Chris & Friends EP16: Searching for Identity w/ Flo Zurkinden
Chris & Friends
In this episode I sit down life coach Flo Zurkinden. This was a fun episode with a friend who I first heard about years ago as she finished second place in something aptly titled The Death Race! Flo and I discuss her childhood in Switzerland, her start in running, and how as a young adult she was searching for an identity and being "a runner" became that. From there she went on to pursue many other athletic endeavors in the race world (half marathons, full marathons, ultramarathons, etc.) and had success in all but at one point realized that there was still something missing. She realized she...
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Chris & Friends EP15: Talking Sport & Mindset w/ Dr. Megan Cannon!
Chris & Friends
This episode focuses on a topic I am deeply passionate about and that is having a healthy relationship with sport. As we all know, sport provides a wonderful outlet for children to learn many great life lessons but over the years, it is as if we have lost sight over what is truly important as youth sport has become a billion dollar industry! In this episode, we discuss anxiety, working alongside parents in trying to create a healthy sport environment, the accessibility of sport and the resources associated with it (access to good coaches, sport psychologists, fields, etc.), the importance of...
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Chris & Friends EP14: Talking Wrestling & Life w/ Ben Chunko!
Chris & Friends
In this episode I sit down with a former coach of mine and someone I consider to be a friend and mentor Ben Chunko. Ben is the owner and head coach at Grit Mat Club located in Bethlehem, PA. We touched on so many great topics and I think it is an episode all parents of athletes should listen to. One of my big takeaways was the importance of showing kids how to act. It is not "do as I say" but rather "watch what I do". If you can show the kids how to win, how to lose, how to train, how to learn, how to have discipline, they will then pick up on that and it will become a part of their lifestyle...
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Chris & Friends EP13: Lucky Number 13 w/ Marisa Mangiameli!
Chris & Friends
In this episode, Marisa and myself tackle many subjects over the course of this 75 minute episode. We break down what exactly Marisa’s credentials, you get a glimpse of my “skill” in avoiding uncomfortable topics, parenting, getting berated by a coach, and so much more! I hope you enjoy!
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Chris & Friends EP12: Today I have no friends... but I do have Shingles!
Chris & Friends
Hello everyone, welcome to the 12th episode of the Chris & Friends podcast! In this episode, I share about my experience of getting shingles, break down the highlights from the past five guests, and share a story about the American Civil War that asks the question: Can we have peace without forgiveness? I hope you all enjoy this episode!
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Chris & Friends EP11: "Living in Multiple Rooms" w/ Molly Sunderlin
Chris & Friends
One of the perks of doing this podcast is taking 75 minutes to sit down with a friend and just explore a variety of conversations. Molly and I live in the same neck of the woods but often times when we see each other, it is usually in passing or the conversations are rushed as we are doing something else. But not this time! A recurring theme is in this conversation is that life has many stages. For Molly, she was a Division 1 runner who nearly ran the Olympic qualifying time for the marathon, then an educator, then a parent, and now she is finding time to pursue what she is truly passionate...
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Chris & Friends EP10: No Safety Nets w/ Jason Brader
Chris & Friends
In this episode, I meet with the man who gave me my first job in the world of Strength & Conditioning, Jason Brader. His resume is very impressive. He was one of the first guys in the area who really focused on building high level athletes and over the course of his career, has worked with thousands of high school, college and professional athletes. If you can sum up Jason's life in one way it is facing and overcoming hardship. From working a newspaper route 7 days a week as a teen, to losing both parents as a high school student, to becoming a record setting running and All-American to...
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Chris & Friends EP9: You have the Power to Change w/ Haley Martinez
Chris & Friends
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet Haley at one of our wonderful barn events. As the day was coming to a close, a few people stuck around to chat and this is where the conversations started to get a little more interesting. It is also where I got to know Haley. To say this women is multifaceted would be an understatement. She is a kindergarten teacher, a bodybuilder, a personal trainer and most recently, she added holistic health practitioner to her resume with a focus on breath work. We covered a lot of topics over the course of 70 minutes but I will do my best to summarize. At...
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EP8: Marinating on ideas w/ Marisa Mangiameli
Chris & Friends
This was another fun one with the one and only Marisa! This episode is filled with some great stuff. We talked about so many things but in the end, the central seemed to flow around the idea of your body keeping score of everything that happens to you, that with each life experience lies a choice, doing the right thing even when it is difficult, being authentic, and most importantly, Marisa grades my health in four different categories and one of the scores I receive is abysmal. I hope you all enjoy!
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EP7: "Make workouts the best art of their day" w/ Steven Rose
Chris & Friends
About 11 years ago I was working as a strength coach and football coach at a local high school and it was during this time that I met a young Steven Rose. He was an undersized 8th grader with tons of motivation, a great attitude, and endless effort. Over the next four years, I coached him through hundreds of workouts and dozens of football games and none of those attributes he showed as an 8th grader ever changed. Even as an adult, he is still motivated to improve, always has a great attitude, and works hard in whatever it is he does. Steven has spent the past few years working as a strength...
info_outlineIn this episode, I sit down with my friend, former coach and current owner of Grit Mat Club Ben Chunko.
In this episode, we touch on a variety of topics including coaching wrestling, being a parent, what the word Grit means, creating a culture for his club, and so much more.
Over the years, Ben has always been a great example of always learning, always willing to help, and most importantly, always coaching to help kids reach their full potential. He is an asset to the local community and the sport of wrestling and I am grateful that there are guys like him out there.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!