Swim Lessons

Mike Famiglietti, better known as "Coach Fam," is the recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator, and slot backs coach for Minot State University football. If you're a high school player dreaming of playing college football, or a parent trying to figure out how this whole process works, this episode is for you. Coach Fam is the guy who finds the talent, builds the relationships, and helps bring recruiting classes to Minot. He helped land 30 new signees for the Beavers on National Signing Day in 2026.

Aidan Shumate is a senior offensive lineman at Minot State University, a two-time All-NSIC selection, a team captain, and a nursing major.An offensive lineman has a battle in the trenches on every snap, so everyone else can shine. Aidan has done that for four years as a starter, anchoring one of the NSIC's top rushing offenses and earning 1st Team All-NSIC in 2024 and 2nd Team in 2025. He came all the way from Cypress, Texas, to Minot, North Dakota. He wrestled his way to the Texas state championships in high school. Now he's juggling Division II football with a nursing degree. We talked about the life of an offensive lineman, what it's really like in the trenches, the move from Texas to North Dakota, balancing football and nursing school, leadership, and everything in between. If you've ever wondered what goes on with the big guys up front, this one's for you.

Dakotah Faye is an independent rapper from Minot, North Dakota. He's currently out on the Isolation Tour. Dakotah went from recording in a closet with a computer microphone to opening for Tech N9ne at Sturgis and sharing stages with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Warren G. In 2025 alone, he released three full-length albums and played more than 40 shows across 11 states.

We sat down at the start of his tour and talked about all of it: life, music, leaving Minot, the grind nobody sees, what it takes to make it as an independent artist out of North Dakota, and everything in between. No script and no filter. Just a real conversation with one of the hardest-working artists this state has ever produced.

Brandon Hines Jr. is a standout running back for Minot State University. He is also one of the most driven football players in the NSIC Football League and has the stats to prove it.

Brandon joins Swim Lessons to talk about the work behind becoming a great running back, the pressure that comes with being counted on every game day, preparing for the next level, chasing big goals, and what people do not see behind the scenes. We also get into the football mentality, offseason training, handling expectations, staying motivated, team culture, and why the pursuit of greatness is about more than highlights and stats.

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Melissa is a respected mental health professional and a familiar voice in the volleyball community through her color commentary work with PSP Network. In this episode, we get beyond the game and into the real conversations: anxiety, burnout, performance pressure, identity, support systems, and the importance of creating environments where athletes and everyone else feel safe asking for help.

Connect with Melissa Spelchen: Website: upyourperformance1.com

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Jett Lundeen is a Minot native, a Minot State football player, and a guy living out the hometown dream. After getting his opportunity at quarterback last week, Jett stepped in and made the most of it. Playing in front of family, friends, and the community that has supported him his entire life.

Jett joins Swim Lessons to talk about growing up in Minot, staying home to play football for Minot State University, balancing life as both a quarterback and wide receiver, being ready when his number is called, and what it means to represent his hometown on the college football field.

This is a great conversation about preparation, belief, football, hometown pride, and chasing a dream without having to leave the place that raised you.

Jaden Wahlund is an assistant basketball coach/teacher at Sheyenne High School located in Fargo, North Dakota. Jaden joins the podcast to talk about basketball, coaching, life, lessons learned along the way, and plenty more.

This one goes far beyond X's and O's. We get into the people and experiences that shape you, the realities behind coaching, growing through different stages of life, and a lot of stories that had us laughing throughout the conversation. Subscribe to Swim Lessons for more conversations with athletes, coaches, creators, entertainers, and people with stories worth hearing.

Chauncy Hendershot is the head football coach at Minot High School. Chauncy joins Swim Lessons the Podcast to talk Minot High football, building a winning culture, preparing student-athletes for the season, expectations around the program, leadership, and what it takes to compete every Friday night.

We also get into the mindset behind coaching high school football, the community support around Minot athletics, developing young men through the game, and what Minot High fans can expect moving forward.

Minot State football is building something, and Head Coach Ian Shields joins Swim Lessons the Podcast to talk about it.Coach Shields sits down for a real conversation about the direction of the Beavers program, recruiting North Dakota and the region, developing young men, competing in the NSIC, building a winning culture, and what Minot State football fans can expect going forward.

Pete Stanton is the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director of the Dickinson State Blue Hawks. Coach Stanton joins Swim Lessons the Podcast to talk about building a winning culture at Dickinson State, the recruiting process, developing young men through football, the work that happens behind the scenes, and what it takes to compete at the college level.

We also get into Blue Hawks football, leadership, expectations inside the program, the future of Dickinson State, and much more. Subscribe for more conversations with athletes, coaches, creators, and people doing big things across North Dakota and beyond.