RUDIS Wrestling Podcast

Olympic Red Shirt and Jr. Worlds This episode Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan cover Yianni Diakomihalis / Zain Retherford arbitration process being dragged out, Mekhi Lewis taking an Olympic redshirt, Vito Arujau at Junior Worlds, and Collegiate rosters for next season. Askren and Dernlan First get into Yianni vs Zain. They believe by the length of time the arbitration process is taking that there will a wrestle-off. What the board is trying to figure out most likely is if they count the second Final X match for Yianni and the series is tied 1-1 or if they call it a nullified match and force Yianni to win two straight matches. They’ll also have to decide when the match will happen with limited time remaining before the World Championships. The next topic they discuss is the domestic battle in the U.S. at the 57kg weight class for the Olympics. The list of elite wrestlers filtering into 57kg is extremely long from Daton Fix, Spencer Lee, Thomas Gilman, Nick Suriano, to Tyler Graff, Nathan Tomasello, and the list goes on and on. For Daton Fix it’s extremely important for him to medal in order to put himself in a final wrestle-off for the Olympic team spot. They also announce they will be going LIVE on YouTube from the RUDIS Wrestling HQ this Saturday, August 17th as they watch the Kyle Dake vs Alex Dieringer wrestle-off. Lastly the breakdown Junior Worlds and the potential of these amazing wrestlers.

Spencer Lee Before Iowa On this special episode of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren sits down with 2x NCAA Champion and Iowa Hawkeye Spencer Lee for an exclusive interview. Askren first met Lee at Young Guns Camp when Lee was a sophomore or junior in high school. Even at that time, Lee was a wrestling prodigy with 3 Pennslyvania State Titles a Cadet World Title and 2 Junior World Titles. They talk about Lee’s beginning experiences with the sport of wrestling, how he developed his skills and the mindset ingrained in him from his father. Next, they get into Lee’s experience winning Cadet Worlds. Askren and Lee also talk recruitment and how it was between Iowa, Iowa State, and Penn State when he was deciding where he wanted to wrestle in college. Lee talks about the process of getting back into competition and rehabbing his knee injury. Austin DeSanto and Wrestling Conditioning Askren brings up the topic of Austin DeSanto. Ever since high school and DeSanto beat Lee at states they had mutual respect. Lee talks about wanting DeSanto to come to Iowa and how it all worked out in the end. The next topic Askren and Lee get into is wrestling conditioning and lifting weights. Lee works with Iowa’s strength and conditioning coach but overall doesn’t stress strength and is more focused on being a technician with a gas tank that won’t fail him during the crucial moments of a match. Freestyle Career and Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Style Askren asks Lee to talk about his future plans competing in freestyle and chasing Olympic Gold. Lee says he does not have plans set in stone. He will continue to discuss with the people around him and his coaches to figure out what’s best for him and his career. The last topic is about the Iowa Hawkeyes and their style of wrestling. Askren has picked Iowa to win next years team title. Lee agrees that they have more than enough talent and the opportunity is there for the taking they just have to execute and avoid injury to the best of their ability.

RTCs On this episode, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan discuss the main topics from the NWCA coach’s convention including changes/recommendations for how RTCs are being run, monitored, regulated and enforced by the NCAA. They kick off the podcast by bringing up current news of Zain Retherford not wrestling at the 2019 Pan Ams. They also briefly discuss the news of Yianni Diakomihalis officially announcing he will taking an Olympic redshirt year. Next, Askren and Dernlan talk 2019 Cadet Worlds held in Sofia, Bulgaria. Notably our women’s team performance. The Future of the Sport Getting into the discussion of RTCs, Askren asks “Do we care more about elevating and growing the sport as well as bringing up the level of competition for the US senior-level athletes to compete internationally? Or do we care more about the fairness of the college competition?” The answer to this question will help determine the future state of RTCs. Next years NCAA Championships being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the U.S. Bank Stadium will be the first time in its history the championships are held in a stadium as opposed to an arena. Dernlan talks about how he heard at the NWCA Coach’s Convention that they have sold close to 20,000 seats and are working on unveiling a plan to grow it to close to 40,000. One Semester Season Another hot topic surrounding last weekends convention is switching the college wrestling season to a one-semester sport. This would benefit the academic side of the sport by not pulling athletes away from the classroom over two semesters and allowing them to schedule their classes easier. It would also allow wrestling to bump the national championship back to April instead of “competing” against basketballs march madness. Lastly, there was talk about two types of championships stretched over two semesters. One would be a dual meet champion season and the other would be a tournament championship. Askren talks about when you can win a team race with 4 wrestlers that is probably not the best way to judge the best overall team. Coming up on the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast Askren will be interviewing 2x NCAA Champion, Spencer Lee.

You Will Always Regret it This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 10 “Never Ever Quit” from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This chapter talks about not giving up on your dreams and having the fortitude to stick to the process. Refusing to give up and standing tall against the odds makes life what you make of it. Kolat talks about the part in the book during SEAL training where the drill instructor tells the trainees if they quit now they will live with that regret forever. Kolat thinks this is a powerful statement and one many people don't bring up when motivating others to not give up. Bear the Burden on Your Own (2:34) Being self-sufficient is crucial. Kolat talks about how he prepped for competitions and what he took with him so even if no one had Gatorade/snacks or dry clothes for him he was prepared. When you do get help it's a welcomed relief but you have to be mentally and physically prepared for life. Dernlan talks about the role wrestling plays in teaching kids self-reliance. In a day and age of helicopter parents watching and fixing every problem or lawnmower parents knocking down obstacles in their children's way it's no wonder, kids haven't learned to be self-sufficient. This ties back to essentially teaching kids to quit. Instead of allowing them to figure it out all they have to do is step back and allow the parents/teachers/adults to fix all problems. This is not to be confused with abandoning or not helping but rather it's leading.Be Brutally Honest with Yourself First (11:34) Kolat and Dernlan break down the role of a coach specifically a college coach preparing their athletes for the rest of their lives. While coaching one of Dernlan's priorities was to prepare kids for the non-cushioned real life after college. If he could get them to hold themselves to a high standard with a strong sense of self-honesty he knew they would be successful.

You Will Always Regret it This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 10 “Never Ever Quit” from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This chapter talks about not giving up on your dreams and having the fortitude to stick to the process. Refusing to give up and standing tall against the odds makes life what you make of it. Kolat talks about the part in the book during SEAL training where the drill instructor tells the trainees if they quit now they will live with that regret forever. Kolat thinks this is a powerful statement and one many people don't bring up when motivating others to not give up. Bear the Burden on Your Own (2:34) Being self-sufficient is crucial. Kolat talks about how he prepped for competitions and what he took with him so even if no one had Gatorade/snacks or dry clothes for him he was prepared. When you do get help it's a welcomed relief but you have to be mentally and physically prepared for life. Dernlan talks about the role wrestling plays in teaching kids self-reliance. In a day and age of helicopter parents watching and fixing every problem or lawnmower parents knocking down obstacles in their children's way it's no wonder, kids haven't learned to be self-sufficient. This ties back to essentially teaching kids to quit. Instead of allowing them to figure it out all they have to do is step back and allow the parents/teachers/adults to fix all problems. This is not to be confused with abandoning or not helping but rather it's leading.Be Brutally Honest with Yourself First (11:34) Kolat and Dernlan break down the role of a coach specifically a college coach preparing their athletes for the rest of their lives. While coaching one of Dernlan's priorities was to prepare kids for the non-cushioned real life after college. If he could get them to hold themselves to a high standard with a strong sense of self-honesty he knew they would be successful.

Why Maryland? On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Matt Dernlan sits down with newly named University of Maryland Head Wrestling Coach Alex Clemsen. Dernlan asks Clemsen why Maryland was the right choice for him to take his storied coaching career to the next level. Clemsen speaks about the close relationships he has with many of the instrumental administration and staff surrounding Maryland. He also mentions just how good of a school it is academically on top of being in the BIG 10 wrestling the best schools in the country. When you combine great people, great education, and great competition you can’t go wrong. The Difference (6:42) Dernlan asks Clemsen about the things that have jumped out to him immediately as the difference moving from an associate head coach position to head coach. Coming from a unique four-year position at Missouri, Clemson was empowered with a lot of responsibility and included in decision making that most coaches in that position wouldn’t be. This had made the transition to head coach seamless. Learning from Legends (13:22) Since Clemsen’s athletic career at Edinboro being coached by Tim Flynn and Lou Roselli where he was an All-American and 4x NCAA qualifier he has been surrounded by legends in the sport. Clemsen goes on to tell how Flynn and Roselli played a crucial role in shaping him as a young man and ingraining into him many of the principles he lives by today. He also speaks about his time at Oregon coaching under Troy Steiner. Overall Clemsen is thankful he’s had the opportunities to be around not just good wrestling minds but good human beings. Recruiting (26:45) The topic of recruiting is brought up and Clemsen gives his thoughts on the ongoing trend of recruiting kids at a younger and younger age. He doesn’t believe it’s healthy for a few reasons. One reason is pushing kids to compete more is not good for their bodies or minds. From weight cutting to injuries to mental fatigue, too many repetitions and competitions are not beneficial. Another unspoken about factor about competing more is the money and time required to travel to and compete in tournaments and showcase events. Lastly, the younger you recruit the harder it is to divide your scholarships into a team without holes in the roster. You may recruit a kid thinking they’ll be a 125 lbs wrestler but they grow and become a 144 lbs. What’s to Come (35:09) Clemsen talks about the task ahead of him at Maryland and all that he’s excited for. He speaks on the culture he is building, the type of wrestler he is recruiting, and what it means to be a Terrapin. Subscribe to the RUDIS newsletter here: https://therudis.com/my-account/

The Harsh Reality This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 8 “Rise to the Occasion” and Ch. 9 "Give People Hope" from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Ch. 8 deals a lot with giving respect to those soldiers who don't make it home, the realities of war, and the true dangers involved. Kolat and Dernlan don't entertain the idea that this is comparable to wrestling. They move on to Ch. 9 that covers a topic many people are fascinated with when it comes to SEAL training, Hell Week. Kolat relays what some of his SEAL friends have told him about Hell Week and that is that Hell Week is actually not the hardest part of BUD/S but getting through the entire 6 months of being wet, cold, and sandy is.  Hell Week (8:50) Dernlan talks about how wrestling programs draw from the idea of a "Hell Week". You have to make sure the athlete understands what they're getting into entering a collegiate program right away. The worst thing for both the program and the individual would be if they had a false reality of what they were getting into and end up quitting. Everyone's going to question if going through this is really worth it, or if they're getting out what they're putting in but that's normal. Dernlan would remind his athletes this and tell his team to lift up their teammates when they're on the edge or ready to give up. Admiral McRaven talks about how it only takes one individual to be the change in everyone's attitude, morale, and motivation. This is true in wrestling as well. Kolat says one guy becoming a national champ can motivate the entire program to be great and achieve their goals. It also only takes one guy to quit to allow others to rationalize in their head to quit. You're Always Under Attack (17:20) Kolat speaks on how you're always going to be mentally tested. Who you surround yourself with is extremely important. If you're serious about your goals surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is crucial for your success.

The Harsh Reality This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 8 “Rise to the Occasion” and Ch. 9 "Give People Hope" from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Ch. 8 deals a lot with giving respect to those soldiers who don't make it home, the realities of war, and the true dangers involved. Kolat and Dernlan don't entertain the idea that this is comparable to wrestling. They move on to Ch. 9 that covers a topic many people are fascinated with when it comes to SEAL training, Hell Week. Kolat relays what some of his SEAL friends have told him about Hell Week and that is that Hell Week is actually not the hardest part of BUD/S but getting through the entire 6 months of being wet, cold, and sandy is.  Hell Week (8:50) Dernlan talks about how wrestling programs draw from the idea of a "Hell Week". You have to make sure the athlete understands what they're getting into entering a collegiate program right away. The worst thing for both the program and the individual would be if they had a false reality of what they were getting into and end up quitting. Everyone's going to question if going through this is really worth it, or if they're getting out what they're putting in but that's normal. Dernlan would remind his athletes this and tell his team to lift up their teammates when they're on the edge or ready to give up. Admiral McRaven talks about how it only takes one individual to be the change in everyone's attitude, morale, and motivation. This is true in wrestling as well. Kolat says one guy becoming a national champ can motivate the entire program to be great and achieve their goals. It also only takes one guy to quit to allow others to rationalize in their head to quit. You're Always Under Attack (17:20) Kolat speaks on how you're always going to be mentally tested. Who you surround yourself with is extremely important. If you're serious about your goals surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is crucial for your success.

Developing a Wrestling Prodigy On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren is joined by Yianni Diakomihalis for an exclusive interview. Diakomihalis explains how he started wrestling at the young age of five and by ten began training seriously with his father former Rochester Institute of Technology All-American Ilias Diakomihalis. They would watch film on YouTube of all-time greats like Buvaisar Saitev, learn what they're doing successfully, and practice their moves. Ilias's philosophy was to help Yianni become the most skilled wrestler he could possibly be and let speed and strength come secondary to skill and technician. U.S. Recent Success on International Level (10:56) Askren brings up the recent news of Artur Taymazov testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs for a second time after re-analysis of stored samples. He asks Diakomihalis if he believes some of the United State's recent success on the international level could be due to the fact other countries like Russia have potentially stopped using PEDs and the competition is more level now. Diakomihalis says while that isn't the only reason it is for sure a contributing factor. The next question Askren has is if Diakomihalis believes the restructure of weight classes at the Olympic Level has helped our hurt the United States. Adding 79 kg and 92 kg couldn't have been better for the U.S. For example, Kyle Dake was able to find a home and went unscored upon last year at Worlds. Middle School and High School Success (17:10) Diakomihalis' first high-level national success came in 2013 when he won Super 32. Sophomore Year of high school Diakomihalis won UWW Cadet Nationals against one his close friends and teammates Vitali Arjua. That year he went on to win his first UWW Cadet Gold. Diakomihalis didn't let the fact he admired many of these wrestlers impact the way he wrestled against them. In his mind, he understood and used their moves so he had the best skills from all of them so how could they beat him? After losing to Daton Fix in the 2015 Flo Nationals, Diakomihalis began training at the NY RTC. He wanted high-level training partners and prepare himself for college while also preparing for the best wrestlers in high school. Diakomihalis broke his elbow attempting a collar tie in practice near the beginning of his senior year season. He also had preventative surgery on his other elbow right after and was forced to sit out for 4-5 months. Freshman Year of College (28:37) During Diakomihalis' true freshman year of college at Cornell, he won the 141 lbs NCAA Title. He only lost one match and ended his rookie season 37-1. Diakomihalis breaks down his matches from the 2017-2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He tells the story of him tearing his ACL at the beginning of the quarterfinals and asking his trainer to spare him the details and let him wrestle without knowing how bad it was. He goes on to win two tough matches on a blown ACL and secure his first NCAA Title. Sophomore Year of College (36:05) Sophmore season Diakomihalis goes undefeated 29-0 securing his second NCAA Title. After the college season, Diakomihalis then moves into freestyle and wins the U.S. Open defeating Zain Retherford. Diakomihalis talks about getting his weight down post knee surgery and how once he dialed it in it all manifested at the Open. Yianni vs Zain Announcement (40:27) Askren asks for an update on the ongoing arbitration over the Final X controversial second match between Diakomihalis and Retherford. Diakomihalis says the decision was scheduled for last Friday but was pushed back to July 29th. There are three possible outcomes that could be announced. One would be they do not reverse the call and Retherford remains the representative at 65 kg. Another could be they decide Diakomihalis, in fact, won match 2 and the series is tied 1-1 requiring a third match. Lastly, they could decide that match 2 was an illegitimate match and require them to re-wrestle match

Why Fargo Is So Important This episode Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan recap Fargo Junior Nationals and Askren Wrestling Academy results. They discuss how much Junior Nationals has grown in the past 5 years. They attribute the growth to national media coverage and high-level coaching/training partners through Regional Training Centers. Askren talks about how Fargo is the only tournament where there is a true state team feeling. Dernlan expands on the life experience and memories gained by these kids getting into busses and airplanes and traveling as a team to a national tournament. It really brings states together as one and memories you’ll talk about for the rest of your life. Askren Wrestling Academy (17:45) Askren talks about AWA’s results at Fargo. He elaborates on his Mental Monday from this week about balance, knowing when you’re on the right track and staying the course. This comes after AWA representatives dropped three semifinals in a row on the junior side. On the flip side, they had nine All-Americans and 27 kids win three matches or more. Askren details all the data into spreadsheets in order to compare results from previous years and overall he is pleased with the results from this year and proud of his athletes. Phenomenal Talent (22:12) The first result Askren brings up is Angelo Rini from Ohio who ended up winning 14-4 in the finals. The match Askren was impressed by was his semifinal match against Wyatt Henson that ended up 23-13 in Rini’s favor. Rini was down 9-13 with 25 seconds to go in the second and was able to get come back and win big. Another match they dive into is the 182 lbs semifinal between AWA’s Parker Keckeisen and Dustin Plott where Askren feels the officials made a bad call with 53 seconds left in the first. Overall, Askren thinks 182 lbs was the bracket of the tournament. Another standout performance came from Padraic Gallagher who rolled through the tournament at 160 lbs. The last guy Askren brings up is Heavyweight Braxton Amos who dominated and didn’t allow a single point scored against him the entire tournament. Dernlan explains the complexities involved when evaluating 220 lbs wrestlers moving into college. Will they go down to 197 lbs or grow into heavyweight? How much is there physical maturity helping them at the high school level and how can you develop their skills to match the collegiate level they’ll have to face. Upcoming Podcasts (43:30) Askren talks about upcoming podcasts including Cadet Worlds and special guest Yianni Diakamihalis getting on the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast this week. Subscribe to the RUDIS newsletter here: https://therudis.com/my-account/

Training with Team USA This special episode, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan are joined by Isaiah Martínez in Fargo at Junior Nationals as they talk Yasar Dogu, Dake vs Dieringer, and share wrestling stories from their past. Dernlan begins by asking Martínez what he’s been up to since his matches with Jordan Burroughs at Final X. Martínez has been helping the world team training and Askren talks about how different the process is since his time wrestling internationally. Martínez also gives some insight into what training camp is like and the importance of team comradery with everyone focused on a universal goal. Alex Dieringer vs Kyle Dake (14:50) Martínez is asked about his thoughts on the Alex Dieringer vs Kyle Dake Controversy. Imar doesn’t get into the politics of whether or not Dake should be allowed to push the match back yet at the same time compete internationally. He does say he believes if Dake is not at 100% he will have a really hard time and most likely not be able to beat Dieringer. If Dake isn’t ready to go fully Martínez gives the edge to Dieringer. Martínez doesn’t see the severity in the fact that by delaying the process both Dake and Dieringer lose the time to prepare for the international opponents. Jumping Levels (25:17) For Martínez balancing a college wrestling season and classes was a major distractor for his progress in freestyle. Now that his sole focus is on freestyle he feels he had the opportunity to really grow into his own and it has shown. He has dialed in his sleep and nutrition but also focuses on technical positions and details. Yianni Diakomihalis vs Zain Retherford (30:52) Askren asks Martínez his thoughts on the Yianni Diakomihalis vs Zain Retherford topic. He loves the drama/attention and the high-level wrestling these two are bringing to the sport. Weight Cutting (40:13) Martínez, Askren, and Dernlan share their worst/most memorable weight cutting stories.

Matt Storniolo Joins On this special LIVE episode from the RUDIS Booth at Fargo, North Dakota Junior Nationals Ben Askren, Northwestern Head Coach Matt Storniolo, and Matt Dernlan talk collegiate wrestling and Yasar Dogu results. They kick-off by asking Storniolo about how Freestyle training is going at Northwestern. Northwestern currently has Yahya Thomas and Lucas Davison representing them on the world stage both of whom made the Junior World Team. They also discuss Sebastian Rivera’s future in freestyle wrestling and the possibility of him wrestling for Puerto Rico on the world stage. Northwestern also just had Ryan Deakin make it all the way to Final X. Askren talks about how impressive it was and what can Storniolo equate to how Deakin came off a 6th place NCAA finish to being extremely close to representing the US at Worlds. Storniolo talks about the grind of a season Deakin went through with every week taking on a top 10 opponent. He also talks about the balancing act that is the college wrestling season and the plans for 2020. Yasar Dogu (12:15) After Storniolo gets back to coaching, Askren and Dernlan talk about Fargo Junior Nationals, the history, and energy surrounding it and how important it is for wrestling. They then get into the 2019 Yasar Dogu wrestling tournament. The U.S. had an incredible showing and came out with great results. They first talk about how much we learned about seeing Yianni Diakomihalis compete in his first senior-level national tournament. They also breakdown Frank Chamizo defaulting out of the finals against Jordan Burroughs. Zain vs Yianni (25:14) The topic goes to Zain Retherford and Diakomihalis’ ongoing arbitration over the Final X official call. After Diakomihalis beat Retherford at Yasar Dogu, it opened the conversation back up from the public that these two need to wrestle match 2 from Final X again. Dake vs Dieringer (30:25) Askren asks how Alex Dieringer’s results impact Dernlan’s view on Dieringer vs Kyle Dake. Dernlan says it’s hard to say until you see it and either of the two will most likely be gold medalist. Askren predicted that Dieringer could and would beat Dake in a close match at Final X and Dieringer’s performance internationally solidifies his prediction. J’Den Cox Calls his Shot (33:40) Dernlan talks about how J’Den Cox called his shot like Babe Ruth was known for by saying he was going to show the world there is no hope for anyone else at worlds. Cox didn’t get scored on once at Yasar Dogu and beats the world 42-0. Kyle Snyder Wins Gold (40:13) Dernlan talks about Snyder’s concentration on his preparation for Worlds. It’s exciting to watch Snyder’s gut wrench and par terre wrestling jumping levels since last year.

The Next Chapter On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Matt Dernlan sits down in the studio with 2016 World Gold Medalist, four-time NCAA Champion, 2018 World Cup Champion, and 2018 Pan American Champion Logan Stieber. Stieber recently announced his retirement from active wrestling and will focus on coaching at the Ohio RTC as well as at his newest endeavor Stieber Elite Wrestling Academy. Stieber will start workouts this September and you can register at https://stieberelite.com/register?fbclid=IwAR2ffAdP0_lPR-34iTlhZHZFCaZC8JCnk-RvDmqezlpZ0xvVgTRGI90FP_M. Stieber Elite will be held at the brand new Jennings Family Wrestling Facility three times a week. Guiding the Parents (8:52) Stieber talks about how one of his main focuses with his academy is to help the parents of wrestlers. He has seen talented wrestlers with enormous potential form a negative connotation around competing or be hindered because of the stress put on them from parents. Wrestling is tough and as a coach, Stieber’s goal is to prepare, motivate, teach, and support. He also touches on how a drive to be a successful wrestler stems out into everything else in your life. A passion for wrestling can create so many opportunities that wouldn’t present themselves otherwise. Having Fun by Getting Better (20:20) Dernlan talks about how coaching youth wrestlers can be harder than coaching at the collegiate level. By the time a wrestler is recruited to a D1 program, they’re already motivated to win. Being the person that sparks love and appreciation for the sport as well as the one to give them the skills to be successful is a tough task and a huge responsibility. Part of building the love for the sport is the friendships you gain from being involved. Anyone who grew up playing sports can attest the fact that they form bonds and friendships that last a lifetime. One way Stieber speaks about having fun while wrestling is by sparring or play-wrestling. Drilling is important but things don’t happen perfectly in a match and learning to flow from position to position is crucial. Teaching young wrestlers to not get frustrated during play-wrestling and learning to be defensive is also important. Overall, developing a passion for knowledge and development is something that will not only help your wrestling but everything else in your life. Wrestling is Evolving (30:45) Speaking on the passion for knowledge and getting better everyday Dernlan says one of the best things about the sport is constantly looking to get better. The sport evolves at an incredible pace because the people involved are always pushing each other to grow. The way to get better in the practice room is to let your ego go at the door. Dernlan speaks on not thinking about winning or losing in the practice room but focusing on getting better. Being the Example (41:47) Stieber talks about his passion for wrestling and how it’s evolved into a way of life for him. Being a good mentor, coach, and role model for young athletes and their parents aligns perfectly with what he wants to be. Balance (44:00) Speaking on the importance of balance Dernlan knows parents have the best intentions but sometimes fall into the trap of thinking their kid needs to be 100% focused on one thing only. Balance is important and while your goals will never leave you understand that your life needs balance. Dernlan talks about going all in on everything in your life. If you’re hanging with friends focus on being the best friend you can be or if you’re in class focus on being the best student you can. When it’s time to practice, wrestle, and prepare focus on being the best wrestler you can be. Subscribe to the RUDIS newsletter here: https://therudis.com/my-account/

Where You Find Wrestling, You Will Find RUDIS On this episode, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan discuss Fargo Junior Nationals, UFC 239, and the controversy surround Kyle Dake’s decision to delay his match with Dieringer but compete internationally. Dernlan starts by announcing RUDIS will be in Fargo, North Dakota for Junior Nationals. The RUDIS booth/tent will be located across the street from the Fargodome in the Applebee’s parking lot the same as last year. Anyone who has experienced the RUDIS booth in Fargo knows that it is an event in itself including athlete/legend appearances and poster signings. Askren won’t only be signing posters at the RUDIS booth but also coaching the 48 wrestlers attending Junior Nationals from Askren Wrestling Academy. This year beats AWA’s previous record of 30 athletes participating. A Living Example (3:48) Askren discusses the aftermath of UFC 239 and shares more of his thoughts on the entire situation including how to handle loss as an athlete, coach, and parent. Following his loss, Askren did exactly what he’s been teaching and speaking about for years which is not sulking or hiding but facing it and learning from adversity. Overall, it’s about harnessing the lessons and motivation from failure and using it to move on and work towards your goals as a stronger individual. Fargo Junior Nationals or College? (10:28) Generally speaking, most colleges have their athletes come to school early and not compete at Fargo. This is to get kids acclimated to the college scene quicker as well as get them into summer session classes in order to take the stress off of them during the season. Another benefit is the earlier you can get them into the wrestling room the better. Askren speaks to how important those extra three months can be. What college coaches really want to avoid is a high school senior athlete taking the summer off. If the athlete’s goal is to win a Junior National Freestyle Championship that is great but if it’s not it’s important to start them getting ready for college. The Kyle Dake Disaster (19:35) Askren jumps into the Kyle Dake wrestle off situation. Askren is frustrated with what Dake (or any returning medalist) is being allowed to do even being the returning gold medalist. Originally in order to postpone a wrestle-off for the world team spot against Alex Dieringer, Dake had a note from his Doctor stating he would not be able to compete until August 17th to allow him to recover from surgery. That was approved by the commission board and a wrestle-off date was set. He then produces a second note supporting his recovery in order to compete internationally July 6th. This is not an ideal situation for either Dake or Dieringer. By delaying the match, you’re eating away at the time focused on international competition because you have to focus on making the team against another top-tier individual. Follow Wrestling: https://therudis.com/wrestling-news-m... Stay connected with RUDIS: Website: https://therudis.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_rudis/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_rudis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rudiswrestling/ The Way: A RUDIS Wrestling Podcast: https://therudis.com/wrestling-news-m... Subscribe to the RUDIS newsletter here: https://therudis.com/my-account/

Lean into Discomfort This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 7 “Stand Up to the Bullies” from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. This chapter goes over standing up and overcoming adversity. Not only reacting and learning from tough situations but really leaning into discomfort in order to grow. Kolat says, if you want to get stronger you lift weights and the only way to improve is to put more weight on the bar. Once that new number becomes easy you have to put more weight on. The same process applies to wrestling. In order to get comfortable in a wrestling position, you have to put yourself in it enough times until you harness the technique and understand what to do enough to be comfortable there. Then you move on to the next area you’re not comfortable in. Seek out the Bully (3:00) Dernlan and Kolat talk about the idea of bullying yourself and creating bully situations. What they mean by this is pushing yourself to and past your conceived limits. Not allowing yourself to settle for mediocracy and ultimately achieving the goal you’re working toward. Admiral McRaven talks about during training they would swim in shark-infested waters. It’s a real-life scenario of literally seeking out and swimming with the sharks (your fears or bullies), not backing down, and overcoming. Kolat talks about the teaching moment for parents when your child is bullied. Bullying is a fact of life that is as old as time but it’s also an opportunity to learn, improve, and get stronger. The life lesson you’re teaching is the power in standing up for yourself. Overcoming bullies is something people deal with their whole lives and learning early on how to handle them is important. Getting Bullied on the Mat (10:55) Kolat uses his experience at a recent event as an example. A friend’s son was being bullied on the mat. Kolat’s advice for him was that part of wrestling is not allowing that to happen. When it does you come back and show your opponent you won’t allow it and return the favor. A part of wrestling is not only physically but also mentally dominating your opponent. Going through these tough matches is how you get stronger and learn how to not let it happen again. Be an Overcomer (15:00) Just as there are physical bullies there are metaphysical bullies surrounding us every day. The more we lean into the discomfort in them and learn to overcome the better we’ll become as people. Do Dernlan and Kolat approve of bullying? No. What they do approve of is standing up and the learning from those situations. They will ascend you to greatness.