The Coach J Podcast

On EP. 16 Penn State Basketball legend Tyler Smith joins the show. Have you ever been away from home in a strange land, in a bad environment, with no money, and knowing nobody?  Could you ever find peace and comfort in that environment?  In this episode you will hear from PSU Basketball great Tyler Smith and how he found enlightenment in his relationship with Jesus and how that relationship helped him find peace in some very challenging times.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit ⁠⁠coachj.org⁠⁠. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

On EP. 15, you hear from Susan Robinson-Fruchtl about what the verse “To whom much is given, much is required”.   She shares her small town West Virginia upbringing, to her Penn State University experience and then into her travels as a College and High School women’s basketball coach.  Listen to how Jesus has been a foundation and the fabric woven into all her experiences.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit ⁠coachj.org⁠. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

On EP. 14 we welcome Joe Crispin, one of Penn State basketball’s all time greats shares his journey through Penn State, as a Professional Athlete and now as a college coach.  Hear how all the success in basketball was not satisfying and how Jesus helped him come to the end of being the center of his life.  Joe shares how he applied the same intensity in pursuing basketball greatness, to being a great child of God.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit ⁠coachj.org⁠. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

On EP. 13 we welcome Super Bowl Champion and former New York Giant David Tyree. Tyree, a member of the 2007 Super Bowl Champion NY Giants, is famous for the greatest catch ever made in Super Bowl history.  Known throughout the sports world as “The Catch”.  In this interview, you will go on a journey through his life growing up in NJ, through his playing days at Syracuse and finishing  out his football career in the NFL with the NY Giants.  When you listen to this episode, what you may find more incredible than “The Catch” is what happened to David when he caught fire for Christ.  Sit back for an inspiring story through the heart of David Tyree

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

Tom Ryan is the head wrestling coach at Ohio State University. He is a 2x NCAA Coach of the Year, 3x Big Ten Coach of the Year, and won the NCAA team title in 2015. In this episode, Coach Ryan shares his very personal story of loss, suffering, and a relentless search for the truth.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

Bo Nickal is a 3x NCAA Wrestling Champion and UFC fighter.  In this episode of the Coach J podcast Bo talks about transitioning to mixed martial arts from wrestling, how his faith affects his self-discipline, and what his biggest loss and greatest victory have in common.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

On this episode of the Coach J podcast Janae talks about how her current mission to help athletes transition out of sports and into life, was brought about through a lot of twists and unexpected turns, and with a common thread of Jesus in her life. She also shares about a career ending injury at Penn State and how she turned that into the foundation of impacting the lives of other athletes.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

Jude Swisher is a 3x PIAA State Placewinner and member of the University of Pennsylvania wrestling team.  On this episode of the Coach J podcast Jude talks about how he balanced training and academics to graduate with a 4.0 GPA, the value of relationships, and how to ride the train, not the rollercoaster. He also tells a story about a Hell's Angel biker that changed his life.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

Barry Davis is a 3X NCAA wrestling champion and Olympic silver medalist. In this episode of the Coach J podcast Barry talks about the values he learned growing up in Iowa, the relationship between coach and athletes, and a supernatural experience he had during the NCAA tournament.  He tells us a story about collecting aluminum cans to pay for gas just a week after winning the silver medal in the Olympics.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!

Jason Nolf is a 3x NCAA Champion wrestler and Pan-Am games gold medalist. In this episode of the Coach J podcast, Jason talks about his competitive mindset, spiritual values, and how faith influences his relationship with his wife, professional soccer player Maddie Nolf.

About Coach J - The Coach J playbook is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. Our podcast features interviews with athletes, coaches, and fans who discuss their experience and understanding of faith, competition, successes, and failures.

If you want to talk to someone about what it means to follow Jesus, visit coachj.org. We have real-live people who'd love to talk with you. There are also other great episodes that we hope will be inspiring and uplifting.

Spread the word by sharing this episode with a friend and leaving a review. Thank you!