CSR 331 Drew Haddad
Catholic Sports Radio
He was a wide receiver chosen by Buffalo in the National Football League Draft and went on to play not only for the Bills but with the Indianapolis Colts and then the San Diego Chargers. This all followed a collegiate career playing for the University of Buffalo, where he was the most prolific pass receiver in program history with 240 receptions for over 3,400 yards and eighteen 100-yard games. In 2019 he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where, present day, he is the wide receivers coach. He also coached football and basketball for 13 years...
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CSR 330 Richard Rossi
Catholic Sports Radio
He excelled in three different sports. As a boxer he competed in the Catholic intramural boxing league's lightweight division and won 80% of his fights by knockout, the rest by points. He was nearly undefeated, losing only one fight. In basketball, he was the only white player, starting guard, on an all-black basketball team in Pittsburgh intramural League. His team won the championship and had an undefeated season. And, in the men's softball championship in Pittsburgh, he hit the winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, resulting in his team taking the championship and carrying...
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CSR 329 Matthew Plese
Catholic Sports Radio
He is an amateur marathoner and active member of the Chicago Catholic Run Club, saying that running has become a key part of his spiritual and personal life. He has completed five of the six World Marathon Majors and is just one race away from earning the coveted Six Star Medal. On the faith side, he is the president of CatechismClass.com, an online-based organization whose mission is to make the best in Catholic religious education and Sacramental preparation available for those who need it. In addition, he has authored several Catholic books and has written for different Catholic...
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CSR 328 Johnny Kuplack
Catholic Sports Radio
He last month concluded 100 ultra marathons in 100 days, running 3,500 miles across America, having started in California and ultimately ended at the National Shrine of the North American Martyrs in New York. He is an endurance athlete who has competed in running events worldwide. His ultra-running career has included ten races, from 50K to one hundred-plus miles, of which he has won six and placed second in four, securing leads of multiple hours as well as a course record. He is the co-founder of Sebaste, a non-profit named for 40 Roman soldiers in the third century who chose to meet death on...
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CSR 327 Diane Nienas
Catholic Sports Radio
She participated as a young student-athlete in cheerleading, volleyball, softball, and basketball. She was captain of the volleyball team, two years after the team went undefeated in the conference, won sectionals, and advanced to state for the first time in program history. In her adult years she continued her athletic involvement in leagues for both sand volleyball and softball. She is a #1 best-selling author of five books and is a speaker and certified grief coach, as inspired by having lost two of her four sons in the last few years, with one of the boys having been very active in ice...
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CSR 326 Bud Macfarlane
Catholic Sports Radio
He was captain of his varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams and received multiple scholar-athlete awards, being mildly recruited by small private colleges and Ivy League schools in various sports. More specifically, he was a standout defensive catcher on a championship team and an all-conference defensive end. In basketball, he was one of the best defensive players in the state. In addition, he was a high school track and field coach and coached baseball in town leagues for many years. He is a best-selling novelist and the founder of The Mary Foundation, which he created more than...
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CSR 325 Kevin Doyle
Catholic Sports Radio
He played no fewer than five sports in his youth and then went on to not only compete in pole vault in high school but played for two different soccer teams. In addition to being captain of the VHSCAA State All-Star Team, he at one point held the school record for most shutouts in a season and his team had the school record for the longest undefeated streak. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he tried out for the soccer team. Present day, he is president of The Catholic Initiative, a key "Legacy of Hope" project, which is a first of its kind in the world. It is a...
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CSR 324 Tom Equels
Catholic Sports Radio
He has an amazing story of surviving a life-threatening accident a few years ago. He was on the track team in high school and surfed regularly too. For decades he has been an avid motorcyclist, both dirt and touring. He has also been active in martial arts and was a regular participant in sailboat racing. Although he also swims and plays tennis and pickle ball, he perhaps excelled the most as an equestrian competitor as a rider for decades, having won numerous local, regional, state, national, and international championships. He authored a book that came out last year, called, "The Horseman's...
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CSR 323 Kylie Hein
Catholic Sports Radio
She not only competed in both college and high school in volleyball and dance, but coached volleyball for multiple schools over a ten-plus year period and still hosts volleyball clinics, in addition to playing the sport both recreationally and for an annual fundraiser. In her younger years she played four other sports as well. On the faith side, she has a Master's in Ministry and is a certified Catholic mindset coach. In June she will graduate with a spiritual direction certification. She also hosts a podcast, runs workshops, and does Catholic speaking events.
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CSR 322 Ralph Linzmeier
Catholic Sports Radio
He was a competitive swimmer as a youth and played water polo in high school. He received a Presidential Appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he continued with both swimming and water polo. Believing in the value of non-profit service as an important duty, he has focused on his passion for serving, church, the underprivileged, and supporting education and youth. With two other couples, he and his wife conceived, co-founded and led the effort to create Saint Junipero Serra Catholic which has grown to become the largest Catholic grade school in America. He is a Knight of Malta and...
info_outlineHe was a competitive swimmer as a youth and played water polo in high school. He received a Presidential Appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he continued with both swimming and water polo. Believing in the value of non-profit service as an important duty, he has focused on his passion for serving, church, the underprivileged, and supporting education and youth. With two other couples, he and his wife conceived, co-founded and led the effort to create Saint Junipero Serra Catholic which has grown to become the largest Catholic grade school in America. He is a Knight of Malta and served on the National Board of Governors of Legatus, a Catholic organization for business executives who strive to study, live and spread the Catholic faith in their business, professional, and personal lives. His focus these days is on the Fruitful Futures Project, a 501c3 devoted to inspiring fruitfulness with the intention of helping others to help to build the Kingdom.