Podcasts about nation podcast

In Episode 320 of the Pool Nation Podcast - Your pool route is full. The phone is ringing. You're working six or seven days a week. So why does it still feel like you're not making the money you should be making? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and John “JJ Flawless” break down one of the biggest challenges facing pool service business owners: being incredibly busy without actually building a more profitable, sustainable business. More pools don't automatically mean more profit. We talk about hidden costs, route efficiency, customer profitability, pricing, burnout, hiring employees, leadership, and why understanding your numbers has to happen BEFORE you try to scale your pool business. We also go inside the vision behind the new Pool Nation Business Group and why Pool Nation is creating monthly meetings where pool business owners and leaders can actually work ON their businesses, not just listen to another presentation. The goal is simple: help pool pros build stronger, more profitable businesses while becoming better owners and leaders. In this episode, we discuss: • Why a full pool route doesn't necessarily mean a profitable business • Why adding more customers can actually make your problems worse • The hidden cost of windshield time and inefficient routes • Why you need to understand customer profitability • How to know when your business is financially ready to hire • Why hiring your first employee can create MORE chaos • The connection between profitability and burnout • Why pool pros struggle to implement what they learn at training events • How accountability and repetition help business owners actually make changes • The tools Pool Nation is developing to help pool pros understand their businesses • Why leadership becomes critical as your pool company grows • How the Pool Nation Business Group will work • How pool pros, manufacturers, distributors, and industry leaders can participate The first Pool Nation Business Group meeting takes place October 29 at 6:00 PM at Pool Nation Headquarters in Dallas, Texas, with a hybrid option available for those who cannot attend in person. The focus goes beyond financials. We're talking profitability, leadership, operations, employees, pricing, systems, accountability, and the decisions that determine whether your pool business actually succeeds. Master the Business. Master the Craft. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Why Pool Nation is launching Business Groups 06:00 – PSP Expo, hands-on training and business education 13:00 – Why financial success is Pool Nation's first foundational principle 17:00 – Working ON your pool business, not just IN it 20:00 – Why the Business Group is more than a networking event 22:00 – Your route is full, so why aren't you making money? 25:00 – Why doing more pools isn't always the answer 26:00 – The mistake pool companies make when trying to grow 28:00 – Fixing profitability problems before you scale 30:00 – What does financial success actually mean? 32:00 – When can you afford to hire your first employee? 35:00 – Learning from other pool business owners 37:00 – Sponsor break 44:00 – Why great ideas from training rarely get implemented 46:00 – The problem with traditional business education 49:00 – Accountability, repetition and actually doing the work 52:00 – Pool Nation's new business tools and software 54:00 – How route inefficiency destroys profit 55:00 – Calculating the real cost of windshield time 56:00 – The 13-step business journey 58:00 – When a $200 pool is really a $20 pool 1:00:00 – Turning information into action 1:01:00 – Why profitability alone isn't enough 1:03:00 – Why hiring an employee can create MORE chaos 1:06:00 – Training, managing and developing employees 1:09:00 – Building leadership skills as your company grows 1:10:00 – How to participate in the Pool Nation Business Group 1:12:00 – Why manufacturers and distributors belong in the room 1:19:00 – Final thoughts on the future of Pool Nation Business Groups 1:22:00 – Making the commitment to work on your business 1:24:00 – How to register and participate remotely THANK YOU TO OUR POOL NATION VISIONARY PARTNERS SPPA BluRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / U.S. Motors OnCore Filtration Encore Brands These partners help Pool Nation continue creating education, training, events, business resources, and content designed to elevate the swimming pool industry and help pool professionals succeed.

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer answer reader questions. 

The coaches are joined on the podcast by Texas State HC Steve Holeman.  Give a listen, tell a friend.

Episode # 319 Pool Nation Podcast. What if your highest-paying pool account is earning you less than one that pays a fraction of the price? In this best-of Pool Nation Podcast episode, we revisit the hidden costs that can quietly drain a pool service business's profits. Edgar De Jesus, John “JJ Flawless,” and Zac discuss pool route efficiency, drive time, customer profitability, and why adding more accounts doesn't always mean building a better business. Hear how one $500-a-month account earned less than a $150 account once time, chemicals, and service demands entered the picture. We also revisit a conversation with 2023 Pool Nation Hall of Fame inductees Terry Arko and Steve Barnes about education, pool safety, and recognizing the people who have shaped the swimming pool industry—including the legacy of Bob Lowry. Then Leanne De Jesus, Janie Flawless, and Jeanette “The Pool Girl” Horn share lessons from the 2024 Women's Summit on leadership, confidence, understanding business financials, and finding your voice. Whether you're building your first pool route, managing technicians, or growing an established pool company, these conversations will challenge you to think differently about your time, your customers, and your business. Topics Covered Pool service business profitability Pool route planning and optimization Drive time and operating costs Customer account profitability Pool technician pay and retention Pool repair opportunities and productivity Pool Nation Hall of Fame Terry Arko, Steve Barnes, and Bob Lowry Women in the swimming pool industry Leadership, confidence, and customer communication Pool Nation Women's Summit Episode Timeline Approximate timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Pool Nation Best Of 01:00 Terry Arko and Steve Barnes and the Hall of Fame 12:00 Steve Barnes on education and pool safety 15:00 Remembering Bob Lowry 18:00 Behind the scenes of Pool Nation Awards planning 26:00 Business efficiency and partner acknowledgments 34:00 Pool route planning and the cost of growing too fast 40:00 The $500 account that earned less than a $150 account 43:00 Reviewing routes and reducing drive time 46:00 Repair opportunities and the value of minutes saved 48:00 Technician pay, retention, and route efficiency 51:00 Sponsor Break 56:00 Women in the pool industry and the 2024 Women's Summit 1:09:00 Building community through the Women's Summit 1:16:00 Authenticity, confidence, and finding your voice 1:21:00 Customer conversations and understanding your numbers 1:24:00 Personality styles and better communication 1:28:00 Productivity and accountability 1:29:00 Closing and Pool Nation resources Sponsors A huge thank-you to our visionary partners for supporting Pool Nation and helping us bring education, business conversations, and community to swimming pool professionals: SPPA BlueRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products Encore Brands Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec OnCore Filtration Thank you also to Encore Coatings, featuring KOOL for pools, and U.S. Motors, featuring the Neptune variable-speed motor, for supporting this episode. Follow Pool Nation for more conversations about growing your pool business, and share this episode with a pool pro who could use a more profitable, productive workday. This best-of episode includes previously recorded conversations. Event announcements and dates reflect the original recordings.

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss Rutgers' upcoming game against USC.

This week on the Angery American Nation Podcast, Angery American welcomes Robert “T” Toombs of Mountain Readiness. We're talking preparedness, practical skills, resilience, training, and what it takes to become more capable when conditions get difficult. Mountain Readiness is built around getting people out of their comfort zones, putting skills to work, and building the confidence that comes from actually doing—not just talking about preparedness. Expect another off-the-cuff and uncut conversation about real people, real skills, and the mindset behind being ready when it matters.

Catching perch consistently starts with finding active fish—and understanding that yesterday's hot spot may be empty today. In this episode, we break down how perch move, the types of areas that concentrate feeding fish, and why anglers need to stay mobile instead of waiting for the school to return. You'll learn how to search productive water efficiently, recognize when it's time to make a move, and adjust your presentation once you locate a school. Whether you're chasing a meal of keeper-sized perch or searching for true jumbos, these practical tips will help you spend less time fishing empty water and more time putting perch on the ice.

It seems like Division III football made another big splash this past weekend, and we’re not just talking about that flood that overtook Washington & Jefferson’s field at halftime vs. Keystone. No, we’re talking about another great week of games. How about unranked Randolph-Macon taking down then-No. 3 Johns Hopkins? No. 1 North Central and No. 9 Wartburg tight going deep into the fourth quarter? No. 6 UW-River Falls taking it to No. 21 Coe? No. 14 Hardin-Simmons winning at No. 12 UW-La Crosse? And none of that even includes the fact that Mount Union was 16 seconds away from losing its third consecutive game. Game balls get handed out to some of the top performances and most memorable performances in Division III from Week 2. Plus, which team held the ball for more than 25 minutes in the second half? Yes, you read that right. Who’s hitting a ton in Region 1? What’s the hullabaloo in the 2? What do you see in the 3? Who’s got questions galore in the 4? Who’s taking a long drive in the 5? Who’s getting their kicks in the 6? Randolph-Macon coach Pedro Arruza joins us for Fast Five. Plus, when Patrick pulls over the podcast car to the side of the road, what is the big question? And didn’t Pumpkin Spice season come even earlier this year? We’ll have a Pumpkin Spice Showdown in the Final Countdown. Plus we take four mailbag questions, and much more. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas deliver all of the goodness to your fall in this week’s edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Randolph-Macon athletics; Wade Gardner, d3photography.com; Hardin-Simmons athletics

Episode 318 Pool Nation Podcast. Six years ago, we turned on the microphones to have the conversations pool pros needed. We never imagined those conversations would grow into boot camps, the Pool Nation Awards, the Women's Summit, and a headquarters built for the pool pro community. In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and John “JJ Flawless” look back at how it all started, the moments that made the work worth it, and the lessons learned along the way. From the early days of Instagram Live to earning the industry's trust, we share what it has taken to keep showing up—and why listening to pool pros continues to shape everything we do. We get personal about the sacrifices behind the scenes, talk honestly about mistakes and partnerships, and discuss why growing a mission takes the right people, consistency, and a willingness to change direction. We also share updates on Heritage's training at Pool Nation headquarters, the Pool Nation Awards, and the $25,000 Pool Pro Challenge. To everyone who has listened, attended a training, shared an idea, or trusted us to be part of their journey: thank you. You are the reason we are Pool Nation. Master the business. Perfect the craft. Make an impact. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome and celebrating six years of Pool Nation 03:00 – Remembering September 11 07:00 – Heritage MIT training and a home for pool pros 13:00 – Pool Nation Awards, training, and Pool Pro Challenge updates 16:00 – Looking back: How Pool Nation began 20:00 – From helping pool pros to launching a podcast 27:00 – How the original vision evolved 30:00 – Bob Lowry and the inspiration behind the Pool Nation Awards 34:00 – Building a space and a voice for every pool pro 38:00 – The moments that showed us we were making a difference 42:00 – The Women's Summit and ideas born from the community 45:00 – Sponsor break 50:00 – Back from the break 52:00 – Earning the industry's trust through consistency 59:00 – Going all in while running a business and raising a family 1:03:00 – The work and personal sacrifices behind the scenes 1:07:00 – Mistakes, partnerships, and lessons learned 1:10:00 – Building the team and learning to change direction 1:13:00 – Rethinking coaching and reaching more pool pros 1:15:00 – Sponsor break 1:20:00 – JJ's netting skills and pool service pet peeves 1:22:00 – Finding purpose in teaching and giving back 1:25:00 – Setting up the next conversation: Where is the industry headed? 1:27:00 – Thank you, Pool Nation, and the mission moving forward Thank You to Our Sponsors and Visionary Partners A huge thank-you to SPPA, Blue Ray XL, AquaStar Pool Products, Natural Chemistry, Raypak, Heritage Pool Supply, Hayward Pool Products, EnCore Brands, Poolside Tech, Pool Brain, Nidec / U.S. MOTORS, and OnCore Filtration for helping us bring education, training, and conversations like this to the pool industry.

Around the globe, rightwing politicians pushing nationalist and anti-immigration policies are on the rise. The Populist explores the growing appeal of Pauline Hanson's One Nation – a party that has imported the modus operandi of the populist right, including Trump-style attacks on the media. Investigations correspondent Sarah Martin speaks to Reged Ahmad about the new four-part podcast series launching tomorrow

Join the Angery American Nation Podcast as we welcome Brian Triple G" Loftus to the show! We're getting into preparedness, survival gear, practical skills, training, and what actually works when you move beyond internet theories and put your equipment and abilities to the test. Brian brings a real-world approach to preparedness built around a simple idea: owning gear isn't enough. You need the knowledge and skills to use it. Join us for another off-the-cuff and uncut conversation about preparedness, training, survival, and becoming more capable when it counts.

The task seemed impossible: For as long as we’ve been waiting for these Week 1 games and talking about them, especially the two in the Chicago suburbs featuring four of the top five teams in the country, they couldn’t possibly live up to the hype we’d given them. Could they? Well, perhaps they couldn’t both live up to the hype, but one sure as heck did, as No. 5 Wheaton knocked off No. 3 Mount Union when offensive guard Aiden Byrne blocked the Purple Raiders’ attempt to tie the game with an extra point kick with 22 seconds left. So it was all celebration for the Thunder, and Patrick Coleman was there and brings the sounds and the observations, as we hear from Wheaton coach Jesse Scott in Fast Five, and we’ll hear from Byrne as well. Patrick was also at the Bethel-North Central game, three-quarters of it anyway, so he got the gist, and we’ll talk about the key new personnel for North Central as well as what was missing for Bethel, plus the things that the No. 1-ranked Cardinals and No. 2 Royals need to work on. And we’ll dive heavily into No. 11 St. John’s win vs. No. 10 UW-La Crosse also. And how many viewers did the Wheaton win get? Logan Hansen comes back to the podcast for the regular season with his breakdown of the top learnings from the week from an analytics perspective in Analytics 301, a 3 minute and 1 second swing through the big games coming up as well as key questions: Will the WIAC have a decent shot of getting four teams in the playoffs again? Plus, Patrick and Greg Thomas swing through all six regions of Division III. Who’s only just begun in Region 1? Who has a clue in Region 2, etc.? Plus they hand out game balls, pick out the stats of the week, and answer your mailbag questions. How did our team’s Week 1 predictions go? Yes, we hold each other accountable for that and we’ll own up to it on every weekly podcast. Plus, in the Final Countdown, three results that surprised each of us from this week. We talk about dozens of teams and dozens of games, so check it all out on the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Michael Hudson Photography; Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com; Steve Woltmann for North Central athletics

Episode 317 Pool Nation Podcast - What does it take to grow a family-owned pool business from a backyard shed into three retail locations, 70 employees, and a customer database of 17,000? This week on the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and guest co-host Ryan Morrison welcome Tara Soto of Rising Sun Pools in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a Hayward Spotlight conversation about pool business growth, customer loyalty, and carrying a family legacy forward. Founded by Tara's father, Charlie, in 1972, Rising Sun Pools has grown into a full-service swimming pool company offering pool construction, service, maintenance, and retail. Tara shares how the business evolved—and what it takes to keep customers coming back across generations. Hear how her team connects seasonal pool openings with recurring maintenance and in-store water testing, why they expanded into vinyl, fiberglass, and concrete pools, and how personal customer service helps distinguish their stores from larger competitors. Tara also opens up about taking over after her father's unexpected passing, navigating business decisions with her siblings, and earning respect as a woman in the pool industry. Plus, she explains how Rising Sun Pools is approaching online competition through customer rewards, a planned website overhaul, and delivery options—and why social media engagement doesn't always translate into sales. Whether you're a pool service professional, swimming pool builder, retailer, or family business owner, this episode offers practical lessons in building customer relationships, managing growth, and marketing to the people who actually buy. IN THIS EPISODE: • Growing a pool company across construction, service, and retail • Turning seasonal pool openings into ongoing customer relationships • Pool heat pumps, winterization, and customer education • Managing a family business and preparing the next generation • Women in the pool industry and the importance of being heard • Competing with online retailers through convenience and service • Focusing pool business marketing on customers instead of likes TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 02:00 — Meet Tara Soto and Rising Sun Pools 03:00 — Thank you to our visionary partners 09:00 — Why Tara returned to the family pool business 11:00 — How Rising Sun Pools began in 1972 13:00 — Three stores and three types of inground pools 15:00 — Pre-scheduling, repeat customers, and seasonal demand 17:00 — Connecting pool openings, maintenance, and retail 19:00 — Heat pumps and extending the swimming season 21:00 — Freeze preparation and customer communication 22:00 — Sponsor messages 28:00 — Handshake deals, early buys, and old-school pool marketing 33:00 — Building service expertise and supplier relationships 35:00 — “Everything under the sun” for the backyard 37:00 — Expansion, 30 trucks, and 70 employees 38:00 — Family business leadership and the next generation 41:00 — Taking over after the loss of the founder 44:00 — Building loyalty through personal customer service 46:00 — Earning respect as a woman in the pool industry 49:00 — Sponsor messages 54:00 — Meet Ryan “The Muscle” Morrison 55:00 — Competing with Amazon: rewards, online ordering, and delivery plans 57:00 — Why engagement doesn't always equal sales 60:00 — Closing thoughts and shout-outs 62:00 — Where to connect with Pool Nation THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: A huge thank-you to our visionary partners: SPPA, BlueRay XL, AquaStar Pool Products, Natural Chemistry, Raypak, Heritage Pool Supply, Hayward Pool Products, OnCore Brands, Poolside Tech, PoolBrain, Nidec / U.S. MOTORS, and OnCore Filtration. Thank you also to Encore Coatings / KOOL for Pools, featured in this episode's sponsor messages. Your continued support helps Pool Nation bring pool professionals together through education, industry conversations, and community. Enjoyed the episode? Follow the Pool Nation Podcast, leave a review, and share this conversation with a pool pro or business owner who's building something that lasts. Follow us on Instagram: @pool.nation @poolnationpodcast

Get ready for another trip into the darker side of electronic music. BomBeat Nation Podcast S2E8 delivers a powerful Techno journey packed with driving rhythms, hypnotic grooves, deep atmospheres, and relentless energy. Turn up the volume and let the beat take control. From underground vibes to peak-time pressure, this episode is built for the dancefloor, the late-night drive, and everyone who lives for Techno. BomBeat Nation — Feel the Beat. Live the Night.

Kickoff comes tomorrow! That’s right, it’s Kickoff Eve and here at D3football.com we drop a new podcast to get you ready for the 2026 season openers on Thursday night, Friday night and all day Saturday. This edition of the D3football.com Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the most reliable & fastest in-game video replay system on the market. Find out more at GameStrat.com. If this is your first time following Division III football, well, welcome! We want to make sure you are as up to speed as possible when you get to your tailgating spot, and that includes us walking you through the basics of how Division III is structured, how big it is (and how hard it is to get into the Top 25!), as well as how the playoffs are put together. We’ll also take you around all six regions on the Week 1 schedule and go through a game of the week for each region, plus two more games to keep an eye on. Who’s on the run in Region 1? Who’s in the queue in Region 2? You get the idea. Plus, Greg and Patrick take us through a Week 1 viewing schedule, one game at a time, and it’s a new season, so there’s a new bit in this podcast. A new feature. Check it out. We have this and more in the latest edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. Mailbag topics include: Which Division III coach could be next to take a Division I FCS head coaching job? Is Division III really losing too much in terms of transfers? Which unlikely predictions are most likely to come true? How will D-III fare against non-Division III opponents this week? Plus, yes, we will talk about Manchester leaving D-III next season and what it means for the HCAC, perhaps the OAC and perhaps the SAA. Notes from the show: Etchglow’s transfer portal tracker Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com; JCU athletics photo by CJ Lyon; UMHB athletics; Eastern athletics; Steve Woltmann for North Central athletics; Millsaps athletics

Episode 316 Pool Nation Podcast - What happens when 130 women from across the swimming pool industry come together to learn, connect, and grow? In this special episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, guest host Emily Lemenzo Washkovich joins Doreen, Leanne, Sarah, and Spider to recap the unforgettable 2026 Pool Nation Women's Summit. The group explores how the summit has evolved from an inspirational event into an intentionally designed leadership-development experience. They discuss overcoming imposter syndrome, building trust, communicating with impact, becoming a “multiplier” instead of a diminisher, and creating a safe environment where women feel empowered to use their voices. Emily also shares her deeply personal journey with bipolar disorder, burnout, boundaries, and rebuilding a healthier relationship with work. The conversation continues with practical ways pool professionals can use AI as a thought partner, highlights from the summit's mentor sessions and awards, and a look at how the new Pool Nation headquarters will create year-round opportunities for training, collaboration, and industry growth. Whether you own a pool service company, lead a team, work for a manufacturer or distributor, or are building your career in the pool and spa industry, this episode is packed with leadership lessons and real-world encouragement you can put into action. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Women's Summit recap 03:00 – Why women need connection and community in the pool industry 05:00 – Taking the summit from inspirational to aspirational 07:00 – Communicating with impact, building trust, and creating culture 08:30 – Multipliers, diminishers, and becoming a better leader 11:00 – Creating a safe space where women can find their voices 12:00 – The Drive assessment and understanding what energizes you 15:00 – Sponsor support and the summit's surprise-and-delight boxes 25:00 – Facilitation training and developing industry educators 35:00 – Audience engagement, boundaries, and stepping away from the business 43:00 – How the Pool Nation Women's Summit began and evolved 49:00 – Mentor conversations, workplace culture, and industry relationships 55:00 – Selecting Emily as the keynote speaker 59:00 – Emily's personal journey with work, mental health, and bipolar disorder 01:05:00 – Establishing boundaries and building a healthier relationship with work 01:15:00 – Recognizing courageous women and summit award recipients 01:25:00 – Using AI and ChatGPT as practical tools for pool professionals 01:34:00 – Heritage's commitment to the Women's Summit 01:35:00 – Year-round leadership development and the Pool Nation headquarters 01:37:00 – Final takeaways from the 2026 Women's Summit 01:41:00 – What's next for Pool Nation leadership programs 01:45:00 – Closing thoughts and how to connect with Pool Nation THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS This episode and the Pool Nation Women's Summit would not be possible without the organizations that invest in education, leadership development, and the future of the pool and spa industry. A huge thank-you to: SPPA BlueRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products Encore Brands Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec OnCore Filtration Special thanks to the partners, mentors, facilitators, volunteers, and team members who helped create such a meaningful experience for the women of the pool industry. Learn more and connect with Pool Nation at PoolNationPodcast.com, follow Pool Nation on Facebook and Instagram at @poolnationpodcast, and explore industry training and community resources at PoolManUniversity.com.

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss Rutgers' first game of the season.

Food is one of the best parts of spending a long day—or an entire weekend—in a fish house. In this episode of the Fish House Nation Podcast, we explore the meals, snacks, and cooking traditions that make time on the ice even more enjoyable. From simple sandwiches and convenience-store snacks to hot breakfasts, slow-cooked meals, and full fish house feasts, the conversation covers what works when space, time, and cooking equipment are limited. You'll also hear ideas for planning meals before the trip, reducing cleanup, feeding a group, and making sure cooking doesn't interfere with the fishing. Whether you fish from a small portable shelter or a fully equipped wheelhouse, this episode will help you create a better menu for your next ice fishing adventure. For more ice fishing information, visit https://catchcover.com/read-blog-articles/

A MILLION MIRACLES | Stephanie Johnson | Life After Hurricane Helene What happens after the cameras leave, the headlines fade, and an entire community is left to rebuild? On this episode of the Angery American Nation Podcast, Angery American welcomes Stephanie Johnson, founder of Rebuilding Hollers and author of her new book, A Million Miracles: Life After Hurricane Helene. Stephanie has spent the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on the ground in Western North Carolina—helping families, coordinating recovery projects, rebuilding homes and communities, and witnessing firsthand what happens when ordinary people refuse to give up. Now she's telling that story. A Million Miracles is a raw and heartfelt account of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene, but more importantly, it's about what happened next: neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers showing up, communities refusing to surrender, and faith carrying people forward when almost everything else was gone.

We’re wrapping up the offseason, one in which we’ve now dropped 11 podcasts for you, including 24 coach and/or student athlete interviews, a commissioner and a collector of college football helmets. And we are here to get you into preseason camp, into your full pads and helmets and much more with Podcast 414. This edition of the D3football.com Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the most reliable & fastest in-game video replay system on the market. Find out more at GameStrat.com. Johns Hopkins is the preseason No. 4 team in our Top 25 poll, and coach Dan Wodicka was glad to talk to us during the middle of the Blue Jays’ preseason camp. Find out who the new JHU starting quarterback will be, where he came from, what else he does at Johns Hopkins, and what made his teammates vote him a captain before he has ever started a single football game for the program. Why do the Blue Jays carry just 100 players this year, and how does that compare to previous seasons? Who is wearing the honored No. 3 for Johns Hopkins this season? How well will the team reload at offensive line, where they lose four starters. And how well has JHU transitioned to new quarterbacks in the recent past? We also chat with Wes Dodson, head coach at LaGrange. The Panthers had a breakthrough season, going 10-2 and winning a first-round playoff game, and are looking to continue to push the program forward, just a few years after Dodson inherited a team which would go 0-9. The football team is a huge part of the campus culture at LaGrange, which is growing but still had under 650 full-time undergraduates last year. Secondary is the biggest spot to fill for the Panthers, while Henry Broadnax is a veteran returning at quarterback for LaGrange, coming back after playing hurt last season. Plus, how will the Top 25 poll react to the big games in the first two weeks of the season? Which Week 1 games between unranked teams do we have a particular eye on? That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation during the season, twice monthly in the offseason, about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: David Hilbert, d3photography.com; Marty Corcoran, Johns Hopkins; Rachel Staub, Washington & Jefferson

In episode 314 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and Ryan Morson sit down with Jake Riggs and Stuart Lockhart of Hot Springs Pools & Spas and PoolGoods.com for a powerful conversation about building and scaling a swimming pool business, family-business succession, pool construction, service, retail, e-commerce, marketing, AI, leadership, and creating opportunities for the next generation. Hot Springs Pools & Spas started in 1989 with Jake's father and uncle and has grown from selling hot tubs into a business spanning nearly every vertical of the pool industry. Today, the company has four locations with a fifth on the way, more than 100 employees, builds approximately 400 pools per year, and operates PoolGoods.com, an e-commerce platform shipping to 48 states. Jake and Stuart share how they're taking the foundation the previous generation built and combining it with new technology, better marketing, e-commerce, data, content, and new ways of thinking about the customer experience. One of the biggest conversations in this episode is about the changing way customers find pool companies. Stuart shares how Hot Springs tracks marketing attribution across Facebook, Instagram, Google and other channels, and reveals that customers are already discovering the company through ChatGPT and other AI platforms, including a customer who purchased an approximately $25,000 hot tub after finding them through ChatGPT. This episode is about more than growth. It's about building a business that creates opportunities for employees, serves customers for the entire life of their pool, and leaves something stronger for the generation that comes next. IN THIS EPISODE 00:01:00 – Meet Jake Riggs & Stuart Lockhart and the Hot Springs Pools & Spas story 00:07:00 – Jake's journey from growing up in the family business to building his own path 00:10:00 – Stuart's path from commercial and residential sales to retail, service and marketing 00:12:00 – How PoolGoods.com was born and why convenience changed their strategy 00:15:00 – Building multiple pool business verticals: construction, service, retail and e-commerce 00:20:00 – Content, SEO, AI and why pool companies can't assume customers know who they are 00:23:00 – Why e-commerce can strengthen and protect your brick-and-mortar pool store 00:31:00 – Taking an old-school family pool business into the next generation 00:34:00 – HubSpot, marketing attribution, Facebook, Instagram and tracking where leads really come from 00:35:00 – The ChatGPT effect: how AI is already driving customers and high-ticket sales 00:40:00 – The future of Hot Springs, finding great people and expanding into new markets 00:42:00 – Building a pool business ecosystem where retail, service, construction and e-commerce feed each other 00:49:00 – Advice for young pool professionals and the next generation entering a family business 00:53:00 – Legacy, leadership and what Jake wants to leave behind 00:57:00 – Why money alone won't build a successful or fulfilling business KEY TAKEAWAY There isn't one single blueprint for building a great pool business. Jake and Stuart's story shows what can happen when you respect the foundation that was built before you while still being willing to challenge old ways of doing things. Whether you're running a pool service route, building pools, operating a retail store, selling online, or trying to grow into multiple revenue streams, the lesson is the same: Know your customer. Build great people. Tell your story. Use the data. And never stop looking for ways to make the business better. For second and third-generation pool professionals, there's another important message: respect the people who paved the way, but don't be afraid to bring new ideas to the table. Come prepared with the data, the plan, and the willingness to put in the work. And ultimately, build something that's bigger than you. THANK YOU TO OUR VISIONARY PARTNERS The Pool Nation Podcast is made possible by the companies that continue to invest in pool pros and the future of the swimming pool industry. Thank you to: SPPA BlueRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products Encore Brands Poolside Tech PoolBrain Nidec / U.S. Motors OnCore Filtration Thank you for continuing to support Pool Nation and our mission to help pool professionals grow their businesses, strengthen their teams, and elevate the industry. If you're a pool service professional, pool builder, pool retailer, business owner, or anyone looking to grow in the swimming pool industry, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss the Rutgers QB competition. 

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss the latest in Rutgers football.

Brian Dohn joins Bobby Deren on the latest episode. 

Episode # 314 Pool Nation Podcast. What if one pool deck job could put $10,000 in profit into your business in less than three days? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and John “JJ Flawless” sit down with Jeff Morrow Jr. of Encore Brands and The Cool Pool Deck Coating to uncover one of the biggest overlooked revenue opportunities in the swimming pool industry: pool deck renovation. Pool service professionals walk through backyards every single day looking at pumps, filters, heaters, automation, water chemistry, and repairs. But what if one of the most profitable opportunities is something you're already walking across? Jeff explains how pool service companies can add pool deck resurfacing and renovation without becoming a full-scale construction company, buying expensive grinding equipment, or building an entirely new crew. The opportunity is simple: generate more revenue from customers you already have. Instead of adding more pool accounts, more trucks, more technicians, and more overhead, pool professionals can identify the right existing customers and offer a high-margin service that solves a real homeowner problem. Jeff shares how the Cool Pool Deck Coating was developed as a cement-based coating system that can be installed using standard brushes and rollers. He explains the difference between traditional knockdown pool deck systems, ordinary concrete paint, and a system designed specifically for pool deck environments. You'll also hear the incredible story of a 9,000-square-foot HOA pool deck project Jeff completed while his business was still struggling. Without his own crew or specialized equipment, he hired local help, completed the project in four days, and walked away with a $36,000 check. Today, Jeff teaches pool professionals how to recognize these same opportunities in their own businesses. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why pool deck renovation may be one of the most overlooked profit opportunities for pool service companies • How to generate more revenue from customers you already have • Why you don't necessarily need specialized equipment or a large construction crew • The difference between traditional knockdown coatings, ordinary paint, and cement-based pool deck coatings • How Jeff turned a 9,000-square-foot HOA project into a $36,000 job • How a pool deck project can potentially generate thousands of dollars in profit in just a few days • How to identify the “cherry” pool decks that may be ideal renovation opportunities • The warning signs that should make you walk away from a pool deck project • How to check bare concrete for efflorescence and potential moisture issues • Why older knockdown pool decks can represent a major resurfacing opportunity • How pool professionals can become the project manager instead of doing every part of the job themselves • The simple three-step process: Clean It. Coat It. Seal It. • How custom colors can completely transform a customer's backyard • Why commercial pools, HOAs, hotels, resorts, and residential pools can all represent opportunities • How adding just two or three pool deck projects per year could dramatically impact your company's profitability If you're a pool service professional, pool repair company, pool builder, pool contractor, swimming pool technician, or pool business owner looking for ways to increase revenue, improve margins, and grow without simply adding more weekly service accounts, this episode is for you. The next opportunity for your pool company may not be inside the equipment room. It may be the surface you're walking across every single day. ⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 The opportunity hiding in your existing pool customers 03:00 Special midweek episode with Jeff Morrow Jr. 07:00 Pool Nation announcements and what's coming next 09:00 Upcoming Pool Nation and Hayward training 14:00 Meet Jeff Morrow Jr. and Encore Coatings 17:00 Starting a business during the recession 19:00 The challenge of introducing a new product to contractors 21:00 How YouTube and online sales changed the business 23:00 Why Encore moved from wood decks to pool decks 25:00 The “turbocharger” opportunity for pool service companies 28:00 Why pool pros often avoid pool deck renovations 31:00 Why John changed his mind about pool deck coatings 35:00 What makes the Cool Pool Deck Coating different from paint 37:00 The cement-based technology behind the coating 38:00 When pool pros should walk away from a deck 39:00 Growing revenue without adding more pool accounts 41:00 How to learn more about the Cool Pool Deck Coating 43:00 Sponsor break 48:00 Pool deck heat and the commercial market opportunity 50:00 Testing the coating at a major resort 51:00 The incredible barefoot pool deck reaction 53:00 How the heat-reduction technology works 54:00 Custom colors and matching a homeowner's backyard 57:00 The pool deck job that changed Jeff's financial situation 58:00 Taking on a 9,000-square-foot HOA pool deck 1:00:00 Completing the job in four days and collecting $36,000 1:01:00 How to subcontract the work and become the project manager 1:02:00 The economics behind a $10,000-profit pool deck job 1:03:00 How the same HOA deck held up years later 1:05:00 The “Knockdown Dilemma” 1:08:00 Millions of aging pool decks and a massive opportunity 1:09:00 The picture-perfect profitable pool deck 1:10:00 How to identify the best pool decks on your existing route 1:11:00 Red flags pool professionals need to recognize 1:12:00 Efflorescence and concrete problems explained 1:13:00 How to test a pool deck for moisture issues 1:16:00 The three-step system: Clean It, Coat It, Seal It 1:17:00 Tools and installation process 1:18:00 Measuring pool decks remotely and estimating materials 1:20:00 Sponsor break 1:25:00 Why pool deck renovation can be a high-margin add-on 1:27:00 Contractor pricing and potential margins 1:29:00 Start getting your share of pool deck renovation revenue 1:30:00 John's message to pool service professionals 1:32:00 Pool Nation proposes a real-world hands-on pool deck class 1:34:00 Commercial pool renovation season and final thoughts 1:35:00 Closing THANK YOU TO OUR VISIONARY PARTNERS The Pool Nation Podcast is made possible by the incredible companies that continue to support Pool Nation and the swimming pool industry: SPPA BlueRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak OnCore Filtration Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / U.S. Motors The Cool Pool Deck Coating / Encore Brands Thank you to every one of our partners for investing in the education, growth, and success of pool professionals. ABOUT POOL NATION Pool Nation is dedicated to helping swimming pool professionals Master the Business and Perfect the Craft. From pool service and repair to water chemistry, construction, leadership, business growth, profitability, training, and the latest pool industry products and technology, Pool Nation is committed to elevating the swimming pool industry and helping pool pros build stronger, more profitable businesses. Subscribe to the Pool Nation Podcast and share this episode with another pool professional who needs to stop leaving money in the backyard.

The discussion of 5-for-5, which is to say, a five-year window in which to play up to five years of sports, has been rampant at the Division III level in recent weeks, especially since Division II went in on the concept which was pioneered at the Division I level. Plus, we get you ready for Week 1 by talking with Mike McElroy and Cooper Drews at Bethel, and Jesse Scott at Wheaton. And we pay a visit to the Helmet Guy. This edition of the D3football.com Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the most reliable & fastest in-game video replay system on the market. Find out more at GameStrat.com. Division II jumped in quickly on adopting 5-for-5. Can Division III do the same? Should Division III do the same? And is 5-for-5 really what it sounds like? Patrick and Greg dive into the process, the survey of athletic directors and conference commissioners and whether such a concept aligns with the Division III mission and philosophy. Additional content: Division III working group survey summary Goals of the Division III working group We are also joined by McElroy and Drews, whose No. 2-ranked Bethel Royals have a bunch of attention on them this year. First off, they’re looking for a name for their offense — can it be as good as Top Gun at UW-River Falls last year? The circumstances are pretty different for Bethel in 2026 compared to 2025, as the offense is returning essentially everyone who ran the ball or caught a pass, so the Royals hope to hit the ground running, or passing, when facing D3football.com preseason No. 1 North Central. Wheaton is hitting the field in Week 1 with a tough game once again, as the Thunder host Mount Union. Jesse Scott tells us how the game came about, what sort of extra lore could be added to the matchup, talks about quarterback Mark Forcucci and how to replace a tough defender in Peter Johanik, who graduated. Also, the Thunder program and alumni had a moment of tragedy this offseason, and Scott talks about the loss of Jalen Shaffer and Philip LoChirco over the summer. Plus, who are the potential Week 1 upsets? Which conferences might be looking to join the HCAC and OAC and declare some sort of cooperative working agreement? That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation during the season, twice monthly in the offseason, about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Caleb Williams, d3photography.com; Patrick Coleman, D3sports.com; Kodiak Creative

Is your pool service business making money this summer, or is the summer running your business? In Episode #313 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar and John "JJ Flawless" break down the 5 mid-season checks every pool professional should be making right now to protect their customers, employees, equipment, routes, and most importantly, their profits. August is one of the toughest months in the swimming pool industry. Water temperatures are climbing, chlorine demand is increasing, equipment is working harder, technicians are battling extreme heat, customers are using their pools more, and chemical, fuel, labor, and operating costs can quietly destroy your margins. This episode is a mid-season business checkup for pool service companies. Edgar and John break down five critical areas: • Water & Chemistry → Why the chemistry strategy that worked in May may not work in August, how higher water temperatures accelerate demand, and why pool pros have to stay ahead of problems instead of reacting to them. • Pool Equipment & Filtration → Pumps, filters, salt systems, automation, plumbing, seals, circulation, and other equipment are under maximum stress during the summer. Learn what you should be watching before a small issue becomes an emergency call. • Route Efficiency → Driving all over town costs more than time. Poor route density, unnecessary drive time, fuel costs, and inefficient scheduling can quietly destroy the profitability of your pool route. • Your Team → Your technicians are dealing with the same summer heat and pressure you are. Edgar and John discuss workload, heat, burnout, employee retention, leadership, and why taking care of your team becomes even more important during peak season. • The Profit Check → The check almost nobody wants to do. Are your pools actually profitable? Increased chemical usage, overtime, fuel, callbacks, filter neglect, equipment issues, and extra service time can turn what looks like a profitable account into a pool that is quietly costing you money every week. They also dive deep into one of the most overlooked parts of summer pool maintenance: filtration. Putting off filter cleanings doesn't just create water problems. It can lead to increased chemical consumption, algae, callbacks, unhappy customers, longer service stops, lost filter-cleaning revenue, employee frustration, and ultimately lost customers. John shares a real-world example of how his company has prioritized filter cleanings during peak season and how properly maintaining filtration can create additional revenue while making the route easier to manage. The bigger lesson? Summer exposes the weaknesses in your pool service business. Your systems. Your pricing. Your routes. Your equipment. Your leadership. Your customer service. And your profitability. If you own or operate a pool service company, pool cleaning business, pool repair company, pool maintenance route, or swimming pool business, this episode will help you identify the problems that could be costing you money before the season is over. Edgar and John also share a personal Pool Nation update as Zac "The Pool Boy" Nicholas steps away from Pool Nation to focus on the continued growth of The Pool Boys, his family, employees, and business. The guys reflect on Zac's contribution to Pool Nation and why sometimes business growth requires making difficult decisions and focusing on the opportunity directly in front of you. Plus, Pool Nation gives an update on upcoming industry training and a major announcement coming August 14 at 4:00 PM Central Time. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 → Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 → The 5 Mid-Season Checks Every Pool Pro Should Make 02:00 → Surviving Extreme Summer Heat 05:00 → Pool Nation's August 14 Major Announcement 06:00 → Pool Nation Women's Summit & Upcoming Events 07:00 → Upcoming Hands-On Pool Industry Training 11:00 → A Personal Update About Zac "The Pool Boy" Nicholas 16:00 → The Pool Nation Mission Moving Forward 17:00 → Is Your Business Running You This Summer? 20:00 → Protecting Pool Technicians During Extreme Heat 22:00 → Growth, Experience & Surviving Peak Pool Season 23:00 → Why Summer Is the Best Time to Grow Your Pool Route 27:00 → The 5-Part Mid-Season Pool Business Checkup 30:00 → The Profit Check Every Pool Company Needs to Make 33:00 → What August Heat Does to Pool Water Chemistry 36:00 → Why Summer Pool Chemistry Is Harder 38:00 → Sponsor Break 43:00 → Summer Pool Equipment Problems 46:00 → Circulation, Pumps & Equipment Stress 47:00 → Why Filter Cleaning Matters More in Summer 49:00 → The Expensive Mistake Pool Pros Make With Filters 52:00 → How Filter Neglect Costs Your Pool Business Money 54:00 → The Hidden Revenue Opportunity in Filter Cleaning 57:00 → Sponsor Break 1:02:00 → Mid-Season Checkup Recap & What's Coming Next 1:03:00 → The August 14 Pool Nation Announcement 1:04:00 → Final Thoughts 1:06:00 → Closing THANK YOU TO OUR VISIONARY PARTNERS The Pool Nation Podcast would not be possible without the companies that continue to support Pool Nation, professional education, and the swimming pool industry. Thank you to: SPPA BluRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Hayward Pool Products OnCore Filtration Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / U.S. Motors Encore Brands Your continued support helps Pool Nation provide education, training, resources, events, and conversations designed to help pool professionals Master the Business and Perfect the Craft. ABOUT THE POOL NATION PODCAST The Pool Nation Podcast is built for swimming pool professionals who want to build better businesses, become stronger leaders, improve their technical knowledge, and become more profitable. From pool service and repair, water chemistry, filtration, pumps, heaters, automation, and equipment to pricing, leadership, employees, route efficiency, customer retention, business growth, and profitability, Pool Nation is committed to helping pool pros build businesses and lives they are proud of. It's all pool talk, and we ain't talking about netting and jetting or splashing and dashing. We're talking about becoming a Nation of Pool Pros. Master the Business. Perfect the Craft.

Episode # 312 of the Pool Nation Podcast. What if one simple conversation could increase your average ticket by 30-40%? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and John "JJ Flawless" sit down with Joe Garcia of Lyon Financial to break down one of the most overlooked opportunities in the swimming pool industry: financing. Whether you're a pool builder, service company, repair technician, remodeler, or equipment installer, financing isn't just for new pool construction anymore. Joe shares how successful pool companies are using financing to help homeowners upgrade pumps, filters, heaters, automation systems, sanitization equipment, complete equipment pads, backyard projects, outdoor living spaces, and much more. The conversation goes far beyond loans. You'll learn how financing can increase customer trust, improve your closing percentage, raise your average invoice, and help homeowners invest in better equipment without putting unnecessary pressure on their budget. The episode also dives into: • The biggest financing myths in the pool industry • Why every pool professional should offer financing • The difference between secured and unsecured loans • Questions every contractor should ask a financing partner • Hidden fees and fine print many contractors never discuss • Why acceptance rate matters more than approval rate • How financing can increase equipment upgrades and overall profitability Joe also shares his unique career journey from Verizon and Bank of America to entrepreneurship, running a successful formal wear business, and ultimately becoming one of the industry's leading educators in pool financing. If you're looking to grow your pool business, increase average ticket size, improve customer experience, and sell more premium equipment, this is an episode you don't want to miss. Topics Covered Pool financing for service companies Pool builder financing Equipment pad upgrades Variable speed pumps Pool automation Pool heaters Heat pumps Pool filters Outdoor living financing Sales training for pool companies Growing a pool service business Pool business marketing Leadership Customer communication Homeowner financing Lyon Financial Episode Timeline 00:00 Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 02:00 Summer service stories and life in the field 11:45 Upcoming events 17:00 Hayward Training preview 24:00 Meet Joe Garcia 29:45 From Verizon and dark fiber to banking leadership 34:30 Entrepreneurship, leadership and the quinceañera business 44:00 Leadership vs. management 46:00 Sponsor Break 50:00 What Lyon Financial actually does 57:00 Financing beyond pool construction 1:00:00 Secured vs. unsecured financing explained 1:04:00 Hidden financing fees every contractor should understand 1:10:00 Why financing matters for pool service companies 1:15:00 How financing increases average ticket size 1:23:00 Final business lessons and closing thoughts Sponsors A huge thank you to our partners for supporting Pool Nation and helping us educate the swimming pool industry. SPPA BlueRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Group Hayward Pool Products Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / US Motors Encore Coatings Pool Invoice OnCore

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss the upcoming Rutgers camp season. 

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss the latest developments from Big Ten Media Day.

The wait is almost over, and the 2026 Division III football season is kicking off with an absolute bang. On this episode of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast, we are breaking down our newly released Preseason Top 25 poll and looking ahead to a schedule that is already shaping up to be, well, we used the term “gobsmacking.” This edition of the D3football.com Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the most reliable & fastest in-game video replay system on the market. Find out more at GameStrat.com. For the very first time in the 23-year history of the poll, the season opens with a monumental clash between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country. It's an unprecedented Week 1 blockbuster that breaks the mold of the usual Mount Union, Whitewater, or Mary Hardin-Baylor early-season math. We dive into what this historic matchup, between North Central and Bethel, means for the landscape of D-III football, how the poll numbers set up the early schedule, and highlight the games you absolutely cannot miss. Plus, we are bringing you newsmakers directly from the sidelines to get you ready for the fall: Coach Brad Spencer and senior safety Brayden Garrigan from North Central join us. Spencer chats about the mindset in Naperville heading into 2026, how the coaching staff is managing the continued sky-high expectations, and the benefits of playing Bethel once again. We also get Garrigan’s perspective on his busy offseason and what it actually feels like in the North Central locker room in terms of bringing new starters and freshmen into the mix. Mary Hardin-Baylor head coach Larry Harmon drops in to discuss how the Cru are hoping to improve on offense in their second year since the return of offensive coordinator Steven Lee. While the quarterback situation is a little up in the air, we hear a little about the position, plus what UMHB needs to do to elevate the offense. We also talk about the Cru’s schedule, especially key games against Endicott and Rowan which are sure to help the NPI of the winner. Mentioned in the podcast: ATN Podcast 383, A new year awaits Plus we answer mailbag questions about the preseason Top 25, share our sleeper picks for the 2026 season, talk about how we go about making our preseason votes, and give a brief prediction for the game between No. 1 North Central and No. 2 Bethel. And … what of UW-River Falls? The Falcons lost key personnel to graduation, more to the transfer portal, and their head coach and offensive coordinator. We know, not everyone has heard. Patrick and Greg do not agree as to where UW-River Falls should be ranked in the preseason, but we’ll offer hope for where they might find success in 2026. That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation during the season, twice monthly in the offseason, about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Podcast Addict: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Mathieu Starke, d3photography.com; Mary Hardin-Baylor athletics; Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com

Episode #311 Pool Nation Podcast What really makes one pool filter better than another? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and John "JJ Flawless" sit down with Rich Medina, Engineering Leader at OnCore Filtration, to take one of the deepest dives we've ever done into pool filtration. Rich brings over 34 years of engineering and pool industry experience, sharing how cartridge filters are designed, how filtration media actually works, why point-bonded media outperforms traditional materials, and how proper filtration directly impacts water chemistry, customer satisfaction, equipment longevity, and profitability. Whether you're a pool service company, builder, retailer, manufacturer, or simply want to better understand what separates premium filters from inexpensive alternatives, this episode is packed with practical knowledge that will immediately improve the way you think about water quality. In this episode you'll learn: • Why filtration is the foundation of crystal-clear water • How cartridge filters actually work • What "point bonded" filter media means • Why cheap cartridge filters often fail • Injection molded cores vs. PVC cores • Why filter bands matter more than you think • Proper cartridge cleaning techniques • Common mistakes pool professionals make • When filters should actually be replaced • Why turnover rate may be more important than PSI • How engineering decisions impact your customer's pool If you've ever wondered why some pools stay crystal clear while others constantly struggle, this episode explains the science behind it. Episode Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 Meet Rich Medina from OnCore Filtration 05:45 Rich's engineering background and military experience 12:00 How Rich entered the swimming pool industry 27:00 Building filtration technology through engineering 36:30 Why filtration is the foundation of water quality 44:00 How cartridge filtration actually works 50:00 Filter media explained: point bonded vs. flat bonded 59:45 Injection molded cores vs. PVC cores 1:07:00 Why filter bands matter 1:12:30 The correct way to clean cartridge filters 1:17:00 When should pool filters be replaced? 1:20:00 Creating a maintenance schedule that saves customers money 1:22:00 Why turnover rate matters more than pressure 1:25:00 Final thoughts and takeaways Thank You to Our Visionary Partners A huge thank you to the incredible companies helping us educate and elevate the swimming pool industry. • SPPA • Blue Ray XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply • Hayward Pool Products • Encore Brands • Poolside Tech • Pool Brain • Nidec / U.S. Motors • OnCore Filtration Your continued support allows Pool Nation to bring free education to pool professionals across the world.

Episode 310 Pool Nation Podcast What does it take to build a pool company that lasts nearly six decades? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus is joined by Ryan Morson from Hayward along with Ken and Sandy Barthman of Dunrite Pools, a second-generation family business that has been building swimming pools on Long Island for over 58 years. From starting in the business as a teenager to now constructing more than 125 pools every year, Ken and Sandy share what it takes to build a lasting reputation, work together as husband and wife, and prepare the next generation to carry the company forward. The conversation dives deep into the unique challenges of vinyl liner pools, high water table construction, dewatering systems, custom liner measurements, heat pumps, customer service, online reviews, company culture, and why reputation remains the most valuable asset any pool company can have. Whether you're a pool builder, service professional, business owner, or simply passionate about the swimming pool industry, this episode is packed with practical lessons on leadership, craftsmanship, family business, and building a legacy that lasts. In This Episode You'll Learn • How Dunrite Pools has remained successful for over 58 years • What it's really like running a pool company as husband and wife • Building approximately 125 vinyl liner pools each year • How dewatering works in high water table construction • Why accurate liner measurements are critical • Heat pumps vs. gas heaters in northern markets • Preparing your business for multi-generational leadership • Managing customer expectations and protecting your online reputation • Why family businesses continue to thrive in the pool industry • The importance of building trust one customer at a time Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Meet Ken & Sandy Barthman of Dunrite Pools 05:45 Pool construction on Long Island 08:45 Hayward's "Power of Us" initiative 10:00 How Ken & Sandy met and built a life together 15:00 The history of DunritePools 18:00 Dewatering explained 23:00 Building 125 vinyl liner pools every year 26:00 Heat pumps vs. gas heaters 30:00 Custom vinyl liner measurements 33:00 The complete vinyl liner installation process 40:00 Running a family business together 43:00 Building a multi-generation company 47:00 Protecting your reputation through customer service 49:00 Life outside the pool industry 52:00 Final thoughts and legacy Thank You to Our Sponsors A huge thank you to our visionary partners for helping us educate and elevate the swimming pool industry: • SPPA • BluRay XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply • Hayward Pool Products • Poolside Tech • Pool Brain • Nidec / US Motors • OnCore Filtration • Encore Brands Your continued support allows us to provide free education to pool professionals across the industry. Subscribe If you enjoyed this episode: ✔ Subscribe to Pool Nation ✔ Leave us a 5-star review ✔ Share this episode with another pool professional ✔ Join thousands of pool pros who are committed to mastering the business and perfecting the craft.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference has made a lot of waves since last we talked, what with Millsaps and then Southwestern electing to rejoin the SCAC starting in 2027. So, at the risk of there perhaps being a third member of the Southern Athletic Association returning to the SCAC before we could get the podcast out, we sat down with Dwayne Hanberry, commissioner of the SCAC, to discuss the changes, the status of Gallaudet in the conference, and more. This edition of the D3football.com Podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the most reliable & fastest in-game video replay system on the market. Find out more at GameStrat.com. In addition to that breaking news, we also discuss the recent announcement that the Monon Bell game will be played at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana, at a price of $50 a ticket plus Ticketmaster fees. There will be words, for sure. We also talk too early about the preseason Top 25 poll, which should come out within the next week. Our coach interviews in this edition of the podcast each represent opposite ends of the experience spectrum. That includes Tyler Hopperton, who has been the head coach at Mount St. Joseph going on a decade and has been at MSJ as either a coach or player for half the lifetime of the program. Hopperton talks about his team going to a bowl game last year after a string of three consecutive NCAA playoff trips, the high points in Cincinnati’s Division III program and the benefits of Skyline Chili. We also have Jacob Donohoe, the new head coach at Nebraska Wesleyan, coming over after spending time as an offensive coordinator at Coe. He takes over a program which was coached by Brian Keller for the past 30 years, was a longtime member of the NAIA and in a whole different conference.  Donohoe talks about reconnecting with alumni, changing the terminology within the program, what he learned at Coe and more, including the famous Runza sandwich. Mentioned in the podcast: ATN Podcast 378, The Texas two-swap Full interview with Dwayne Hanberry Plus we answer mailbag questions about the future of Trinity (Texas), and about the best quarterback performances we’ve seen in covering Division III. That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation during the season, twice monthly in the offseason, about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Nebraska Wesleyan athletics; Eduardo Moll, Southwestern Athletics; Millsaps athletics; Mount St. Joseph athletics

Episode # 309 of the Pool Nation Podcast - What does a true partnership between manufacturers and pool professionals actually look like? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John "JJ Flawless," and Zac "The Pool Boy" Nicholas sit down with Todd Pieri of AquaStar Pool Products for one of the most honest conversations we've had about the future of the swimming pool industry. From pricing strategies and manufacturer transparency to product innovation, warranties, and building trust with pool professionals, this episode dives into the issues that affect every builder, service company, retailer, and distributor. Todd explains why AquaStar believes consistency matters more than promotions, why they reduced prices on multiple products in 2026 instead of raising them, and how listening to pool pros has driven some of their biggest product innovations. The team also tackles one of the industry's hottest topics—constant manufacturer price increases—and discusses how those decisions impact builders, service companies, homeowners, and the long-term health of the pool industry. If you're serious about growing your business, protecting your profits, and staying ahead of where our industry is headed, this is an episode you don't want to miss. In This Episode You'll Learn: • Why consistency builds stronger partnerships than rebates and promotions • AquaStar's philosophy on transparent pricing • Why AquaStar lowered prices on multiple products • How pool professionals directly influence new product development • The real cost of warranty programs—and a different way to handle them • How innovation can make service companies more profitable • Why "Run Your Freaking Pump" is more than just a slogan • What manufacturers can do to better support pool professionals • The future vision for AquaStar and the swimming pool industry Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 02:00 – Meet Todd Pieri from AquaStar Pool Products 10:00 – The AquaStar story: From startup to industry leader 14:00 – What real manufacturer partnerships should look like 18:00 – How pool pros inspire AquaStar product innovation 24:00 – The truth about pricing, inflation, and manufacturers 34:00 – Why AquaStar reduced prices instead of increasing them 41:00 – Why rebates don't always benefit pool professionals 50:00 – Net pricing vs. rebate programs explained 57:00 – Warranty philosophy and improving products through feedback 1:07:00 – AquaStar's vision for becoming the "Pros' Pro Brand" 1:16:00 – The "Run Your Freaking Pump" movement 1:18:00 – Final thoughts and closing Special Thanks To Our Visionary Partners A huge thank you to our incredible Visionary Partners for helping us continue to educate, inspire, and elevate the swimming pool industry: • The SPPA • BluRay XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply Group • Hayward Pool Products • EnCore Brands • Poolside Tech – The Attendant • Pool Brain • Nidec / U.S. Motors • OnCore Filtration Your support allows us to continue providing free education and resources to thousands of pool professionals around the world. Subscribe & Connect If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another pool professional. For more education, events, certifications, and business training, visit Pool Nation and become part of the fastest-growing community in the swimming pool industry. Master the Business. Perfect the Craft.

Episode 308 Pool Nation Podcast - What does it take to grow from a few referrals into a company with 50 employees, three locations, hundreds of service accounts, retail stores, remodels, and new construction? In this special Hayward Spotlight episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus is joined by Ryan Morson from Hayward and special guests Kyle and Stephanie Burns, owners of Emerald Custom Pools and Emerald Pool Care in Fort Worth, Texas. Kyle shares how his career as a firefighter shaped the way he plans for the future, manages risk, builds systems, and prepares his company for challenges before they happen. Stephanie explains how disciplined financial management, detailed job costing, and accountability have helped them build a profitable business while raising four children together. This conversation is packed with practical advice for pool builders, service companies, retailers, and anyone looking to build a stronger business in the swimming pool industry. In this episode you'll learn: • How Emerald Custom Pools grew from a home-based startup into a multi-division company. • Why forecasting and preparation create a competitive advantage. • The lessons learned from the Texas freeze and how planning paid off. • Why service, remodels and retail are becoming the future of the industry. • How to successfully run a family business as husband and wife. • The importance of hiring for character instead of experience. • Why company culture and training outperform talent alone. • The future of pool automation, affordable pool ownership, and industry growth. • How Emerald's Safe2Swim nonprofit is helping prevent childhood drownings. Whether you're a pool builder, service professional, retailer, business owner, or industry leader, this episode is filled with real-world strategies you can immediately apply to your business. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction & Meet Kyle and Stephanie Burns 02:00 – Emerald Custom Pools' incredible growth story 05:45 – Pool Nation Awards, Women's Summit & Hayward Training Hub announcements 10:00 – From firefighter to pool company owner 16:45 – Building multiple divisions and scaling a business 21:00 – Lessons learned from the Texas freeze and preparing for the unexpected 26:30 – Launching the service division and investing in training 28:00 – The future of pool construction and affordable pool ownership 31:00 – Sponsor Break 36:00 – Hayward's "Power of Us" initiative 41:30 – Running a successful husband-and-wife business 44:00 – Job costing, profitability and accountability 47:00 – Leadership lessons from managing family in business 49:00 – Creating a wellness-focused retail experience 52:00 – Why remodels are the future of the pool industry 54:30 – Sponsor Break 59:30 – Safe2Swim Foundation and drowning prevention 1:03:00 – Advice for entrepreneurs entering the pool industry 1:06:00 – Final thoughts A huge thank you to our incredible Pool Nation partners for making this episode possible: The SPPA • BluRay XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Heritage Pool Supply Group • Hayward Pool Products • EnCore Brands • Poolside Tech • Pool Brain • Nidec / US Motors • OnCore Filtration Because of your continued commitment to education, innovation, and supporting pool professionals, we're able to continue delivering conversations that help elevate the swimming pool industry. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another pool professional. Every share helps us continue our mission of improving the financial well-being of pool pros through education. Pool Nation — Master the Business. Perfect the Craft.

Bobby Deren and Kristian Dyer discuss the new look Scarlet Knights. 

How a Former SWAT Officer Built One of California's Most Successful Pool Companies | Featuring Obie Rodriguez What happens when a 30-year law enforcement veteran and 15-year SWAT officer decides to build swimming pools instead of chasing criminals? In episode # 307 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and Ryan Morse from Hayward sit down with Obie Rodriguez, owner of Majestic Pool Construction, to share one of the most inspiring business stories in the swimming pool industry. After two frustrating experiences hiring pool contractors, Obie decided to learn the trade himself. He earned his contractor's license, built his own company from the ground up, and today completes more than 200 custom swimming pool and remodeling projects every year across multiple locations. This conversation goes far beyond swimming pool construction. It's about leadership, building systems, growing a company, creating a culture that thrives without the owner, using social media to generate qualified leads, and believing in yourself enough to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Whether you're a pool builder, pool service professional, swimming pool contractor, retailer, distributor, manufacturer, or business owner, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately to grow your business. In This Episode: • How two bad pool-building experiences changed Obie's life forever • Transitioning from SWAT officer to successful pool builder • Building a swimming pool company that completes more than 200 projects per year • Creating business systems that allow your company to grow without you • Leadership lessons from law enforcement that apply to every business • Why delegation is one of the hardest skills for business owners • Expanding into multiple locations • Surviving COVID without sacrificing profits • The social media strategy that doubled qualified leads • Why transparency creates better customers • The future of pool automation and smart technology • Advice every entrepreneur needs to hear before starting a business Episode Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Pool Nation 01:30 – Meet Obie Rodriguez 04:00 – Family, RV life, and fishing stories 08:45 – Becoming a police officer at 19 10:00 – Fifteen years on SWAT 15:00 – Two terrible pool-building experiences that changed everything 18:00 – Learning the pool industry by working for free 20:00 – Building pools while serving as a police officer 22:30 – Retiring early and betting on himself 24:00 – COVID, supply shortages, and protecting profits 32:30 – Expanding to multiple locations 35:00 – Building systems that allow the business to run without you 41:00 – What today's pool buyers really want 46:00 – The social media strategy that doubled qualified leads 49:00 – Why transparency creates better customers 55:00 – Final advice for entrepreneurs Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Thank you to our incredible partners for helping Pool Nation educate, inspire, and elevate the swimming pool industry: • OnCore Filtration • Hayward Pool Products • Heritage Pool Supply Group • The SPPA • BluRay XL • AquaStar Pool Products • Natural Chemistry • Raypak • Poolside Tech Encore Brands • Pool Brain • Nidec / US Motors The Pool Nation Podcast is the premier podcast for the swimming pool industry, delivering weekly conversations with the industry's top pool builders, service professionals, manufacturers, distributors, educators, and business leaders. Master the Business. Perfect the Craft. Subscribe today and join thousands of pool professionals who are growing stronger businesses through education, leadership, and community.

Kristian Dyer and Bobby Deren discuss the latest in Rutgers football recruiting.

The Four Horsemen are back. Tonight, Angery American, Bob "T" Toombs, Seaux Larreau, and Imri Morgenstern gather once again for an evening of unfiltered conversation, strong opinions, laughter, stories, and whatever rabbit holes happen to appear along the way. If you've watched these guys before, you already know what happens when they get together. If you haven't, you're about to find out. No script. No agenda. No guarantees. Just four friends having the conversations most people only have behind closed doors. Grab your favorite beverage, pull up a chair, and join us for another edition of The Four Horsemen of Unsolicited Opinions.

We’re just 72 days away from the start of the Division III football season, and in that time, there’s a bunch of work to get done, including getting ready for the D3football.com preseason Top 25. We’re hungry for football to get started! And we’re getting you there with a couple of great conversations with coaches and Division III schools putting in that offseason work. That includes at Ohio Northern, which was stung at the last second in the NPI calculation and just missed the NCAA playoffs. Then the Polar Bears were stung at the last second in their bowl game, as Wabash scored at the end of the game, plus connected on a two-point conversion to get the win. That’s a lot of stinging, but the Polar Bears have worked away from that, including going as far as Ireland to find a summer opponent and get themselves ready for the 2026 Division III football season. ONU coach Andy Fries talks with us about that trip, the beautiful Cliffs of Moher which you see on the podcast thumbnail image, breaking in a new quarterback and so much more in our conversation in Podcast 410. Patrick Coleman also dropped by his alma mater, Catholic U., to chat with the Cardinals’ new coach, Kory David. Of course, things look a little different around CUA these days, and the new coach is a longtime defensive coach who played and coached at Cortland, while also driving defenses at Hobart, Muhlenberg and Eastern. In addition to answering the long-debated question of Wawa vs. Sheetz, David also talks about his two young coordinators, who he hired away from Mike Sirianni at Washington & Jefferson, as well as recruiting the northeast corridor, bringing a startup mentality to a CUA program which was 3-7 last year, and much more. Mentioned in the podcast: ATN Podcast 370, Much to be thankful for, featuring Mike Gutelius Plus we answer mailbag questions about Rowan and Hardin-Simmons, and discuss the latest coaching change at Hilbert. That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation during the season, twice monthly in the offseason, about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Mike Atherton, d3photography.com; Ohio Northern Athletics; Rowan athletics; Patrick Coleman, D3sports.com

Episode # 305 Pool Nation Podcast - What does it take to build a pool service company that lasts for decades, retains top talent, and serves more than 1,000 pools? In this episode of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus, John "JJ Flawless," and Zac "The Pool Boy" Nicholas sit down with Nick LaPointe and Ray De Rosa of Golden State Pools to discuss two very different journeys that led to one of Southern California's most respected pool service companies. From the days of gas chlorine service and hand-written route books to modern operations, service management, technician training, inventory systems, and company leadership, this conversation dives deep into what it really takes to build a sustainable pool business. Nick shares the story of growing up in the family business, while Ray discusses building his own company before merging with Golden State Pools. Together they reveal the systems, leadership philosophies, employee development programs, and business lessons that have fueled their success. Most importantly, they share two lessons every pool professional needs to hear: set boundaries and know your value. Whether you're a solo operator, building your first route, managing technicians, or scaling toward your own pool empire, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world experience from pool pros who have lived it. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to the Pool Nation Podcast 01:00 Meet Nick LaPointe and Ray DeRosa of Golden State Pools 06:00 Steak dinner bets, pool industry friendships, and Western Show stories 17:00 Nick's family history in the pool industry 23:00 The early days of gas chlorine pool service 28:00 How 9/11 changed pool sanitation operations forever 31:00 Transitioning from gas chlorine to liquid chlorine systems 34:00 Growing up in the family business and earning a business degree 40:00 How Ray got started in pools and launched his own company 42:00 Merging two companies into Golden State Pools 46:00 From DOS systems and paper invoices to modern software 49:00 Building company culture and leadership partnerships 57:00 Why training matters and Golden State's 8-week technician training program 1:05:00 Employee development, career paths, and retention strategies 1:17:00 Managing repairs, service teams, and operational structure 1:24:00 Inventory management, purchasing power, and warehouse operations 1:33:00 The importance of boundaries as a business owner 1:37:00 Knowing your value and pricing with confidence 1:41:00 Final advice for pool professionals and closing thoughts Thank You To Our Sponsors A huge thank you to our Pool Nation partners and sponsors who continue supporting pool professionals across the industry: The SPPA BluRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Group Hayward Pool Products Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / US Motors OnCore Filtration Your support helps us continue educating, elevating, and empowering pool professionals everywhere.

It’s been a big year for the Denison Big Red, and although that hasn’t completely trickled down to the Denison football team, we thought we’d check in with coach Jack Hatem. The North Coast Athletic Conference has definitely been in transition of late, with John Carroll joining the league in all sports, and WashU in football specifically, and Denison lost its rising junior quarterback, Tyler Green who elected to transfer. More about that in a moment. Hatem talks about how his team has to raise the level of its game to compete in a much stronger conference, what the quarterback situation will look like at Denison, what he’s learned from the national championship coaches at his school, why he stays in the game and why he loves recruiting when, in fact, he is pretty near retirement age. Plus, his taste in music. There’s also been a bunch of change at Susquehanna, where new coach Chris Pincince is a Division III head football coach for the first time, and is coaching in D-III for the first time in nearly a quarter-century. It’s a good thing he and former coach Tom Perkovich are old friends, because Pincince talks about the hole they were left, with eight players having transferred out and so far, the transfer portal only having brought one person in. But a number of assistant coaches stayed to help the program have continuity, giving Pincince a leg up on the D-III learning curve, and Region 2 Defensive Player of the Year Galen Limantour is back as well, which is a huge boost for Susquehanna. About Tyler Green — his transfer to John Carroll means Denison will still have to face him in conference the next two years, and JCU was in sore need of a quarterback for 2026. We’ll talk about that, plus answer your mailbag questions. That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Denison athletics photos by Jace Delgado, Susquehanna athletics photo by Kim Howes

In episode # 304 of the Pool Nation Podcast, Edgar De Jesus and Zac "The Pool Boy" Nicholas sit down with Jeremy Young and Orlando Gadea from Fluidra to reveal one of the biggest pool industry technology launches in years: the all-new AquaLink Edge platform. This isn't just another automation panel. Fluidra shares how AquaLink Edge is built around edge computing, smarter equipment communication, local processing, enhanced homeowner experiences, and a future ecosystem designed to help pool professionals run more efficient and profitable businesses. The conversation dives deep into automation, connected equipment, wireless communication, AI-driven pool management, smarter service operations, and how Tracker IO is helping transform the way pool companies manage routes, inventory, service calls, and customer experiences. Whether you're a pool service professional, builder, repair technician, retailer, or industry leader, this episode provides an exclusive first look at where pool technology is heading and how it will impact your business over the next decade. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 02:00 Meet Fluidra's Jeremy Young & Orlando Gadella 06:00 Heritage Pro Service Academy & Pool Pro Challenge Updates 08:00 Jeremy's Journey: From Pool Construction to Fluidra Innovation 15:00 Why Education & Training Matter in the Pool Industry 24:00 Orlando's Background in Digital Technology & Why He Joined Fluidra 27:00 The Official AquaLink Edge Reveal 28:00 Edge Computing vs Cloud Computing Explained 30:00 Creating Better Pool Owner Experiences 32:00 New In-Can Display & Home Display Features 35:00 Why Pool Automation Must Work Without Internet 40:00 Built-In Flow Monitoring & Smarter Equipment Control 43:00 Five Years of Development Behind AquaLink Edge 47:00 Easier Setup, Faster Installation & Wireless Communication 52:00 Personalized Access for Homeowners, Service Pros & Airbnb Properties 56:00 Service Mode Improvements & Smart Notifications 01:03:00 Wireless Equipment Discovery & Future Product Ecosystem 01:08:00 Customer Experience vs Traditional Automation 01:15:00 The Future of Connected Pool Equipment 01:19:00 Tracker IO & The Future of Pool Service Management 01:27:00 How Data Will Transform Pool Businesses 01:32:00 Future Integration Between Pool Builders & Service Companies 01:35:00 AquaLink Edge Release Timeline & Launch Plans 01:37:00 Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks A special thank you to our Visionary Partners for supporting Pool Nation and helping us elevate the pool industry through education, training, and community: The SPPA BluRay XL AquaStar Pool Products Natural Chemistry Raypak Heritage Pool Supply Group Hayward Pool Products Poolside Tech Pool Brain Nidec / US Motors Encore Brands OnCore Filtration Your commitment to pool professionals helps us continue delivering world-class education and content to the industry.  

Episode 303 Pool Nation Podcast is a Best of Episodes. This is a packed three-hour-plus episode with three segments (the Raypak heat pump deep dive, the Women's Summit podcast, and the Pool Nation Awards crew show) Pool heat pumps are the future of pool heating, and in this episode the Pool Nation crew breaks down exactly how they work, why they beat gas heaters on cost, and how to sell them without scaring off your customers. Host Edgar De Jesus sits down with Raypak's Brad Duncan and Akshaya Shekhar for a no-nonsense heat pump deep dive built for working pool service pros. Learn how heat pumps work, why they are becoming increasingly important across the industry, and how to position them as a long-term solution that delivers real value for your customers. Then we hand the microphone over to the women of Pool Nation for a powerful recap of the Third Annual Pool Nation Women's Summit. Hear firsthand stories about leadership, authenticity, confidence, mentorship, and what it takes to thrive in a traditionally male-dominated industry. We also take a deep dive into the Pool Nation Awards, discuss why nominations matter, spotlight some of the industry's rising stars, and share inspiring stories from pool pros who are making an impact every day. Whether you're a one-person operation, a growing service company, a repair technician, or a business owner looking to scale, this episode is packed with practical takeaways, business lessons, and industry insights. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Pool Nation: Meet the Hosts & Guests 02:00 Why Heat Pumps Are the Future of Pool Heating 05:00 Meet Brad Duncan & Akshaya Shekhar from Raypak 08:00 Heat Pump Deep Dive Begins 09:00 How a Pool Heat Pump Actually Works 10:30 Heat Pump Performance by Climate & the 80/80/80 Rule 13:00 Can a Heat Pump Heat a Spa? 14:30 COP vs Gas Heater Efficiency Explained 17:00 Why Combining Heat Pumps & Gas Heaters Changes Everything 19:30 Heat/Cool Models: Turning Hot Pools Into Profit Centers 21:00 Initial Investment vs Long-Term Savings 24:00 Selling Heat Pumps Without Scaring Customers 25:00 The Maserati vs Beetle Explanation Every Pool Pro Should Know 26:00 Pool Nation Women's Summit Special Begins 27:30 Women's Summit Recap & Industry Updates 32:00 Meet Janie Flawless & Jeanette Horn 39:00 The Growth of the Women's Summit 46:00 Finding Your Voice & Being Your Authentic Self 53:00 Leadership Lessons & Personal Growth 59:00 Sponsor Break 1:04:00 Pool Nation Live Returns 1:11:00 Pool Nation Awards Nominations Recap 1:18:00 Why Pool Nation Awards Matter 1:24:00 Recognizing Pool Pros Who Make a Difference 1:33:00 Pool Nation Conference & Heritage Event Updates 1:36:00 Education Funds & Industry Opportunities 1:43:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: James Broderick 1:52:00 Customer Education & Building Trust 2:03:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: Aiden Dunn 2:08:00 Growing a Business & Right-Sizing Your Route 2:16:00 30 Under 40 Spotlight: Nick LaPoint 2:25:00 Competition vs Community in the Pool Industry 2:33:00 Using Data to Build a Better Pool Company 2:40:00 Final Thoughts & Sponsor Break 2:46:00 Lessons From the Next Generation of Pool Pros 2:51:00 Inside the New Training Headquarters 2:54:00 Gold Medal Pools: The Origin Story 2:59:00 Surviving the 2008 Economic Crash 3:02:00 Building Massive Commercial Water Features 3:11:00 The Dallas Cowboys Connection 3:13:00 Closing Thoughts

The mailbag is pretty active in this podcast, with listeners chiming in with questions about how Concordia (Wis.) will do in transitioning from the NACC to the CCIW, whether this year’s new technology in Division III will be added more smoothly than last year, what Trinity (Texas) was leaving behind in leaving its long-time conference home, and which mascot matchup would be our favorite. We’ll also talk about the new quarterback transferring into UW-Oshkosh, and finally get Coe and UW-Oshkosh schedules finalized. Plus, we have two guests: Trinity (Conn.) head coach Jeff Devanney and Ithaca coach Brandon Maguire. At Trinity, the day we’ve all been waiting for is arriving, where the NESCAC is finally allowed to go to the playoffs. The Bantams are all smiles. If you missed it, the conference presidents have been holding NESCAC football teams back for about 30 years while all other sports have been permitted to play on past Week 11. Devanney talks about how that changes the recruiting pitch, both for incoming student-athletes and a handful of key players who have an extra year of eligibility to be used. At Ithaca, Maguire gets promoted from within and talks about how many of the 96 players on the roster they managed to get to stick around after the previous coach left right before Christmas. Why did they players who stayed, stay? What does Ithaca need to get back to the very top of the Liberty League standings and get to the playoffs? What are the Bomber alumni most concerned about? That and more in this conversation. That and more in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation podcast is a weekly conversation about NCAA Division III football, and has been running since 2007. Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device. You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps: Apple Podcasts: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast iHeart Radio: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Spotify: D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast Photos: Trinity (Conn.) athletics photo by Isabella Calagna; Ithaca athletics photo; North Central athletics photo by Mark Black; 

One Nation, hosted by Brian Kilmeade, airs on the Fox News Channel on Sunday nights at 10 PM ET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One Nation, hosted by Brian Kilmeade, airs on the Fox News Channel on Sunday nights at 10 PM ET. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices