Catholic Sports Radio
Helping listeners find the right balance and priority when it comes to their faith life versus their sports life, interviews are done with guests who are Catholics in sports - current or former athletes, coaches, officials, clergy, administrators, and more, from the pro, amateur, and scholastic ranks. Whether you're an athlete or a fan, youth or adult, Catholic or not, this show will deliver content that speaks to you and provides opportunities for ongoing reflection for your daily life.
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CSR 346 George Rose
09/15/2025
CSR 346 George Rose
In light of Pope Leo XIV's canonization of the Catholic Church's two newest saints last week Sunday and due to other timely and relevant reasons you'll hear cited at the very start, this is a reissue of what was Episode 188, exactly three years ago this month. The now departed George Rose was the Executive Advisor of Pacific Rim Operations with the New York Yankees, which included having served as a Japanese translator for the likes of Hideki Irabu, Masahiro Tanaka, and Hideki Matsui, among others. He also served as an advisor for Japan's Yomiuri Giants baseball team. He was a board member of "Catholic Men for Jesus Christ," a more than 25-year old organization. He also had a radio show called, "Brothers in Arms," which he talked about here. And, he was a cancer survivor who by far was not only the first person to come on this show with a story about a miracle that would help confirm a saint, but probably the ONLY person who will be a guest and have that kind of witness to share -- the closest that any of us will come to hearing something like this firsthand.
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Celebrating 1000 Career Episodes
09/08/2025
Celebrating 1000 Career Episodes
A super special edition to celebrate the one thousandth episode hosted of Bruce Wawrzyniak's podcasting career. In this special release, there are excerpts from all of the shows he has hosted over the years: Now Hear This Entertainment, Catholic Sports Radio, TASCAM Talkback, Capture Your Art, and the PBLA Podcast. Below are links for easy access to go hear any one or more of either the specific interviews featured here or just the podcast(s) in general. It took over eleven-and-a-half years to get to this point, but this is indeed a truly special milestone worth commemorating in this way. NHTE 283 Eva Gardner (bass player for P!NK) NHTE 308 Death Angel (GRAMMY nominees) NHTE 360 Dom Morley (GRAMMY-winning producer) NHTE 540 Mark Parfitt (recording & mix engineer) Capture Your Art 4 Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (Misfits guitarist) TASCAM Talkback CSR 2 Kyle Schmidt (hockey player) CSR 80 Fr. Michael Lightner PBLA 1 John Livsey
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CSR 344 Tony Saladino
09/01/2025
CSR 344 Tony Saladino
In light of his passing just under two weeks ago, a reissue of his December 2019 "Catholic Sports Radio" interview. (Later this year he is going to posthumously receive the Sam Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Tampa, which will enshrine him in their Athletics Hall of Fame.) Every year since 1981 a tournament has taken place to promote high school baseball in Hillsborough County, which has Tampa, Florida, as its seat. It was first established as a memorial for Tony Saladino, Sr. and, as of December 2019, had grown from eleven public schools to a 32-team event, with 38 players that have participated in the tournament having gone on to play in the Major Leagues, 12 of which were first round draft picks. He had been at the heart of all of this for all those years.
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CSR 343 Anthony Acosta
08/25/2025
CSR 343 Anthony Acosta
He has played competitive basketball his entire life, saying that his team always won first place in league, and during his senior year at Mark Keppel High School his team made it to the California Interscholastic Federation semi-finals with only one player over six feet. He was featured in his local newspaper twice as part of their basketball coverage. Plus, he ran track in high school as well, having gotten his mile down to four minutes eleven seconds. On the faith side, he works at Virgin Most Powerful Radio where he hosts two shows: "Through His Wounds" and "Thunderous Theological Thursdays."
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CSR 342 Brandon Allaman
08/18/2025
CSR 342 Brandon Allaman
He played football during all four of his high school years but also spent some time in swimming and tennis. Later he would go on to coach gymnastics, and present day he is active in pickleball and weightlifting. He says that, "Sports taught me discipline and perseverance, which carry into the way I lead and serve today." Approximately five years ago he even started getting into ultra marathons, including running a 50-miler as well as a marathon and half-marathon. On the faith side, he leads Livin U, a nonprofit helping teens grow mentally, physically, and spiritually through retreats, leadership formation, and mission trips. He is also a Knight of Columbus.
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CSR 341 Kristin Sheehan
08/11/2025
CSR 341 Kristin Sheehan
She has served as the Program Director for Play Like a Champion Today since its inception. Since 2006 the program has served over 160 thousand coaches and parents through a network of 280-plus partners across the United States and Canada. As a student-athlete she was a gymnast from youth through high school, and then, attending the University of Notre Dame as a Theology major, she was a varsity athlete on the cheerleading team, and now is a certified yoga instructor. On the faith side, she has worked with the Archdiocese of Detroit and has attended both the 2015 and 2022 Vatican Conference, including leading a panel at the latter.
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CSR 340 Bob Hurley
08/04/2025
CSR 340 Bob Hurley
In 2010 he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame -- one of only three high school coaches ever to receive that honor. He began coaching at St. Anthony's High School in Jersey City in 1972 and his teams won 28 state high school championships, had 18 undefeated seasons, won nine consecutive championships, were four-time USA Today national champions, and he was a three-time USA Today National Coach of the Year. He finished with an amazing won-lost record of 1,185 victories and just 125 defeats and produced over 150 players to Division I basketball programs and coached six first-round NBA draft picks. He is the President of the People's Park Foundation, focused on regulation-sized athletic fields and a true community park for Jersey City, plus, in 2017 he founded the Hurley Family Foundation to continue his mission of developing children's potential in life through the game of basketball.
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CSR 339 Sister Marie Cacciatore
07/28/2025
CSR 339 Sister Marie Cacciatore
She played basketball and softball in high school and also participated in archery. Present day, she serves in a role at Alvernia University - a private Franciscan university in Reading, Pennsylvania - where she works with the 38 varsity teams, including activities ranging from attending coaches meetings to praying with teams before practices and games, and joining the bus with teams to offer support and prayer. On behalf of Alvernia athletics she also serves on the Thoughtful Assessment Group, and her goal is to continue to expand her work with student-athletes and across campus in order to support and minister to as many students as possible.
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CSR 338 Sophi Wrisk
07/21/2025
CSR 338 Sophi Wrisk
She is going to be playing for the U.S. Women's National lacrosse team. She is fresh off the second of back-to-back national championships with the University of Tampa women's lacrosse team, finishing 2025 with 40 goals and ten assists for 50 points in 14 games, including two goals in the national championship game. In 2024 she was named the Most Outstanding Player of both the NCAA Championship and the Sunshine State Conference Tournament. Before her three years with the Spartans, she started her collegiate career playing at the University of Maryland, where the team won the 2022 Big 10 Tournament. That followed a high school career where she was All-County in lacrosse, volleyball, and basketball. She has also served as the Head Coach of Calvary Christian girls lacrosse.
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CSR 337 Tom Dahlborg
07/14/2025
CSR 337 Tom Dahlborg
He played all four major sports as a youngster, in addition to being active in tennis, racquetball, weightlifting, and boxing. His Little League baseball team won the league title and the city title, before he then moved on to play basketball in high school, and football in college. He would go on to be a youth sports coach and the founder of a youth sports program. He authored a piece called “10 Steps to Bench Bullying by Coaches” and, with his daughter, is co-authoring a Christian book series called, "The Light."
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CSR 336 Jay Paterno
07/07/2025
CSR 336 Jay Paterno
An author, coach, and commentator with deep roots in college football, having spent over two decades coaching, including 17 years at Penn State. As a student-athlete he played football in high school, was on the 1986 national champion Penn State Nittany Lions in college and then went on to a coaching career that included Virginia, Connecticut, James Madison, and Penn State. His latest book, “BLITZED! The All-Out Pressure of College Football's New Era,” offers a gripping exploration of the challenges facing today’s college football coaches, from NIL deals to mental health. A sought-after speaker, he regularly shares insights on leadership, resilience, and the changing landscape of athletics. His writing and commentary have made him a respected voice in sports regularly called upon by both fans and analysts for his perspective on what’s next for the game he loves.
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CSR 335 Bob Zito
06/30/2025
CSR 335 Bob Zito
He has had his hands in a number of sports over the years. He captained the bowling team in high school, then played on the first-ever JV basketball team at Fairfield University, and later coached basketball and soccer at the club and high school levels. He even ran the New York Marathon, back in 1988. Plus, he was a sportswriter for eight years, and present day runs a sports management business that represents athletes across five different sports. On the faith side, he serves on the Board and has a scholarship at St. Peter’s Prep and also is the Vice Chair of the FDNY Foundation Board of Directors. When he was Executive Vice President of the New York Stock Exchange, he established the NYSE Fallen Heroes Fund. He has even visited a basilica in Italy where he saw the remains of Saint Zita in the church's altar.
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CSR 334 Belinda Terro Mooney
06/23/2025
CSR 334 Belinda Terro Mooney
As a student-athlete, she lettered in basketball and track, including having been All-District in basketball in her junior year. Present day she enjoys swimming, walking, jogging, dancing, and basketball. On the faith side, she is an author, Catholic Coach, and speaker, and has a story about having met Mother Teresa, which we shares during this interview. Her current writing projects include "Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day," "The 3 Works of Reparation: God’s Divine Mercy for Our Times," as well as making a Catholic edition of her book, "My Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Workbook: Creating a Comprehensive Plan for a Calm, Ordered Life, 2nd Edition," which contains information and planning for exercise in all forms including setting goals for sports and sports teams.
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CSR 333 Jerome Pannell
06/16/2025
CSR 333 Jerome Pannell
He has been coaching high school basketball for 15 years, including ten as Varsity Head Coach at La Salle Academy, an all-male private, independent college preparatory Catholic school in New York City, where he also serves as the Athletic Director. The survivor of a recent medical miracle, in 2017 he led La Salle basketball to their first-ever New York State Federation Championship, a team that saw one of its players eventually chosen in the NBA Draft. As a young adult he had organized a Friday Night Drop-In Center, where neighborhood youth could play basketball in the parish gym — provided they participated in prayer beforehand. Two of the highlights of his faith life include having discerned a possible call to the priesthood and having met Pope John Paul II.
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CSR 332 Dr John Sottosanti
06/09/2025
CSR 332 Dr John Sottosanti
He has been active in long distance endurance cycling -- including twice completing the "Death Ride" -- and has cycled in at least five different countries. He is a golfer as well. As a youth he participated in basketball, baseball, and football. He is the author of a book called, "Mortal Adhesions: A Surgeon Battles the Seven Deadly Sins to Find Faith, Happiness, and Inner Peace." He is also active as a speaker, giving lectures at parishes about the Camino de Santiago and the Shroud of Turin. His story also includes having served three years as a captain in the Air Force Medical Service during the Vietnam War AND being a cancer survivor.
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CSR 331 Drew Haddad
06/02/2025
CSR 331 Drew Haddad
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 in CYO for Saint Raphael’s parish. LISTEN FOR THE TESTIMONY HE SAYS HE OTHERWISE DOESN’T USUALLY TALK ABOUT!
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CSR 330 Richard Rossi
05/26/2025
CSR 330 Richard Rossi
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 him on their shoulders in celebration. He is an Academy Award-considered filmmaker, best-selling novelist, and a guitarist who has composed over one thousand songs. His latest family faith-based film has won 15 awards at film festivals and can be seen for free on Amazon.
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CSR 329 Matthew Plese
05/19/2025
CSR 329 Matthew Plese
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 publications.
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CSR 328 Johnny Kuplack
05/12/2025
CSR 328 Johnny Kuplack
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 a frozen lake rather than renounce Christ. His organization runs formative programs and adventures for men across the country.
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CSR 327 Diane Nienas
05/05/2025
CSR 327 Diane Nienas
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 hockey and powerlifting.
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CSR 326 Bud Macfarlane
04/28/2025
CSR 326 Bud Macfarlane
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 33 years ago. Their apostolate has influenced tens of millions of people through their website, novels, and other Catholic resources. In 2020 he and a priest "pinned" the Mantle of Mary on the extreme four corners of the U.S., and later, over an eight-month period, he led a spiritual warfare initiative requiring extraordinary physical challenges, which he talks about during this interview.
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CSR 325 Kevin Doyle
04/21/2025
CSR 325 Kevin Doyle
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 Vatican-approved effort to invest in the restoration and sustainability of vibrant Catholic churches, schools, and parishes where a lack of financial resources is currently holding back their potential.
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CSR 324 Tom Equels
04/14/2025
CSR 324 Tom Equels
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 Tale.” His service to our country is seen in him being a combat-wounded Vietnam veteran and the recipient of two Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism in aerial combat, along with the Purple Heart. On the faith side, he was knighted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 for his humanitarian service.
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CSR 323 Kylie Hein
04/07/2025
CSR 323 Kylie Hein
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
03/31/2025
CSR 322 Ralph Linzmeier
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 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.
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CSR 321 Kelsey Gillespy
03/24/2025
CSR 321 Kelsey Gillespy
She was just inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame at Indiana State University where she twice was first team all-conference, led the country in free-throw percentage in her senior year, and ranks in the top eight in four categories in the history of the women's basketball program at the school. In high school she had been a three-time all-state, all-metro, and first team all-conference selection. In addition, she was an assistant coach for three years for a different high school, with that team winning two Class 5 Missouri state championships during her time there. She has a Master’s degree in sports psychology from the University of Missouri. On the faith side, she is the author of a book called, "In the Trenches: Finding God Through Raising Littles" and another, released last year, called, "Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord."
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CSR 320 Dr Savannah Santiago
03/17/2025
CSR 320 Dr Savannah Santiago
She ran for the University of Colorado | Colorado Springs, competing in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Prior to that she was a school record holder in the 4x400m relay and earned several honors, including - among many others - being named Poway High School Athlete of the Year, and was a five-time state meet qualifier. Today, she still stays involved through a running club, continues to race on the roads, and, most recently, ran a full marathon for the charity organization St. Jude. Her story, however, includes medical challenges, and, in part, led to her today being a foot and ankle doctor and surgeon at a Catholic hospital in Indianapolis, including treating athletes.
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CSR 319 Drew Mahalic
03/10/2025
CSR 319 Drew Mahalic
He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the NFL Draft and went on to play four seasons in the pros, first with the San Diego Chargers and then three with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a linebacker who had played collegiately for four years at the University of Notre Dame, with the Fighting Irish being AP Poll national champions his third season with the team. After his senior year he played in the Coaches All-America Game. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. During his days as an athlete, he even played two football games in Mexico City. He later received his degree from Harvard Law School.
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CSR 318 Cristy Murray
03/03/2025
CSR 318 Cristy Murray
She is the Head Archery Coach for Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage Alaska, having launched the program herself, and last year one of her student-athletes qualified to compete nationally. She also competed in the Taekwondo National Tournament and has participated in the mud run. Away from sports, she is a certified Catholic neurocoach and expert in helping daughters heal from the trauma of being raised by covert narcissistic mothers. Plus, she is the founder of Blue Veil Wellness, providing comprehensive online coaching programs AND she is the host of a podcast called Maternal Narcissists: Unmasked.
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CSR 317 Carolina Marrelli
02/24/2025
CSR 317 Carolina Marrelli
She started fencing in junior high, stopped during high school to pursue both track and field as well as competition squad cheerleading, then went back to fencing after graduating from college and competed for several years. After a 20-year hiatus she came back to the sport and is now working her way to getting on a national team. Along the way, on the faith side, she had been in full-time music ministry. Plus, she is a certified Health Coach and corporate wellness and women's ministry speaker.
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