The Wild Dog Pod

It's the summer after my junior year of college. I'm scrolling Indeed for a job that aligns with what I think I'll find enjoyable and fulfilling - something in athletics that allows me to make a positive impact and not be stuck inside or sitting at a desk all day. I come across a posting by a company called Soccer Shots - “Youth soccer instructors needed for ages 2-8.” I apply, not thinking too deeply about it other than it seems like it will be a fun way to stay busy, contribute to my community, and make some money over the summer. In that moment, I had no idea that the universe was turning and conspiring to bring me to two people I needed to meet: Daniel and Stephanie Villegas. For the few months I worked for them at Soccer Shots, Daniel and Stephanie modeled leadership, entrepreneurship, and what it means to serve openly and completely in a way I had never before experienced in the workplace. It came as no surprise to me when a year or two after we met, they began deepening and furthering their call to service through the creation of Jungle Non Profit - an annual four day trip that provides a soccer tournament (and eventually a field) for kids under the age of 13 at Arnett Gardens (aka Jungle), one of the most impoverished areas of Jamaica. Our conversation contains so much wisdom and perspective - lessons in entrepreneurship and leadership, the importance of knowing and growing your values, how to create opportunities for service and purpose in your own life, and the beauty we open ourselves up to witness and experience when we choose to have faith in uncertain or challenging times. If you want to learn more about Daniel and Stephanie, Soccer Shots, and Jungle Non Profit, check out the following links to their Instagram and website:@villegas1919 @stephaniiej @junglenonprofit @soccershotspbcnbchttps://junglenonprofit.com/soccershots.com The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

Just like our conversation, there are many layers to the knowledge, expertise, and experience of this month's Wild Dog Pod guest, Jessica Mork. We first take a deep dive into her experience working with survivors of trafficking and domestic abuse - the process, misconceptions, realities - a discussion that inevitably involves taking an honest look at the challenges therapists face helping others work through their trauma, while still needing to make space to navigate their own struggles and crises. We then break down the many aspects of her private practice, Promenade Counseling - her work with those who have suffered religious trauma, her approach and thoughts on boundary setting, self-care, meditation, and breath work, as well as her discovery of Reiki energy healing, and why it's become a valuable component of the services she offers.Jess' holistic perspective is refreshing and illuminating, and our conversation is one that I really believe everyone will get a little something different out of, depending on what they need at the time they listen to it. It was deeply satisfying and fulfilling for me to meet minds with such an authentic, open, and knowledgeable individual - and I'm so happy to finally share our conversation with you all. If you want to learn more about Jess and the services she offers you can find her on Instagram @promenadecounseling or on her website promenadecounseling.com. The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

As a rhythmic gymnast, Bruna spent most of her adolescence making herself as small as possible to fit the needs of the sport and the expectations of her coaches. At 11 years old she weighed just 53lbs. Even after she had moved on from gymnastics, she was left with little appetite or knowledge about the importance of a strong, well-fueled body. It was on a flight to Brazil after high school, during which she spent the entire 9 hours worrying about how she was going to manage lifting and carrying her 70lb bag when she arrived, that she realized she needed to make a change. From that moment on, she channeled the dedication and discipline that had come so naturally to her as a child into becoming stronger. What began as going to the gym and barely being able to squat the barbell, evolved into working with a coach, competing, and far exceeding her initial goal of being able to carry a 70lb bag. Six years later, she's squatting 286lbs, benching 135lbs, and deadlifting 297lbs - and she's just getting started. As impressive as that is, Bruna will tell you that the greatest part of her journey has not been the numbers, but the love she's discovered for the sport, everything she's learned about her mind and body along the way, and the beautiful friendships she's gained from being a part of the powerlifting community. Bruna's thoughtful account of her journey is full of inspiration, grace, and humility. It's a must listen for anyone who feels drawn to lifting or knows they need to make a change in their own life, but is afraid to start or feels held back by self-limiting beliefs. By the time you're done listening to Bruna's story, I'm fairly certain you'll have a new sense of what's possible, a deepened resolve to see yourself through, and a curiosity about your own undiscovered strength - just as listening to her story once served that purpose for me. You can find Bruna and keep up with her journey on Instagram: @brunavailantThe Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

Whitney Stephenson has an impressive athletic record to say the least. At first glance of her competitive achievements, you might even be a little intimidated to meet her. That is, until you realize the kindness, understanding, and passion for empowering and supporting others that has been cultivated by her 15 years (and counting) in elite athletics.This is not just the story of an athlete who has achieved. This is the story of an athlete, a human, who has experienced the joy and triumph of chasing her biggest dreams, competing on some of the biggest stages, and uncovering her true potential, while simultaneously grappling with questions of identity, wholeness, and belonging. My conversation with Whitney is a deep dive into her personal experiences as both a college and professional athlete, one that raises important questions about how teams are managed, how athletes are developed and supported, and how often mental health is overlooked in the role it  plays in performance. Whitney's well-spoken, vulnerable, and introspective account of her journey and all that she's learned from it is well worth the listen.You can find Whitney on Instagram @stephensonwhit and @sonmadefitness - and you can also visit https://sonmadefitness.com/ to learn more about her coaching services. The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

There is no one way to define a “great coach.” Every coach has their own style, and every athlete has a style of coaching that fits them best. Though there may be a range of acceptable and effective coaching styles, there seems to be a few qualities that all great coaches have in common: Adaptability, thoughtfulness, and a deep dedication to championing and supporting their athletes.Kat Blondino exemplifies these qualities, has built a business around them, and is indisputably what one would call a “great coach.” I've been lucky to have her as my Olympic Weightlifting coach, advocate, and friend for a little over a year. From the beginning, she has impressed me with both her knowledge of the sport and her passion for teaching, along with her self-assuredness and authenticity as both a coach and human being. Combined with a “never done learning” attitude and an openness to new experiences and perspectives - she is someone you want in your corner, especially if you want to get better at Weightlifting. From teaching herself Olympic Weightlifting on the platforms at FSU, to starting her her very own business and building a team of athletes - Kat's story is one that reminds us of the value in making the decision to START, being unafraid to answer when opportunity knocks, and choosing to live life on our own terms. If you'd like to follow Kat or learn more about her coaching services you can find her on Instagram @the.kb.method or visit her website https://www.thekbmethod.com/The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

Ana Maria Moyano is the light she wants to see in the world. She's the type of person you meet and could never guess the hardships she's endured. But perhaps those hardships are exactly what make her the empathetic, compassionate, and unconditionally kind person that she is - she knows first-hand what it feels like to need those things from others in moments of struggle and adversity. Through great hardship, she's experienced great healing - a journey that took her all the way to Portugal, and then eventually back to Florida for her Masters Degree in social work, followed by a career as a trauma therapist for children. The storms she faced enabled her to bloom -  but that growth came from choices, not always easy ones, to have faith and act with faith that there was a purpose to be found in her pain. Her story is one of cultivation, self-discovery, and service; budding with lessons for all of us in the importance of tuning into our minds and bodies, trusting our intuition, and remembering that there is sunshine waiting for us on the other side of even the darkest storms.The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week. 

When lining up the first round of recordings for The Wild Dog Pod, there was no question of who was going to be my inaugural guest. I wanted to start with someone who I knew embodied openness, authenticity, and relentless introspection. Someone who was passionate about sharing their own story in the hopes that it would help or inspire others.That someone is  Mario Ciccarello. Mario and I met years ago at a training run for my first 50 mile race and his first 100 mile race. I was instantly struck by his outgoing and encouraging personality, as well as the enthusiasm he had for any and all challenges. He didn't just thrive in adversity; I had a sense that he hoped for it, eagerly prepared for it, and celebrated its arrival. This sense only deepened as I got to know his story; his journey through recovery, his discovery of obstacle course racing, and his start in ultrarunning - which was initiated by a friend who tried to discourage him from signing up for his first 50 mile race, arguing that he wasn't "ready for that level of pain." Mario promptly signed up in response, only ever having run 7 miles. Now with multiple ultramarathons under his belt, including two 100 milers, Mario sits down with me to share the lessons he learned in recovery and endurance sports, the beauty and growth he found in discomfort, and why the journey of 100 miles really does start with a single step.If you'd like to keep up with Mario and all his adventures, you can find him on Instagram: @beyond_meat_head The Wild Dog Pod is brought to you by Wild Dog Athletics - individualized in-person and remote coaching for running, strength and conditioning, and weightlifting based in Wellington, FL. To get more information on our coaching services, schedule your free consult, subscribe to our mailing list, or just keep up with all things Wild Dog and Wild Dog Pod, you can find us at:wilddogathletics.com@wild_dogathleticsThanks for listening! Smash that subscribe button and leave us a review if you liked what you heard this week.