Quest for Success

Join the conversation with California's High School Baseball Coach of the Year, Kurt Takahashi, as he steps up to the podcast plate to share his extraordinary journey from the youthful fields of glory to the dugouts of mentorship. Discover the invaluable lessons of routine, mental preparation, and consistency that Kurt imparts, reflecting on his days under the sun with the San Francisco Giant...

Victor Leva's legacy reaches far beyond the football field, and as we welcome him to our podcast, he shares a lifetime of wisdom from his journey as an NFL player to a coach and Highway Patrol Officer. The heartbeat of his story is the dedication to the sport and the relentless spirit he champions, serving both as a guide to young athletes and a testament to the power of passion. As he remini...

When you think athletics, you think competition, resilience, discipline, and above all, the thrill of the game. Our chat with AJ Watts, the Athletic Director at Porterville Unified School District, encapsulates all of this and much more. AJ is no stranger to the pulse-pounding world of sports, boasting a career filled with unforgettable moments, victories, and lessons learned both on and off the f...

What happens when you put a visionary superintendent, a technology pioneer and a fervent advocate for education in the same room? You get an enlightening conversation with David Shimer, the superintendent of Burton Schools, who has seen the transformative power of technology in the education field. In this riveting conversation, David takes us through his journey, from the inception of computer la...

What if a fresh perspective on the game of basketball could change the trajectory of your sports career? This enlightening episode with our guest, Alia Alvarez, Head Coach of the Porterville College Women's Basketball Program, promises to do just that! Alia’s unique coaching philosophy, her transition to coaching, her relentless determination, and her mission-focused approach to take her play...

Get ready to grapple with the intricacies of wrestling as we engage in an intense conversation with Jacob Wright, a four-time NCAA Wrestling Qualifier at the University of Wyoming and Fresno State and the proud owner of Wright Wrestling Academy. If you've always wondered what it takes to reach the pinnacle of wrestling, Jacob's insights, drawn from a lifetime of dedication to the sport,...

Ever feel like you're stuck in a rut and need some fresh and invigorating inspiration? Join us as we sit down with the exceptional martial artist and instructor, Mauricio Mejia, who not only holds a black belt in Jiu Jitsu but has honed his skills in the disciplines of Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. Together, we trace the lineage of the black belt, celebrate the growth of the Elite Tea...

Meet IFBB Classic Physique Professional Bodybuilder, Rudy Ramirez, as he takes us through a captivating journey of the bodybuilding world. From a young admirer of Arnold Schwarzenegger to a certified professional, Rudy inspires with his tales of triumph, challenge, and resilience. He unravels the mystery surrounding bodybuilding, debunking myths, shedding light on his favorite exercises, and shari...

What would you do if you had the chance to sit down with a former professional baseball player and dive deep into their journey? You don't have to imagine, because that's exactly what we're serving up in our latest episode with Steve Cox. From his early days at Monache High School to playing at the highest levels of professional baseball, Steve gives us an insider's look into h...

From the gridiron to the rodeo arena, former Super Bowl champion and rodeo athlete Bear Pasco's journey is a testament to the unyielding resolve of the human spirit. Our conversation delves into the role of quality coaching in the world of sport and how it has been a cornerstone of Bear's successful athletic career. Through the lens of his personal experiences, Bear highlights the critic...

Season Finale! The Final episode of Season 1 of the Quest for Success Podcast. Hosts @zac5aguilar & @blain6 sit down to recap season 1, talk about how Quest for Success all started and what’s to come for season 2 and beyond. Some big announcements will come out in this epsiode including a Quest merch drop, guests for season 2 and much more. We want to thank each and every one of you who has su...

Ebony Madrid-Brown is a professional international soccer player who recently signed to play in Hungary for Astra Hungary FC. Coming from a military family, Ebony moved and lived all over the world, including in South Korea, Germany and Hawaii. She would receive many awards which included Stars and Stripes Athlete of the Year, Osan Korea Athlete of the Year and the Ramstein, Germany Athlete of the...

“Quest for Success Podcast” w/former @ufc fighter and @bellatormma champion Joe Soto ( @joesoto135 ). We had a great time sitting down and talking to Joe about his childhood growing up, wrestling career, fighting in the UFC, being roommates with Jon Jones and Colby Covington. — Joe Soto fought at the bantamweight division in the UFC. A professional competitor since 2006, Soto has also formerly com...

The “Quest for Success Podcast” w/ Cal State Bakersfield Women’s Head Golf Coach Tiffanie Yabut ( @tiffanie_yabut ) who is the founder of the @impactourgolf and an LPGA Professionals Member. It was a great pleasure having Tiffanie on the show to talk about her journey, golf career, being a head golf coach and her new journey with her Non Profit. Tiffanie is an amazing person who makes those around...

We sat down and had a great conversation with Steve Brown, the Oregon State Hall of Famer and former All American Linebacker. We discussed Steve’s early childhood, work ethic, lifting weights, his playing days and what motivates him to continue coaching today! Steve Brown is a man’s man who lives and breaths football, but more importantly a man of faith, family and service! — Steve Brown, a 1969 P...

Are you an American Ninja Warrior fan? Zhanique Lovett (Zee) is the ultimate Ninja Warrior! We got to sit down with Zhanique Lovett (Zee) and had a great conversation with the American Ninja Warrior competitor. We learned a lot about her early childhood and perseverance to overcome many obstacles in throughout her life, experience on America Ninja Warrior, being vegan, mother, and an absolute beas...

Grateful and humbled to announce Episode 4 of the “Quest for Success Podcast” w/ the great Jim Short. We caught up with Jim and had an absolutely incredible and humbling conversation with the former @nevadafootball standout, High School Teacher, coach and one of the greatest, most humble men you’ll ever meet. We call him coach, teacher, friend and a role model. — Jim Short grew up in the small tow...

Episode 3 of the “Quest for Success Podcast” w/ @fresnocitycollege Head Mens Basketball Coach @rob81_04 . We had an eye opening and deep conversation with Coach Haynes about growing up, his journey, playing career, coaching career and lessons learned along the way. — Rob Haynes is the head men’s basketball coach and professor at Fresno City College. Haynes previously served as head coach @portervi...

Episode 2 of the “Quest for Success Podcast” w/ Cal State Bakersfield Women’s Basketball coach and former CSUB basketball standout Zack Grasmick ( @zgrasmick ). We had a great conversation with Zack about his childhood, playing career, coaching career and what it takes to succeed and get recruited at the next level.  — Zack Grasmick journey to success began at Granite Hills High School in Portervi...

We are thrilled to announce the release of Episode 1 of the “Quest for Success Podcast” with 2x Olympic Wrestler Tim Vanni.  We had an amazing conversation with this absolute legendary man, one of the all time greats, the one and only Mr. Tim Vanni!  Tim Vanni is a two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler. He finished fourth in the '88 Games in Seoul and fifth in the '92 Games in Barcelona. Vanni...

Quest for Success Podcast hosted by Gym Owner and Trainer Zac Aguilar and Educator, coach, and Athletic Director Blain Smothermon. Sharing stories of people on the quest for success.  Support the show Quest for Success Links | https://linktr.ee/questforsuccess