Heavy Hitter Sports

Tennis is at a crossroads. Serena & Roger have retired. Carlos Alcaraz has successfully stormed into the picture. Can Naomi regain her position on top of the ATP rankings? And how will all-important Nike factor into the game's future?  The game of tennis is at a breakpoint. Enjoy the first Quick Take version of Heavy Hitter Sports. 

Host Mark Hochgesang speaks with Ivan Tchatchouwo, the co-founder of The Zone, a company focused on student athlete mental wellness. Ivan reveals how his personal challenges inspired him to help other young athletes overcome their own mental hurdles.  A wide variety of mental health issues confronting today’s sports world and beyond are addressed, including identity crisis, eating disorders, anxie...

Paul McDonald, the USC national champion and all-American quarterback, discusses three of the most notable games in Trojan football history, his 8-year NFL career and raising three quarterback sons of his own. Paul also talks about his uplifting new book Thru the Tunnel, which was motivated by a life-changing introspective journey. He shares his thoughts on how we can bring out our best selves by...

Welcome to the opening episode of season two of Heavy Hitter Sports.  Ila Borders was the first woman to earn a collegiate baseball scholarship and pitch her team to a win in pro ball. She played for Bill Murray, was invited to the White House and her college and pro memorabilia is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Ila is a rebel and true ground-breaker.  During Ila’s stellar...

Sports is always more interesting when great villains enter the picture. Father & son hosts, Mark & Chris Hochgesang, team up to share their collective list of top 25 sports villains. Part two depicts the 13 most nefarious of all sports villains.  Enjoy sports fans!

Leo Wang & Chris Hochgesang are the guest co-hosts on this week's Heavy Hitter Sports show. They use the forum to soft launch their own Meeting in the Middle podcast focused on MMA & UFC. Leo & Chris review the highlights of UFC Fight Night Vegas 54 and dissect the history & virtues of Jiu Jitsu.  Leo works for Paradigm Sports, the premier MMA sports agency and Chris is a pass...

Sports is always more interesting when great villains enter the picture. Father & son hosts, Mark & Chris Hochgesang, team up to share their collective list of top 25 sports villains. Part one depicts stories of villains 25 thru 14. Part two will include the unlucky 13 , aka the most nefarious of all sports villains.  Enjoy sports fans!

Ian 'Kanga' Cairns is the greatest big wave rider in surfing history. He was inducted in the surfing Hall of Fame in 2010 after winning multiple world championships, creating his own surfing brand & TV show, organizing two pro surfing leagues & several noteworthy competitions & coaching the USA surf team. Kanga is now launching an exciting new pro surfing league in a truly in...

Brian Bushway's intense love affair with sports & movement only intensified after he lost his sight at 14. His dream is to create a perceptual revolution in sports and beyond. Brian has been called the World’s Best Blind Mountain Biker. But his true passion is coaching, training and inspiring those in the visually impaired world. Brian is the Co-Founder of Acoustic Athletics, an innovativ...

Celebrate one of the most magical moments in college basketball history with Harold Jensen. The unlikely hero  sparked his Villanova Wildcats to a miraculous finals victory over heavily favored Georgetown in 1985. Most consider this to be one of the greatest sports upsets ever.  Harold discusses Villanova’s amazing tournament run, his near perfect final game performance, his teary-eyed devotion to...

Brandi Heather, an award winning disability & inclusion educator, therapeutic play specialist and author, explains how we can all benefit by adding more PLAY into our lives, regardless of age. And for many of us, SPORT serves as our go-to source of play. Brandi describes how we are biologically driven to play, even in the darkest of times. She talks about the valuable lessons learned on the pl...

AC/DC's classic tunes amplify the top ten timely sport grievances of host Mark Hochgesang. 

Ken Ungar, the founder and president of CHARGE, shares what it takes to develop a successful partnership between sponsors & properties, whether they be athletes, teams or leagues. Mark & Ken talk about football, basketball, baseball, soccer, auto-racing & esports. They delve into key sponsorships related to the Super Bowl & Olympics. The impact of NIL, digital media, social justice...

After concluding an amazing corporate career at Nike, Oakley and Converse, Jim Stroesser creates his own California centric sports brand, Cali Strong. Jim shares his brand building advice, innovative pandemic strategy and stories involving Hall of Famer partners Bill Walton and Andre Reed. Enjoy sports fans! Jim's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimstroesser/ Cali Strong Website...

Jim Stroesser, founder of Cali Strong, was a transformative leader at Nike, Oakley, Quicksilver, Ralph Lauren and LA Gear. But it was a Converse that Jim earned his reputation as a turnaround expert. We'll learn how Jim overhauled the company, reenergized the brand, exploded sales and sold Converse for three times the purchase price to Nike. Jim's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.c...

Renowned sports psychologist Dr. Jim Afremow joins the Heavy Hitter Sports show. Jim helps athletes attain peak performance. He’s worked with Olympians, MLB, NBA, WNBA, NHL and NFL players and PGA and LPGA golfers around the globe.  Jim and host Mark Hochgesang talk about the power of mindfulness, visualization and positive self-talk. They discuss the chief tenets of stoicism and how they can bene...

Guest Catherine Beldotti Donlan shares insights from her general management and sales executive career with some of the most ground-breaking companies in sports...Reebok, Ryka, Puma and Converse. She discusses her role as a champion for Women's Sports as a business leader, mentor, investor, coach, parent and collegiate athlete. Catherine and host Mark Hochgesang  talk about her upbringing in...

Guest Rudy Manival provides an insider's look into the Nike product development world. He spent 23 years with the company leading footwear, apparel and product development efforts. Rudy and host Mark Hochgesang discuss Rudy's Parisian upbringing, his tireless quest to one day work for Nike and his exciting Tour de France adventure. Rudy also talks about his relationship with two of socce...

Host Mark Hochgesang showcases the worst sports moments of 2021. Time Stamped Show Notes 00:         Intro 2:02:      Costly Beer Tab 2:44:     Space Disaster 4:06:     Kelly Goes Southern 4:57:     Power to the People 7:12:     The Exorcist  8:05:     Wembley Woes 10:45:    Put Me in Coach 12:16:   Tragedy on the Track 12:48:   Own It Urban 13:59:   Happy New Year!

Host Mark Hochgesang celebrates the top ten sports moments of 2021. And he wraps by sharing his personal Festivus inspired grievance. Cheers to Giannis, Shohei, Simone, Buster, Allyson and Tom Terrific! Boo NCAA & Congress! Enjoy sports fans! Time Stamped Show Notes 00:        Intro 1.43:    Trojans & Giants 3:14:    The Kids are Back 3:45:     Hoop Dreams 5:34:    Comebacks 7:09:    Feeli...

Host Mark Hochgesang spotlights the inspiring New York Islander fan sing along of The Star-Spangled Banner during  the opening of the brand new UBS arena on Saturday November 20. Enjoy! Check out the video of the event: https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/32676391

Natalie Hummel, co-founder of every kid sports, and Mark agree that every child should be allowed to play sports. Sadly, that's a reality for only 22% of low-income kids. Natalie's non-profit is making a positive impact by paying youth sports registration fees to enable economically challenged families to experience the joy and benefits of organized sports. Mark and Natalie also talk abo...

Host Mark Hochgesang speaks with Kate Delhagen. Kate is the founder of Oregon Sports Angels and a former Nike colleague of Mark's. Topics range from Jesse Owens, Billie Jean King and Mark Cuban to business start-up investing, the joy of learning and the Great Resignation. Learn how to make a successful career pivot from the master. And enjoy Kate's wit, insight and honest desire to make...

Coaching can make all the difference to young athletes. Host Mark Hochgesang speaks with baseball's unsung hero, James Lowe. 'Coach Ballgame' teaches baseball year-round to 4 to 12 year old boys and girls. His wacky, but highly engaging style makes James a one-of-kind motivator. Today's talk covers the art of storytelling & listening, why failure can be a good thing for kid...

Guest Linda Wawrzyniak shares key findings from her brand-new book Million-Dollar Adjustments. In the conversation with host Mark Hochgesang, Linda shows how minor adjustments can make a major impact in sports, business and personal lives.  Linda’s learnings come from the game of baseball. Her extensive scientific studies have shown that the players and coaches who truly excel, typically exhibit f...