The GO EARN IT Podcast

Drew Foster, a two-time All-American at Northern Iowa, discussed his journey as a four-sport athlete in high school and the benefits of versatility. He detailed his wrestling career, highlighting his redshirt freshman year where he went 1-9 and his rapid improvement to becoming an All-American in 2017. Foster emphasized the importance of effort, trust, and resilience. He shared his experience at t...

Lehigh head wrestling coach Pat Santoro joined the show to discuss his journey as an athlete and mentor. A two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Pitt, Santoro reflected on the mental and physical growth that defined his wrestling career, from early struggles in high school to his breakthrough moments at Blair Academy and Pitt. He emphasized the importance of courage, belief, and emb...

Kendric Maple, a three-time Big 12 champion and three-time All-American at the University of Oklahoma, discussed his high school and collegiate wrestling career. He highlighted his high school state titles and the impact of his coach. Maple detailed his recruiting process, including visits to Oklahoma and Iowa State, and his decision to attend Oklahoma. He recounted his national title win in 2014...

Mark Branch, a four-time finalist and two-time national champion, discusses his wrestling journey with Shane Sparks. Branch recalls his first meeting with John Smith, who convinced him to join Oklahoma State over the University of Oklahoma. He describes the initial challenges of transitioning from high school to college wrestling, feeling inadequate and overmatched.   Branch emphasizes the importa...

Current Edinboro assistant coach AJ Schopp joins Shane Sparks on the latest episode of the Go Earn It Podcast. Schopp was a three-time All-American for the Fighting Scots and recently returned after spending a number of years on staff at Purdue. School discusses his wrestling journey, emphasizing the importance of hard work and mental resilience. He recalls his time at Young Guns, highlighting the...

Darian Cruz, a three-time All-American, NCAA champion and Olympian, reflects on his career, particularly his 2017 NCAA championship win against Thomas Gilman. He recalls the emotional preparation and the pivotal moments in the match, including a crucial takedown in regulation and overtime. Cruz also discusses the impact of his coach, Pat Santoro, and the importance of mental preparation. He shares...

Teague Moore, a three-time All-American and national champion at Oklahoma State, discussed his wrestling journey. He recalled losing to Jeremy Hunter in high school and finally winning a high school state championship. Moore highlighted his pivotal meeting with John Smith at Fargo, which led to his commitment to Oklahoma State. He detailed his national championship win in 1998 over David Morgan an...

Cody Brewer, a national champion and four-time All-American wrestler, discussed his wrestling journey and coaching career. He highlighted his mentor, Mike Lightner, and his best wrestling IQs. Brewer shared his early wrestling experiences, including his first state championship and his high school losses. He recounted his 2014 national title win and the 2015 loss to Nahshon Garrett. Brewer emphasi...

Daton Fix, a five-time Big 12 champion, five-time NCAA Division I All-American and Junior World Champion, discussed his wrestling journey. He highlighted his experiences at Gallagher-Iba Arena, including his final match against Iowa, and his high school career, where he won four state titles. Fix recounted his recruitment process, choosing Oklahoma State over other top colleges.  He reflected on h...

Shane Sparks' discussion with World silver medalist, three-time NCAA All-American, two-time NCAA champion and two-time Olympian Kerry McCoy on Episode 32 of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Shane Sparks talks with Olympic silver medalist, NCAA All-American and respected club coach Brandon Paulson on Episode 31 of the Go Earn It Podcast. 

Part 2 of Shane Sparks' discussion with four-time All-American, NCAA champion and 2003 Dan Hodge Trophy Winner Eric Larkin on  Episode 30 of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Part 1 of Shane Sparks' discussion with four-time All-American, NCAA champion and 2003 Dan Hodge Trophy Winner Eric Larkin on  Episode 30 of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Part 2 of Shane Sparks' discussion with current Virginia Tech associate head coach and 2012 Olympian Jared Frayer on  Episode 28 of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Part 1 of Shane Sparks' discussion with current Virginia Tech associate head coach and 2012 Olympian Jared Frayer on  Episode 26 of the Go Earn It Podcast. Frayer was a two-time All-American and a 2002 NCAA Division I national finalist for Oklahoma. Frayer is a native of Clearwater, Florida. 

Part 2 of Shane Sparks' discussion with current Wisconsin assistant coach and past NCAA Division I champion Jon Reader on Episode 26 of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Shane Sparks needs little reason to get fired up when talking wrestling, but when he's talking with Jon Reader, the fire just burns a bit brighter. Join Sparks on Episode 25 of the Go Earn It Podcast as he talks with the current Wisconsin assistant and 2011 NCAA Division I champion. 

Michigan native, four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean joins Shane Sparks on the most recent episode of the Go Earn It Podcast.

Shane Sparks joins New York native and current Cornell assistant coach Nick Gwiazdowski, a two-time World bronze medalist, four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Champion on the latest episode of the Go Earn It Podcast.   Gwiazdowski started his college career at Binghamton for head coach Pat Popolizio and followed his coach to NC State where he'd win two NCAA titles and wrestle in the finals th...

Shane Sparks returns for Part 2 of the Go Earn It Podcast with Matt McDonough, a three-time NCAA Division I finalist and two-time champion from the University of Iowa.

Brian Smith has been the architect of the Missouri wrestling program. On the latest episode of the Go Earn It Podcast with host Shane Sparks, Smith talks about his philosophy on coaching and developing wrestlers, coming from Florida and wrestling at Michigan State and how he's shaped Missouri into one of the top programs in the country.

In this episode of the Go Earn It Podcast, host Shane Sparks sits down with David Carr, a five-time NCAA Division I All-American and two-time NCAA champion from Iowa State. The conversation delves into the intense rivalry between Carr and fellow wrestler Keegan O'Toole, which has captivated audiences with its fierce competition and strategic maneuvers (0:00). Carr opens up about dealing with disap...

Shane Sparks catches up with three-time All-American and two-time NCAA Division I champion Matt McDonough from Iowa. Sparks talks with McDonough about his career at Iowa and how he almost ended up as a Northwestern Wildcat. 

On Episode 18 of the Go Earn It Podcast, Shane Sparks delves into the wrestling journey of four-time All-American Nick Simmons, exploring his illustrious career as an athlete at Michigan State, his time on the U.S. World Team and a college and club coach. From his early days to becoming a three-time Big Ten champion, Simmons shares his insights on wrestling techniques, mental toughness, and his co...

Shane Sparks sits down with Robert Kokesh, a standout wrestler from the University of Nebraska, to discuss his journey from South Dakota to becoming a three-time All-American. Kokesh shares insights into his wrestling career, the influence of his coaches, and the lessons learned along the way. Timestamps Wrestling, Sports, and Personal Background (0:02) Toughness, Resilience, and Wrestling (3:33)...