Swim Lessons

Latest Episodes:

#195 Brandon Hines JR: Running Back Life & The Pursuit of Greatness Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

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.

Subscribe for more conversations with athletes, coaches, creators, and people making an impact in local sports and the community.

#194 Melissa Spelchen: Mental Health Advocate, Resilience Educator, & Beating Self-Doubt Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

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

Subscribe to Swim Lessons the Podcast for conversations that go deeper than the surface with sports, life, community, and the lessons that shape us.

#193 Jett Lundeen: Minot Made & Making Dreams Into Realities Sep 03, 2026

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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.

#192 Jaden Wahlund: More Than Basketball: Life, Coaching, & A Lot of Laughs Sep 01, 2026

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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.

#191 Chauncy Hendershot: Can Minot High Make a Run This Year? Coach Hendershot Answers Aug 26, 2026

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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.

#190 Ian Shields: Can Minot State Take the Next Step? Coach Shields Has the Answer Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

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.

#189 Pete Stanton: Inside Dickinson State Football, Recruiting, & Building the Blue Hawks Program Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

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.

#188 Ron Wingenbach: Inside Century Patriots Football and the Building of a North Dakota Powerhouse Aug 20, 2026

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Ron Wingenbach is the head football coach of the Century Patriots in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Coach Wingenbach joins Swim Lessons the Podcast to talk about Century Patriots football, building a winning culture, developing young men, the realities of North Dakota high school sports, competition, leadership, accountability, and what it takes to create a program that players are proud to represent. Follow/subscribe for more conversations with athletes, coaches, creators, and people making things happen across North Dakota and beyond.

#187 Rocky Larson: How Coach Larson Is Building Mayville State Football From the Ground Up Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Rocky Larson is the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Mayville State University. Coach Larson joins Swim Lessons to talk about building the Comets football program, developing a winning culture, recruiting in today's college football landscape, leadership, and what it takes to lead both a team and an athletic department.

Rocky is entering his seventh season leading Mayville State Football in 2026, after taking over the Comets program in 2020. He was also formally appointed Mayville State's athletic director in 2024.

Subscribe for more conversations with athletes, coaches, creators, and people making things happen across North Dakota and beyond.

#186 Shann Schillinger: A Montana Kid, an NFL Dream, and a New Mission Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Shann Schillinger is the head football coach at the University of Mary, a former NFL defensive back, and has one of the more interesting football paths you'll hear.

Before taking over the Marauders program, Shann's path took him from a small high school in Montana to Division I football, the NFL, and eventually into coaching. In this episode, we sit down to talk about what football is really like at every level. The pressure, the locker-room culture, leadership, recruiting, player development, and what it actually takes to build a winning program from the ground up.

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