Alaskan Grappler Podcast

On this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Nathan Hoffer. Nathan was a 4-time state champion from east anchorage who then went on to wrestle for Arizona State University. We talk about when and how he got into the sport of wrestling. We talk about his experience wrestling in college and the process of how he got there. We get a never heard before story of why he was in tears under the bleachers after winning his 3rd st...

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hollan Gravley. Hollan was a 4 time state champion for Colony and also lead the team to their first ever state championship his senior year while winning OW in the state tournament. He then went on to wrestle for Western Colorado University. We talk about how he got into the sport, what separated him from his competition. We talk about his experience wrestling in college. We ...

For this episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Isaac Deaton. Isaac was a 3 time state champion and high school all-american from Valdez. He then went on to wrestle for the University of Nebraska at Karney. He is now a shop teacher at Valdez high school and is in line to become the high school and middle school head wrestling coach. We talk about when he started wrestling and how he got into it. We talk about the 3 state titles ...

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Randy Hanson. Randy was a 3 time state champion and 4 time finalist from Bethel. He then went on to wrestle for the University of Minnesota as well as get a degree in Kineeziology. He has since moved back to Alaska and he is on a tear. He was named assistant coach of the year in 2018 while winning a team state championship with South Anchorage and as of last year he has taken...

I’d like to apologize for the long delay, I recorded this next podcast on March 28th, but my podcast mic died on me so I have been unable to record a quality intro and ending, but I have my new one now so we are good to go. For this particular episode, I am not your host. Your host will be none other than my little brother Dillon Achman. We took the time to sit down and do a roles reversal where Dillon interviewed me. He figured th...

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kobe Ames. Kobe is a Junior who wrestles for Lathrop High School. He is a 2 time state champion and a 3 time finalist with one year left to go, he also earned all-american in Greco in 2018. We talk about when and how he got into the sport of wrestling, what brought him to the state of Alaska, his future plans in wrestling, his toughest opponents, favorite moments and so much ...

On this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ellie Schumaker. Ellie is an absolute beast on the mat, having won 2 tanana invitational titles and finished runner up in 6th grade and so far she is a 3 time state finalist and 3 time state champion in her high school campaign with one year left to go. On this episode we talk about how she got into the sport, her strengths, her weaknesses, what she thinks it takes to be succe...

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jared Miller. Jared wrestled for Dillingham and was the first ever 4 time state champion for small schools in the state of Alaska, he also took home outstanding wrestler honors his senior year. Given the current events of the world, we talk a little bit about the Coronavirus, we then hop right to business and start talking about wrestling and when and how he got involved with...

Jimmy was a 3 time finalist and 2 time state champion from Kodiak. He was a multiple time all-american and was a national runner-up as well as a national champion for Southern Oregon University. During this interview we talk about when he started wrestling as well as his biggest influences. We talk about what motivated him when he got to high school. We talk about his time in high school as well as his journey after and him ending ...

For this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Frazier. He is the head coach of Eielson High School and Middle School. He won a state title for Eielson and then transferred to North Pole to continue wrestling where he took 2nd as a senior. I’ve known Chris for a long time. We have officiated together and now we coach against one another. For this podcast we talk about when he started wrestling, who got him into it. ...

I was hoping to have this episode up a lot sooner, but with Thanksgiving and being busy, I dropped the ball a little bit. For this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sandy Stevens. I want to give a big shout out to Trent Farris for setting the opportunity up for me and finding a time and space for us to talk the night before the Lancer Smith kicked off. Unfortunately, there was about 5 minutes worth of conversation abo...

In this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Aedyn Concepcion. He is a senior at South Anchorage High School and he is a 3 time state champion, going for his 4th. We talk about how he started wrestling and who his biggest influences have been. We talk about what he thinks it takes to be successful in wrestling. We talk about him earning all American status this past summer at Fargo in Freestyle. We talk about his future ...

For this podcast, I sit down with Dillon Achman, Wes Bockert, Kaylen Baxter and Jimmy Eggemeyer as we conquered the Hot Ones Chicken Wing Challenge. This podcast was recorded a while ago, but I had some difficulties with the editing process and then I had to edit it again because all of my work somehow got deleted. But I finally finished it for your listening pleasure. We recorded the podcast while I did a live streaming video on F...

For this episode, I sit down with Kaylen Baxter. He was a 3 time state champion and a 4 time finalist for West Valley High School. He was a 3 time All-American, winning the honors twice in Greco and once in Freestyle. He is the current head coach of West Valley High School as well as the current head coach of Team Alaska. In this episode we talk about when he started wrestling, his family and what they have done in and for the spor...

For this episode, I sit down for a unique interview with my little brother Dillon. He was a 3 time state champion and a 4 time state finalist, taking home Outstanding wrestler as a senior for Lathrop High School. We talk about his wrestling career and when he got started as well who his biggest influences were. We talk about his weird memory and how he can rattle off just about every one he has wrestled in state tournaments from 6t...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michaela Schmitz, formerly known as Michaela Hutchison. We talk about when she started wrestling and who may have gotten her into it. We talk about her being the first girl in the nation to win a state title in a predominantly boy sport. We talk about her time wrestling in high school and college. We talk about some of her favorite matches, what she thinks it takes to be succ...

This episode I sit down with Buddy and Jeremy Bockert. Buddy graduated in 2018 and was a stellar wrestler as he placed 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and 1st at the Alaska State Championships during his high school career. Jeremy is still in the midst of his high school career, placing 2nd as a freshman and then getting revenge on that loss by beating the same kid in the finals this year who was 40-0 heading into their state finals match. Both of ...

In this episode, I sit down with Tom Ritchie Jr. He currently coaches at South Anchorage and is the former head coach of South Anchorage and Service High School. We talk about his wrestling career at Lathrop High School and wrestling for his dad as the head coach as well as being in the same role when his son wrestled for him at South Anchorage. We talk about the success South has had as a team, some of the more talented wrestlers ...