injury Recovery, Fight Week, and Life as a Female Fighter
The Gametime Guru
It’s not always easy coming back from a major injury, especially when it’s something as serious as an Achilles rupture. In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Shane Larson sits down with Idaho MMA fighter Ariel Frantz to talk about her return to the cage after three surgeries and two years away from the sport. Ariel shares what fight week looks like, the mental and physical grind of cutting weight, how she approaches recovery, and what it takes to get back into competition after a devastating setback. They also dive into Ariel’s background as a Boise State softball player, the parallels...
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Tiffany Deering: Simplifying the Softball Recruiting Process with APS Recruits
The Gametime Guru
In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Shane Larson sits down with Tiffany Deering to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing young athletes and their families today: the recruiting process. Tiffany shares her journey from playing competitive softball in Southern California to becoming a national champion at the University of Michigan, and how that experience shaped the way she now helps families navigate recruiting. She explains how the process has changed over the years, why today’s athletes often feel overwhelmed, and how APS Recruits was built to help simplify the chaos....
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Franklin Foer: Soccer, Tribalism, Globalization & the 2026 World Cup
The Gametime Guru
What makes soccer more than just a sport? In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I have the chance to chat with Franklin Foer, author of How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, to explore how soccer reflects culture, identity, politics, religion, class, and globalization across the world. From the tribal nature of fandom to the deeper meaning behind clubs like Barcelona and Newcastle United, this conversation shows why soccer can reveal so much about the societies that surround it. Franklin shares how his travels and research shaped the book, why soccer became the...
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Will Dunkle: Bare Knuckle Boxing, Fight Mindset, and Fusion Fight League
The Gametime Guru
Will Dunkle is back on The Gametime Guru. Six years after his first appearance on the show, Will returns to talk about how his fighting journey has evolved from MMA into the world of bare knuckle boxing. In this episode, Will shares what makes bare knuckle such a unique and dangerous combat sport, how he prepares mentally and physically for each fight, and what fans can expect as he gets ready for his Fusion Fight League matchup in Great Falls, Montana. We talk about the mindset it takes to compete in a sport where every mistake matters, why Will embraces fighting in hostile territory, and how...
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Kam Wheeler | Leadership, Youth Football, and Building Warriors Football Club
The Gametime Guru
In Episode 250 of The Gametime Guru Podcast, Shane Larson sits down with Kam Wheeler, coach, business owner, leader, and founder of in Idaho. This conversation dives into Kam’s sports background, his path into coaching, and the leadership principles that have shaped both his business and his football program. From youth development and team culture to discipline, mentorship, and the impact sports can have on young athletes, this episode is packed with insights for parents, coaches, athletes, and sports fans alike. Kam also shares the vision behind Warriors Football Club, why he felt there...
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Jamie McCreedy | How a 17-Year-Old Built a Sports Podcast, Led a Charity, and Inspired Others
The Gametime Guru
What were you doing at 17 years old? In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Shane Larson sits down with Jamie McCreedy, a 17-year-old podcast host, charity leader, and young man making a real impact through sports, service, and storytelling. Jamie has already interviewed more than 120 athletes and managers, built his own platform, and helped support children through charity efforts connected to sports. From podcasting and football culture in England to organizing fundraising efforts and helping provide gear for kids in Kenya, Jamie’s story is a powerful reminder that age does not have to...
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Tom Cillo | 59-Year-Old College Football Player Shares His Incredible Story | The Gametime Guru Podcast
The Gametime Guru
In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, Shane Larson interviews Tom Cillo, a 59-year-old college football player, about resilience, mental toughness, leadership, and chasing dreams later in life. Tom Cillo’s story has inspired people around the world. After retiring from a 33-year career, Tom decided to pursue a dream he originally had back in the 1980s: playing college football. Now in his late 50s, he’s balancing the physical demands of collegiate athletics, the academic pressure of returning to school after 41 years away from the classroom, and the mental challenge of competing...
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Kiprian Pacoski: From Athlete to Entrepreneur | Owner of Kip Grip Performance Grip Socks
The Gametime Guru
What happens when a young athlete from Australia skips university, invests his savings, and builds a sports brand from scratch? You get Kip Grip, performance grip socks designed for ballers across every sport. In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, host Shane Larson sits down with Kiprian Pacoski, founder and CEO of Kip Grip, to talk about competing in soccer and AFL (Australian Rules Football), launching a physical product business as a young entrepreneur, and the deeply personal mental health mission behind the brand. What you will learn in this episode: What are grip socks and...
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Brayden Durfee (1ONEATHLETICS) on Sports Performance, Visualization, and Bouncing Back From Failure
The Gametime Guru
Former Division 1 athlete Brayden Durfee, owner of 1ONEATHLETICS, joins The Gametime Guru Podcast to break down what it really takes to compete at a high level in track and field — and how those lessons translate into business, leadership, and life. Brayden shares his journey from football at Oregon State to track & field at Boise State, where he competed at the Division 1 level after becoming a 4-time state champion in high school. We dive into the sacrifices he made, the mentors who shaped him, and the mindset required to perform when you only get one shot, because in track, there are...
info_outlineIn this solo episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, I’m sharing two stories that hit close to home—one from the sideline and one from the broader world of college sports.
How I Learned (Again) That I Belong
I relive one of my final club basketball games coaching in California—when my undersized team went toe-to-toe with a junior college squad and found a way to win. It’s a raw look at belief, resilience, and learning how to win again after a stretch of setbacks. If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong—at work, in sport, or in life—this one’s for you.
The NIL Era: Opportunity & Uncertainty
- I break down the current state of Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) in college sports:
- How NIL is reshaping recruiting and roster retention
- Why powerhouse programs (think Ohio State) and mid-majors (like Boise State) face different realities
- The rise of donor fatigue and what it means for long-term sustainability
- Why NIL can be a double-edged sword—creating new opportunities for JUCO and DII athletes while adding pressure elsewhere
- Practical ideas for athletes (yes, even JUCO players) to build a brand—like starting a podcast and owning your story
What you’ll take away:
- How to rebuild confidence after a string of losses
- Why culture and standards help you “flip the switch” back to winning
- Actionable ways athletes and coaches can adapt in the NIL era
If you’re a coach, parent, athlete, or sports fan who believes games teach life, you’ll feel right at home here. After nine years of conversations with athletes and coaches from 183 countries and all 50 states, I’m more convinced than ever: when you put in the work, you belong.
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