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Two coaches, one small town, and another shot at making history. Beulah Miners Head Coach Brandon Schirado and assistant coach Cody Nelson sit down for a long‑form, no‑filter conversation on what it really takes to have continued program success. We get into the culture they've built in Beulah, the practices nobody sees, and the pressure that comes with stepping into March knowing your town expects you to make a run.

Head coach Jason Schwarz sits down less than 24 hours after cutting down the nets at the Bismarck Event Center. Fresh off being named Coach of the Year, Coach Schwarz breaks down the Majettes' state title run in a raw, long-form conversation. From the preseason predictions to the locker-room breakthroughs, Jason walks through the moments that changed everything for Minot basketball. We get into how he built the Majettes' culture, the adjustments that flipped big games, and the pressure of chasing a championship with a community watching every possession. Jason talks about handling star players, keeping role players bought in, late-night film, and what was really going through his head in the final minutes of the title game.

On this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we sit down with Minot High legends LeeLee Bell and Maggie Fricke to talk dominance, adversity, and what's next after rewriting the record books for the Majettes. We talk about watching film, work ethic, skill development, leadership, and the mindset that separates good varsity kids from all-time greats. They open up about injuries, rehab, confidence, and the mental side of coming back when you're not sure you'll ever look like yourself again. There are stories from the locker room, state tournament runs, recruiting, and what it feels like to represent Minot every night with a target on your back.

Mataya Messer didn't just put up points for St. Mary's… she built a legacy. In this episode, we sit down with one of North Dakota's premier high school hoopers to unpack the story behind the stat sheets. From her 47-point outburst to the quiet moments nobody sees. Mataya breaks down what it really took to bring a program to a school and change its basketball culture.

Two hoopers walk into a gym. One builds the program. One is the problem. Jason Horner and Jonathan Roubideaux sit down for a conversation about hoops, culture, and what it actually feels like to chase greatness at Legacy High School.  Jason Horner is the head boys basketball coach at Legacy High School. Sitting next to him is 6'8" forward Jonathan Roubideaux, a 2026 prospect for Bismarck Legacy and ND Phenom, who has become a force on the floor and one of the toughest matchups in North Dakota high school hoops. They get into coaching, culture, pressure, recruiting, and what it actually feels like to chase something bigger than yourself at the high school level. If you're into basketball, coaching, or just listening to people who are obsessed with what they do, queue this up, lock in, and let it ride.

Jordan Wilhelm is the head coach of the Bismarck High Demons and a former Demon himself, leading one of the toughest programs in North Dakota high school basketball. Artie Carlow is a senior leader and standout player on a team that just won the West Region and heads into the WDA tournament with a target on its back. In this episode, we talk culture, leadership, pressure, and what it really takes to build and play in a program that expects to win every night. If you're into hoops, competition, and how winners think, you'll like this one.

Darin Mattern is the head boys basketball coach at Century High School, a three-time state champion and national Coach of the Year finalist. In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we talk coaching, culture, leadership, and what it really takes to build and sustain a championship program.

In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we sit down with Mandan girls' basketball head coach Tanner Purintun. We talk about his journey from the gridiron to the hardwood and why he believes Mandan can hang more banners soon. We get into culture, toughness, small‑town North Dakota pride, and what it really takes to turn a program into a year‑in, year‑out contender.

From a childhood filled with struggle to leading young women on the court, Coach Ty Terry's journey is nothing short of powerful. In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, Ty opens up about the pain he faced growing up, how he almost lost himself, and the way basketball became his lifeline when everything around him felt like it was sinking. Now the head girls basketball coach at St. Mary's High School, Ty shares how the game didn't just save his life, it gave him a purpose and a platform to pour back into the next generation. We talk about faith, identity, mentorship, and what it really takes to rise above where you started. If you've ever felt lost, overlooked, or stuck in your circumstances, this conversation is for you.

On this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we sit down with Dan Carr. Coach Carr is North Dakota's all-time winningest basketball coach, he breaks down the habits, mindsets, and game-changing decisions that built a legacy. From locker room leadership to clutch game strategies, Dan shares untold stories, tough losses that taught him more than wins, and the exact routines he used to turn programs into winners.

Dakota Brekhus is a Purple Heart recipient who was shot twice in Afghanistan and is now the Head Golf Coach at Minot State. In this raw unfiltered episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, Dakota walks me through a year in combat. He talks about the day that changed everything, the long road back to civilian life, and how he turned trauma into purpose on the golf course. We dig into surviving firefights, physical and mental recovery, the power of adaptive sports, and what leadership looks like after war.

You don't win two state championships by accident. You don't earn the respect of an entire state for decades without a profound philosophy. In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we sit down with North Dakota basketball legend Coach Rick Smith. Rick is the head boys coach at Four Winds. Beyond the trophies and the wins, Coach Smith reveals the core principles that have shaped his program, principles about leadership, community, sacrifice, and what true success looks off the court.

On today's show, we sit down with Troy Roness. Troy is a licensed therapist, TEDx speaker, survivor, and author. He's spent years in the trenches of K-12 schools, college campuses, and therapy rooms, navigating the complex terrain of the mind. This conversation goes beyond the therapy acronyms to the raw, unvarnished truth about trauma, recovery, and what it means to build a life you don't constantly need to escape from. We talk about the hard stuff. The broken places. The slow, often brutal work of putting yourself back together, piece by piece. A journey he chronicled in his book, "Unbroken." This is for anyone who's ever fought a silent battle, felt unseen, or is just trying to understand the messy, beautiful, and sometimes terrifying project of being a person.

What does it truly take to build a college basketball program from the ground up? It's not just about plays and drills, it's about alchemy. Turning struggle into strength and individual players into an unbreakable team. In this raw and revealing episode of Swim Lesson the Podcast, we sit down with Ryan Clark, the head women's basketball coach at Minot State University. We go far beyond the scoreboard to uncover the philosophy, the relentless grind, and the human leadership required to architect a winning culture in athletics.

In this episode, we sit down with James Staub of Tag Firearms for a conversation that goes far beyond hunting. James is a lifelong outdoorsman, firearms professional, and someone who lives the lifestyle he represents. We talked about the hunting culture, the mindset it builds, and how time in the outdoors shapes a person in many ways. From firearms and conservation to personal growth, responsibility, and the lessons learned off the grid. This is an honest, wide-ranging discussion about what hunting really teaches you. Whether you're a seasoned hunter new to the outdoors, or just someone who appreciates real talk and meaningful stories, this episode delivers.  Subscribe for more conversations with athletes, coaches, outdoorsmen, and people who live what they talk about.