Catholic Sports Radio

Currently the manager of the Kingsport Mets, he coached in the major leagues for over 25 years, most recently as third base coach with the Seattle Mariners but other stops along the way that included a World Series ring with the Florida Marlins in 1997. He was even a part of the Team USA coaching staff two years ago at the World Baseball Classic, which was won by the Americans. Rich talks about tragedy that he and his family had to overcome, as well as coming back to his Catholic roots after he felt pressure to pick baseball over his faith - this despite being born and raised Catholic and at one time even considering going into the seminary.

A five-time Olympian, he won a gold medal in taekwondo at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Games and then a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. He is also a five-time world champion. Born in New York to Nicaraguan parents, he has had a lifelong walk with Christ as a Catholic and uses this CSR appearance to witness to such, including having had to get through an unfortunate incident last year.

A four-sport athlete in high school, he ran track in college, at a Catholic university -- including competing against some Olympians -- and today is a coach for the boys track team at a Catholic high school in Texas, where he has guided them to a many "firsts" in school history, such as district champs, regional champs, and medals at the State meet. A father of three, he also is a full-time missionary and hosts a Catholic podcast too!

An attorney who is now an agent certified by the National Hockey League Players Association and has a long career in hockey as a front office executive, including as the Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Administration and Legal Affairs of the NHL's Minnesota Wild (2000 to 2009). He wrote the book, “How to Build an NHL Franchise from Scratch: The First Era of the Minnesota Wild.” He talks here about overcoming the stigma - the labels that people put - on being an agent, plus he gives insight on steering young athletes toward charitable considerations, and even how he has to practice what he preaches to his clients in similar decisions that he has to make with his own (six) children.

He played college hockey and now coaches in that sport, while serving as the Board President for Catholic Sports Camps. (His father had run a hockey camp in the 1980s with the Chicago Blackhawks.) All that despite having also attended (for graduate school) the largest Catholic university in the United States, because, he talks here of being called back to the church after falling away after he left his parents' house, having been raised a cradle Catholic.

The head football coach at The Catholic University of America, which is located in our nation’s capital, although he has – in his words – experienced the differences of being a practicing Catholic in seven states and the District of Columbia. He is a lector in his current parish and did so – along with being the Chair of the Finance Council – at his previous parish as well. He begins his third season at Catholic University of America in 2019. In his first season the team tied a program record with three d3football.com all-region players, the most for Catholic University of America in nine years.

A 25-time Guinness World Record holder for free throw shooting, he began coaching basketball in 1982. He had played high school basketball and went on to play in recreational leagues until he was 44. Born and raised Catholic, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus and joined Teams of Our Lady with his wife a couple years ago. Listen to hear how he connects with the Bible story about the five talents. Bob's accomplishments have taken him to "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," a TV program in Beijing, China, an appearance at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, and more that are told during this interview.

He played for the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators as well as many years with the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals, plus he has been playing pro hockey overseas in Europe (Italy, Norway, Switzerland). A cradle Catholic, he played his college hockey at Notre Dame and never missed a game (163 consecutive games).

Having just finished her collegiate career, she was a Division I soccer player for Troy University in Alabama. Prior to that she played her senior season at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School and served as the team's captain after having played three seasons at Whitney High School in Rocklin, California. Among other insights, she talks about marriage prep and her experience going on a mission trip this spring.

She has played softball for Team USA as well as professionally, plus she enjoyed a college career at LSU that consisted of three Women's College World Series appearances and her being named an All American two times. She is a relative newlywed and a cradle Catholic. Among other great reflections, she talks about the Catholic church in Thailand that she and her husband found on their honeymoon and why it was unique in terms of imagery.

The team priest for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he also played football himself in high school. He was just ordained four years ago and is currently at St. Lawrence in Tampa, Florida. He talks about what his role with the team entails as well as how he juggles that with his responsibilities to his parish. Plus he tells the story of his favorite moment from being on the sidelines.

An orthopedic surgeon who is in the Carolina Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the Association of Ringside Physicians and was a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Society. Born and raised Catholic, he was a weightlifter back in his college days and has gone on to be involved with sports internationally, serving as a ringside doctor for boxing and MMA to the tune of over ten thousand bouts that he has been present for in his career as a ringside doctor. Some years ago he authored a book called, "Sports Medicine for the Combat Arts," and now, this month, he contributed a full chapter to a new worldwide textbook called, "The Sports Medicine Physician." He now has his sights on creating a website centered around physicians against abortion.

She played professional football for four years after having previously been an athlete in another sport, having earned a full basketball scholarship to Detroit Mercy, where she played for four years. Last year she took her final vows and became a nun, and currently she is a campus minister at Florida State University. During this conversation you'll hear her say - among other observations - that she definitely sees the synergy between our faith life and our sports life.

The Director of Hockey Operations at Providence College for the men's hockey team, she is a lifelong Catholic, the oldest of five children. Theresa attended Catholic elementary, high school (valedictorian), and college. She talks about working at a Catholic institution, the concept of people working together as a team, and the influence of her father on her career.

New York Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk cautions parents about putting too high of a priority on a child's potential hockey career. Plus, he talks about being born into the Catholic faith and attending Catholic school (K-8), coming into the NHL, moving to and living in New York City, and what happened when he tried to attend Christmas Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

He covers University of Notre Dame Athletics for Irish 101 and Irish Illustrated, and is also the Notre Dame reporter for Fan Media. Len has also served as a reporter for ESPN Radio's "College Gameday," as a stringer for AP Sports. A lifelong Catholic, he is also heavily involved with the Knights of Columbus. He's also involved with a project that, when supported, gives a portion of the proceeds to help support research into Niemann-Pick Type C Disease.

A Chicago Bears’ Board Member and a Bears’ Vice President, he is the Chairman of Sports Faith International, which recognizes people who are successful in sports while leading exemplary lives. He is the author of six books (four about sports and faith) and participated in sports extensively as a student-athlete: basketball, baseball, football, track, and cross country, and currently runs Masters Track. His grandfather (and godfather) was George Halas, the founder of the Chicago Bears.

A former heavyweight boxer who finished with a 36-0 won-lost record (29 KOs), getting to No. 1 in the world where he would've fought for the heavyweight title but suffered a serious head injury (brain bleed). Last year he was inducted into both the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. He had also been a 1996 U.S. Olympic alternate. Joe started a foundation called Champs Against Bullying and there is also the Baby Joe Mesi Fight for Organ Donors. Listen to the end to hear what his "holy box" is.

Inducted into the Sports Faith Hall of Fame in 2015, the next year he became the Athletic Director at JSerra Catholic High School after more than 20 years at the helm of the athletic program at Franciscan University. Before that he was a Catholic high school vice principal. Married with six children, he was a college athlete (wrestler at Ithaca College) and has coached track and field, soccer, and wrestling.

He's a cradle Catholic, having attended Catholic grammar and high schools, his kids are altar servers, and oh, he just happens to have pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres (drafted by the Atlanta Braves) and recently was a guest instructor at San Francisco Giants spring training. Listen to how he is teaching more than just baseball techniques to kids at his academy.