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Artwork for Athletor Podcast

Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal

The Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal
Wrestling
NCAA Wrestling
NIL
Youth Wrestling
Transfer Portal
NCAA
College Wrestling
Freestyle Wrestling
Fundraising
Recruiting
Recruitment
NIL (name, Image, Likeness)
High School Wrestling
NC State
Mental Toughness
Recruitment Strategies
USA Wrestling
Coaching
Athlete Development
Weight Cutting

Welcome to "The Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal" where we delve into the world of college and youth wrestling. Join Mike, the head coach of Poway RTC, as he sits down with guests from all levels of the sport, including high school, club, college, and senior-level coaches and athletes. Each week, Mike will bring you insightful discussions on the latest in college and youth wrestling, including train... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes187Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
WrestlingSports

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Artwork for Athletor Podcast

Latest Episodes

Jeff Buxton built Blair Academy into a 30-time consecutive National Prep champion, produced 10 NCAA individual champs, and earned the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Lifetime Service award. Now coaching at Columbia under Donnie Pritzlaff, he talks ... more

YouTube

Mike wears two hats, dad and coach. Matt Ciampa texted him to say that's wrong, and then came on to explain why. Thirty-five years into coaching, he's never found the seam between the two, and he'll tell you exactly what the one hat actually is.

Gue... more

YouTube

Nelson Brands wrestled at Iowa for his dad and his uncle, and says neither coached him until college. Now on staff at Cal Poly, he makes a specific case that beginners should learn to hand fight before they ever take a penetration step. Guest: Nelson... more

Coleman Scott won an NCAA title, an Olympic medal, and ran a D1 program. He'd rather do what he's doing now. Inside the Farm in Stillwater, and a blunt read on what NIL money is doing to recruiting and development.

Guest: Coleman Scott, 2008 NCAA ch... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nelson Brands
Head coach at Cal Poly wrestling; new staff member at Cal Poly
Cal Poly Wrestling
Episode: Ep 184 - Nelson Brands
Barry Davis
RTC coach recruited to Bloomsburg University; former coach at Wisconsin and Naval Academy
Bloomsburg University
Episode: Ep 182 - Barry Davis
John Stutzman
Coach involved in the Bloomsburg program and the discussion about RTC operations
Bloomsburg University
Episode: Ep 182 - Barry Davis
Doug Schwab
Former wrestler, UNI coach
University of Northern Iowa (UNI)
Episode: Ep. 181 - Doug Schwab
Scott Green
Wrestling coach transitioning from West Point to New York Military Academy
New York Military Academy (Chief of Staff) / West Point Wrestling Club
Episode: Ep 180 - Scott Green
Will Weber
Head coach at Wyoming Seminary Wrestling
Wyoming Seminary
Episode: Why Wrestling's #1 Recruiting Pipeline Refuses NIL Deals | Athletor Podcast Ep 179
Shane Sparks
Wrestling coach and commentator, guest on episode
not explicitly stated in transcript
Episode: "I Care About the 22,000 Kids, Not the 141 D1 Recruits" | Athletor Podcast Ep 178
Tommy Gantt
MMA Phenom, wrestler turned mixed martial artist
Professional MMA fighter
Episode: "It's just a fist fight for 7 minutes": Tommy Gantt on Wrestling to the UFC
Blaize Cabell
Coach at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
Episode: Navy's Blaize Cabell on Camps, Coaching Feel, and the Rise of Danny Wass | Athletor Podcast Ep 176

Host

Mike Mal
Host of The Athletor Podcast with Mike Mal

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 87 ratings
  • Please fix audio

    Great podcast! In depth and informative. But sounds like it’s recorded inside of an empty grain silo.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    CC Cowboy 99
    United States2 months ago
  • Huge wrestling fan.

    This is a decent wrestling podcast. But I can’t stop cringing at the fact this guy thinks everything he says is so profound. It’s cool to have an opinion that you are passionate about. But come on guy. We as an audience are not waiting with bated breath for your takes. You act like you’re gifting us with your wisdom.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Yen612
    United Statesa year ago
  • Best Wrestling podcast

    Mike Mal does a great job with the interviews and gets great guests. Highly recommend

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    griff dogg
    United Statesa year ago
  • One suggestion

    Great pod, but can you work on the audio quality?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WPRSTL
    United Statesa year ago
  • Less is more

    Mike - you have a good product. But from a personal perspective - I don’t really care about what you do, who you know, what your experiences are, what your son is dealing with. And I say that from a selfish standpoint.

    I want to listen to your guests! They’re experience - and learn from them. I get 60 minutes to gain as much as I can from your guests and listen to every one of them.

    The top podcasters that do interviews like Shawn Ryan - let the people speak- very rarely talks about his lif... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Pennsyltuckey
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audio quality is a common point of improvement mentioned by some reviews.
Listeners appreciate the depth and practical takeaways from guest stories and coaching insights.
Guests and interview quality are frequently praised for offering actionable perspectives for coaches and parents.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#62
United States/Sports/Wrestling
Apple Podcasts
#192
Canada/Sports/Wrestling
Apple Podcasts
#200
United Kingdom/Sports/Wrestling
Apple Podcasts
#143
France/Sports/Wrestling
Apple Podcasts
#5
Indonesia/Sports/Wrestling
Apple Podcasts
#181
Indonesia/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 184 - Nelson Brands
Q: What has surprised you most in your first month at Cal Poly?
Brands highlights the culture shift and openness in the room, noting the strong communication among staff and athletes and the welcoming environment in San Luis Obispo.
"It's just a fist fight for 7 minutes": Tommy Gantt on Wrestling to the UFC
Q: What was the turning point when you started buying in under the coach's regime?
The turning point came after a rough stretch where I lost multiple ACC matches, followed by a realization that training continuously through summer with the coach's expectation would bridge the gap and enable real progress, which led to better results and belief in the system.
Stop Cutting Weight: Damion Hahn's Case for Wrestling Up | Athletor Podcast Ep 175
Q: OK, so what we did, Damion, was we took last year's performance at the NCAAs and put that data in. What can you surmise from this?
The numbers show that adding new conference members will likely boost team points, national ranks, and All-American counts, and the schedule will allow for more varied competition, which should raise the program's profile and results over time.
"I Couldn't Ride for 30 Seconds to Win a Title. That Made Me Obsessed" | Athletor Podcast Ep 173
Q: How do you build trust and buy-in with transfer athletes?
Trust is fundamental to development; we invest heavily in relationships, spending time with players, understanding life off the mat, and aligning on goals so they feel supported and integrated into the program.
"I Couldn't Ride for 30 Seconds to Win a Title. That Made Me Obsessed" | Athletor Podcast Ep 173
Q: What is the portal recruitment process like compared to recruiting out of high school?
Portal recruitment is fast, targeted, and relationship-driven; we assess needs quickly and try to bring in players who fit culturally and can contribute immediately, then measure potential points gained.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Athletor Podcast

What is Athletor Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on wrestling at all levels, from youth clubs to college programs, with in-depth conversations about training methods, strategy, and program development. Episodes frequently tackle growth models for wrestling education, recruitment and transfer dynamics, NIL implications, fundraising, and culture-building within teams and camps. A recurring thread is how to build sustainable programs that prioritize holistic development, leadership, and community impact, often featuring guests who lead prep schools, service academies, or NCAA programs. A standout is the emphasis on practical coaching philosophies, real-world recruiting insights, and the crossover between high-performance sport and education. This mix makes it useful for coac... more

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How many listeners does Athletor Podcast get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Athletor Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Athletor Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Athletor Podcast:

1. BASCHAMANIA
2. FloWrestling Radio Live
3. The Bader Show
4. Mat Talk Podcast Network
5. The Full Tilt Podcast

How many episodes of Athletor Podcast are there?

Athletor Podcast launched 4 years ago and published 187 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Athletor Podcast?

Recent guests on Athletor Podcast include:

1. Nelson Brands
2. Barry Davis
3. John Stutzman
4. Doug Schwab
5. Scott Green
6. Will Weber
7. Shane Sparks
8. Tommy Gantt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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