Swim Lessons

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.

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.

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.

Cory MacIver is the head girls basketball coach for the South Prairie-Max Royals. In this Podcast, Cory opens up about coaching basketball, raising strong daughters, and the incredible resilience that defines his family's story. Cory shares what it means to lead young athletes, build character, and stay grounded through life's toughest challenges.

It's that time again — college football is getting real. In this week's episode of The People's GameDay, brought to you by Swim Lessons Productions, we're breaking down everything happening across the college football world — the upsets, the playoff chaos, the Heisman hype, and our biggest game picks of the week. From wild finishes to bold predictions! Dalyss Hanson, Josh Borm, and Jordan Neuwirth bring the energy, the insight, and the passion every true college football fan lives for.

From the sidelines of Beaver Stadium to the big lessons of life, Jay Paterno has lived through it all. In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, Jay opens up about football, leadership, legacy, and what it really means to build something that lasts beyond the game. We talk about growing up around greatness, the lessons learned from his legendary father Joe Paterno. As well as how those values still resonate today with coaching, politics, and life itself. Leadership. Legacy. Life after football. This one's not just for sports fans — it's for anyone chasing purpose.

What does it take to train champions? In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, we sit down with Steve Keplin Jr. Fresh off of winning his first leading traniner title at Assiniboia Downs. From long days at the track to building unbreakable bonds with the horses he trains, Steve shares his journey, his philosophy, and the mindset that drives success.

Every program starts with a vision — and at Minot North, that vision belongs to Head Coach Jacob Hoelman. In this episode of Swim Lessons the Podcast, Coach Hoelman sits down to talk about the challenges and triumphs of building a brand-new football program from the ground up.