Perk At Pod

After a whirlwind summer, Joel Johnson left his post as Gopher Women's Associate Head Coach and became the new head coach of the newly aligned Division 1 program at the University of St. Thomas. Weeks later, Johnson was also named the head coach of the USA Olympic Women's hockey team that will compete at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. The Minnesota native joins Perk via zoom from Calgary where the US team is competing currently.

Carrie Tollefson shares her perspective on competing in the Summer Olympic Games. The former state champ in cross country and track from Dawson, Minnesota is still very active in the running community. She discusses the state of the sport and her joy for being an ambassador for fitness and wellness.

Kyle Soderman is an MVP in the emerging sport of World Chase Tag. The Lino Lakes, MN native is now out in California pursuing a career as a stuntman but also putting his extreme sports prowess to the test in World Chase Tag. Yes, like the same kind of tag we played as kids in the backyard.

She's the best in a sport that was once considered niche, but has grown into a mainstream sport with a tournament circuit, sponsorships and a considerable amount of spectators. Catrina Allen of Pipestone, MN is the current world champion on the Disc Golf Pro Tour.

Da Beauty League is a summer showcase of some of the best hockey players in the country. The charity tournament boasts many NHL stars and celebrates the state of hockey even during the offseason. One of the league's founders is Ben Hankinson, the former Golden Gopher and NHL player is this week's guest.

This pro bowl tight end spent a decade with the Minnesota Vikings and enjoyed great success. Now Rudolph takes his talents to the Big Apple where he's a member of the New York Giants. One thing hasn't changed though and that's his commitment to helping people in the community, particularly children. Rudy discusses his newest efforts with GENYOUTH and his fresh opportunity in New York/Jersey.

This native of Atwater, MN has been riding bareback ever since he got into the rodeo back in high school. Now, Tyler Berghuis is traveling then country, competing against some of the best cowboys and bucking horses in the nation.

The sport of Ultimate Frisbee has taken off in recent years. The AUDL is a pro league that features the Minnesota Wind Chill. They're in the middle of their season and near the top of the standings. One of the veteran players on the squad is Bryan Vohnoutka. The Eden Prairie talks all things Ultimate on this episode.

It's a sport that requires ridiculous amounts of athleticism, and Leif Sundberg doesn't just take part in the sport, he excels at it. Sundberg is about to appear in his fourth season of NBC's hit show America Ninja Warrior. How did the Minnesota native get involved with the show? And what does it take to get to the top of that warped wall?

She helped usher in the sport of girls hockey to an entire generation. After a storied high school career, Natalie Darwitz helped the Minnesota Golden Gophers win back to back National Championships, and then proceeded to help USA medal in 3 Olympics. She's now bringing the Hamline University program to national prominence.