Podcasts for Summer 2026

Going into the summer, one thing I'm trying to challenge some of our athletes to do is listen to some podcasts.  There are so many "easy" ways to level up.  Working hard matters, but so does working easy.  Listening to experts in their field, those with inspiring and motivational stories, and just learning how to ask good questions and be curious can have a positive impact on the wrestling journey.  Learning how to learn and thinking how to think are skills that seem to be shrinking within each age group.

So, here is a list of podcasts that I've incorporated into my down time, sauna sessions, lawn mowing, long drives, etc.:

• The Morning Mindset: Christian Daily Devotional (by Carey Green)
• 5 Good News Stories (Caloroga Shark Media)
• History Daily (by Lindsay Graham with Noiser)
• The Shawn Ryan Show
• The Curiosity Shop with Brene Brown and Adam Grant
• Passion City Church Podcast (sermons)
• History That Doesn't Suck (with Professor Greg Jackson)
• Climbing Gold with Alex Honnold
• 99% Invisible (host Roman Mars)
• The Running Effect (with Dominic Schlueter)

These are the 10 most recent podcasts that I've listened to.  There are so many more that weren't listed that are regulars for me, including Motivation Daily by Motiversity and all of the wrestling podcasts out there.  I also subscribe to a handful of churches and stay current with their sermon releases.  I'm a history fan so have a few of those, too.  Oddly, I don't listen to regular sports programs, even though I was an avid listener to some sports talk radio shows when I was in college.  I still get plenty of sports information.  I like the crime series podcasts, but I've found the entertainment shows aren't the best use of my listening time.

Among my demographic (I'm 46 years old), there has been a rise in interest in long form podcasts because they provide time and space for meaningful conversations, however, I worry that a 3-hour conversation might be difficult for teenagers to jump into, so some short ones like TED Talks Daily or Motivation Daily are a good places to start.

Do you have any go-to podcasts you'd like to recommend to our athletes this summer?  What platform do you find it best to listen on?  When do you find time to listen?