Heavy Hitter Sports

22 year-old US National Paralympic Swim Team member David Gelfand shares his inspirational story. He discusses his elongated pandemic driven stay in the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, his hopes for Tokyo and beyond and his hometown neighbor, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. David also talks about emulating his favorite superhero, Captain America. David's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/david.gelfand.127US Paralympics Swimming: https://www.teamusa.org/USParaSwimmingMy wife & I donated $500 to CAF given how important the organization was to David's life. If you would like to do so as well, here is the link. Thanks. Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF): https://www.challengedathletes.org/Feel free to contact host Mark Hochgesang at mphochgesang@gmail.comThanks for listening. Please subscribe and leave a review. Cheers. 

Inspiration comes from multiple sources, including great sports films. Enjoy this episode honoring the best in sports movie history. Renowned actors, directors and composers will be recognized. But we'll also have fun with non-traditional categories like dastardly villains, notable sports props and crazy character names. Audio clips from notable songs and scenes are included. And the "Hoagie" goes to?  Time-Stamped Show Notes:1:57 -    Best Score4:23 -    Best Villain6:05 -    Best Pump-up Speech9:33  -   Best Supporting Actress10:57 - Best Supporting Actor11:48 - Best Prop12:17 - Best Foreign Film13:17 - Best Comedy13:52 - Best Character Name15:02 - Best Leading Actress16:18 - Best Leading Actor19:05 - Best Documentary21:29 - Best Line23:29 - Best Director25:15 - Best Film28:17 - Wrap and Sage Advice from The DudeFeel free to contact host Mark Hochgesang at mphochgesang@gmail.comThanks for listening. Please subscribe and leave a review. Cheers. 

Jackie Robinson changed baseball and the world for the better when he broke the sport's long-standing color barrier in 1947. Learn about the 10 game-changing  'choices' made by Jackie and his most important allies.  Enjoy listening to Jackie's athletic exploits at UCLA, the Kansas City Monarchs and the Montreal Royals before he arrives at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Learn why Dodger President Branch Rickey selected Robinson to lead the integration charge. And be inspired by Jackie's Dodger heroics, his post-retirement role as a civil rights leader and his relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. Jackie is host Mark Hochgesang's choice for most inspirational athlete in sports history because of his unrivaled combination of talent, grit and societal impact. Who's yours? Feel free to reach out to Mark with feedback, questions and requests at mphochgesang@gmail.com. 

The top twenty biggest blunders in sports are highlighted. What do Billy Buckner, Pete Carroll, Zinedine Zidane, Greg Norman, Woody Hayes and Chris Webber have in common? They stumbled when it mattered most. Those caught in the spell of schadenfreude will truly enjoy this episode. Feel free to reach out to the podcast host, Mark Hochgesang, with feedback, questions and requests at mphochgesang@gmail.com. 

Up close and personal with Jake Olson, the first blind athlete to play college football. Jake shares his memories of three pivotal games from his amazing career at USC. He also speaks of his love for golf and his faithful dog Quebec. Jake concludes by talking about his inspirational setback to setup mindset that allowed him to overcome obstacles. And he shares how this type of fortitude and thinking can enable all of us to finding opportunities in adversity. * Jake's first game appearance against Western Michigan (a must see): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvW3zjMGzLY* Shelly Smith's 2015 video profile on Jake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2f0sp4v0bo* Jake showcasing his top-notch golf talent at the Swing for Sight tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3CwzeEXkM4* Jake's Engage company website:  https://www.letsengage.com/about/jake-olsonsYou can contact host Mark Hochgesang at mphochgesang@gmail.com with episode ideas or any other feedback. Thanks. 

Jake shares his battle with cancer that ultimately leads to his total blindness. Undeterred, Jake excels in the classroom and on the field in high school. Ultimately, he gains admittance to USC, his dream school that had previously adopted Jake and his family when it mattered most. The episode concludes with coach Steve Sarkisian inviting Jake to play for the Trojans. Jake's ESPN video clip: https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/27698176Jake's company, Engage: https://www.letsengage.com/about/jake-olsonsJake's book, Open Your Eyes: https://www.amazon.com/Open-Your-Eyes-Uncommon-Discover/dp/1400205816

Jim Morris candidly shares his remarkable journey to become the second oldest rookie in Major League history.  Riddled by nine arm or shoulder surgeries, this high school science teacher & baseball coach from west Texas persevered to make his pro debut at the age of 35. Jim's compelling life story was previously detailed in the heartwarming Disney classic, The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid. Jim now shares inspirational stories from his new book, Dream Makers. You'll love listening to how Jim beat the odds on and off the field to realize his Big Dreams. Enjoy sports fans!Feel free to reach out to the podcast host, Mark Hochgesang, with feedback, questions and requests at mphochgesang@gmail.com. http://www.jimtherookiemorris.com/https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Makers-Surround-Yourself-Best/dp/1682617963