There's always been this assumption that you can't coach boys the same way you coach girls... turns out there IS a coaching method out there that can and HAS worked at the highest level.

This week's guest is my high school wrestling coach–– a Canadian National Champion in wrestling and judo, a Pan-Am and Commonwealth champion, and an Olympic hopeful whose journey changed forever three weeks before Trials. We talk about coaching without ego, leading from love instead of control, and what it's like being a woman who coached boys' varsity, JV, and girls' wrestling all at once— often the only female head coach in the room. Honest, unfiltered, and long overdue.

Real weigh-ins measure what's true, and so does this show.

INSTAGRAM & TIK TOK

@weighinspodcast

BONUS SOLO EPISODE, woohoo!

Join me on the scale while we explore the perceptions of age, the significance of success at different life stages, and the importance of living wholeheartedly regardless of age. I'm sharing personal insights on aging, societal expectations, and embracing authenticity. I had one too many people tell me I don't look 29 and that clearly sent me on a spiral 😂

In this episode, I sit down with my old friend Sydney Hunter, to chat about her journey from track star to American Gladiator. She discusses the importance of confidence, representation, faith, and pursuing passions with purpose.

Watch American Gladiator: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GSBW6TMF?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Follow Syd on socials:

IG - @__sydhunter

Tik Tok - @sydbarbz

Following God's will sounds great, that is, until He asks you to walk away from something you love.

Alex built most of her life around wrestling. God spoke to her through wrestling so in some ways, it came as a surprise when He called her to a mission. In this episode, we go back to the beginning: how she found herself on the mat, what her faith has meant to her long before this decision, and the exact moment the idea of a mission stopped being hypothetical and started being real.

This isn't a conversation about giving something up. It's about what it takes to choose your faith when it seems counter to "success", what she was afraid of losing, what she hoped to find, and how she's seen God working in her return to the mat.

Weighing in on what matters.

Angela Hill didn't set out to make history.. She found herself in a Muay Thai gym with plans to just get fit with her husband. Then, the snowball effect took off leading to her becoming the first African American woman to fight in the UFC. In the world of combat sports, an athlete's identity often intertwines with their fighting style and persona. Angela embodies this connection through her journey from a shy child to a fierce competitor in Muay Thai and MMA.

In this episode, we will explore Angela's unique path, how she embraced her fighting persona, and the lessons she learned along the way.

Weighing in on what matters.

Instagram handles:

@weighinpodcast

@angieoverkill

@glaudealex

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt for a conversation that goes far beyond the medal. Sarah opens up about her wrestling journey from the start, the mental struggles she faced walking into her first Olympics, and how she found her way into mindfulness and self-awareness as tools to compete and to cope. We also talk about an injury that hit at one of the worst possible times — and what it taught her about resilience, identity, and staying grounded when everything feels out of control.

This is a conversation offers a different perspective on chasing gold. Wrestling culture often promotes having a hard exterior and showing no emotion...but what if the answer to truly leveling up is something quite contrary.

Weighing in on what matters.

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Sarah's childhood journaling

01:14Sarah's early wrestling experiences and first match

02:44Winning against boys and her first undefeated season

04:28Supportive team environment and coach relationships

06:26Family's perspective and her journey into wrestling

09:26The significance of journaling and self-reflection

15:22Wrestling as a form of creative self-expression

17:17The evolution of Sarah's self-actualization

19:10Dealing with setbacks and identity crisis

21:30The aftermath of Olympic loss and emotional processing

28:23The importance of awareness and living in gray areas

43:22Preparing for Paris Olympics and fear of freezing

45:56The significance of growth over winning

48:23Current focus on injury recovery and mindfulness

01:01:13The power of stillness and self-confrontation

01:02:39Closing thoughts and gratitude for the journey

Instagram handles:

@weighinpodcast

@sarahilde

@glaudealex

Episode 1: Built in the Waiting — Why I Started This

Welcome to Weigh-Ins. In this first episode, I'm introducing myself and this show — who I am beyond the mat, my journey into wrestling, and the faith that's carried me through all of it.

I'm also getting honest about a recent injury and the hardship that came with it — the season of waiting that ended up planting the seed for this podcast in the first place. I'll share what inspired Weigh-Ins, what I hope this space becomes, and why I believe the conversations we don't always have are often the ones that matter most.

This is the start of Season 1: Built in the Waiting. Thanks for being here for it.

Weighing in on what matters.

Instagram: @weighinspodcast