Ryder, a sophomore in high school, has built himself into a State Champion — not through flash or hype, but through discipline and a willingness to embrace what’s difficult. For much of his early journey, he was simply trying to find his way in the sport. What separated him wasn’t immediate dominance, but his commitment to doing the hard things over and over again. Now, as a State Champion, Ryder speaks with gratitude about the lessons in accountability, toughness, and resilience that wrestling has given him as a young man.

Ryder is quick to joke about being a “staller,” embracing the comments with a smile. While the label doesn’t truly define his style, it doesn’t bother him either. In high-level matches, many elite wrestlers become calculated and protective of position. Ryder understands that strategy. Though he confidently expresses his ability to score, he admits he often feels more comfortable shutting down opponents’ attacks than initiating them. It’s a self-awareness that reflects his growth — from youth wrestling, to his freshman season, to now capturing a State Title as a sophomore.

He also opens up about early struggles in his career. Without going into deep detail, Ryder shares two pivotal challenges he faced as a child: weight cutting and the pressure to win. At just 11 years old, he experienced a 16-pound weight cut — something that shaped his perspective on the sport. He also put immense pressure on himself to win, driven by his admiration for his coaches and his desire to make them proud.

The turning point came in high school under Coach Pineda. Coach Pineda removed the burden of outcome and asked Ryder to focus on one thing — wrestling hard. That shift changed everything. By emphasizing effort over results, Ryder was freed to compete without fear. He learned how to process losses, how to grow from them, and how to separate his identity from the scoreboard. That period became one of the most critical stages of his development.

Today, Ryder stands not just as a State Champion, but as an athlete shaped by adversity, perspective, and the right guidance at the right time. His story is a reminder that growth doesn’t always come from winning — it often comes from learning how to handle everything that comes with it.

Eduardo never imagined himself on a wrestling mat. Soccer was where he believed his athletic future belonged. Having just moved to Las Vegas, he was quiet, reserved, and unsure of himself. Wrestling wasn’t even on his radar—until a single move he learned in PE class unexpectedly changed the next several years of his life.

Though he started wrestling later than most, Eduardo made the absolute most of his opportunity through relentless dedication. He joined a club and showed up every single day. That first summer wasn’t filled with victories. In fact, success came slowly—but he kept showing up.

Working with Coach Frank, Eduardo embraced his creativity and developed a unique “funk” wrestling style. While that scrambling, risk-taking approach sometimes led to shortcomings, he refused to abandon it. Instead of backing away from the positions that exposed him, he leaned into them. After practice, he stayed behind, asking questions and drilling situations over and over again until they became strengths.

By senior year, everything changed.

At the Nevada 5A State Championships, competing at 150 pounds, Eduardo stood on the podium as a 4th-place finisher. Just one year earlier, he had been a junior varsity wrestler in his first season ever. He hadn’t won JV Zones. He went 0–2 at Regionals as an alternate.

But none of that defined him.

That 0–2 performance didn’t discourage him—it fueled him. He took it personally. He made a promise to himself that he would never feel that helpless again. Through discipline, consistency, and belief in his own style, Eduardo transformed from a timid newcomer into a state placer.

His journey wasn’t built on early success. It was built on resilience.

Kaija joins the podcast and brings an incredible amount of energy to her story. What began as wrestling in high school simply to be around the boys quickly turned into something much deeper. Kaija found a true connection to the sport and developed a genuine love for wrestling. While she’s achieved significant success, much of her journey—and daily athletic life—has been a battle. Kaija is truly inspiring.

A top wrestler in Nevada, Kaija battles more than just opponents on the mat. Alongside the grind and hardships every wrestler faces, she also manages diabetes—something that changes everything in a sport built around making weight. While she has done an incredible job competing even five pounds under, it’s a challenge far greater than most understand. At times, she has to step off the mat to prioritize her health. Monitoring weight alone is exhausting for wrestlers; balancing that while needing to intake sugar adds another layer of difficulty few ever experience.

Kaija is more than just a wrestler. She’s a retired high-level gymnast, a track athlete, and a powerlifting competitor. Her pursuit of excellence shows up in every phase of her life, not just when she’s wearing a Green Valley singlet. Her dedication, resilience, and daily battles are what truly make Kaija extraordinary.

Khy’ree, a young man chasing his dreams through the grind of wrestling, joins the podcast. Coming from a non-traditional wrestling school in North Las Vegas, Khy’ree is determined to represent himself on the highest podiums. Where many might fold under the pressure, Khy’ree thrives in discomfort.

His wrestling journey began in New Jersey with his grandpa, who served as his first coach. After moving back, Khy’ree committed himself to honoring the path his grandparents helped pave—his grandpa guiding him on the mat, and his grandma serving as his loudest and proudest supporter. When things get tough, Khy’ree leans on the memory of his grandparents to keep pushing forward.

Today, wrestling is more than a sport—it’s a lifestyle. His support system shows up, makes themselves heard, and ensures you know exactly what mat he’s on. While many chase accolades, Khy’ree is chasing a legacy. His goals aren’t shaken by circumstance because his mind is made up.

Tune in as Khy’ree shares his wrestling journey and the road ahead. No matter the obstacle, Khy’ree and his support system are ready to knock it down and get the job done.

Coach Fiorito joins the Caution Stalling Podcast in a truly unique way. Joshua isn’t a coach tied to a specific sport—he specializes in the mental side of athletics and competition. Through his own experiences as a competitor, Joshua fought personal battles that ultimately shaped his desire to help others navigate theirs. At the end of the day, he reminds us of something important: this is still just a game.

Joshua shares glimpses of his wrestling career—just enough to give us insight into who he was becoming. Though he found success, he always felt there was more to pursue. It wasn’t until he lost wrestling that he truly realized how deeply he loved the sport.

Coach Josh also dives into the mission behind his business, The Centered Athlete. Rather than explaining it outright, we challenge you to listen and experience it for yourself. Using host Daniel as a live example, Josh walks both Daniel and the audience through part of his process—offering a real-time look into how he helps athletes dial in mentally and compete with clarity.

Unique, a born combat athlete, steps into the wrestling world. Though she competed in judo and jiu-jitsu, neither captured her heart the way wrestling did. Through wrestling, Unique discovered her true gift—the scrap.

In a short amount of time, Unique built an impressive résumé. While she never claimed a state championship title, her career is nothing to overlook. Rather than avoiding challenges or shifting weight classes, Unique sought out the toughest competition Nevada had to offer. She embraced the more physical, gritty side of the sport, giving her an edge over most competitors. Her willingness to wrestle boys also played a major role in her development and toughness as an athlete.

Today, Unique continues to make an impact on the wrestling community. She is a coach at her alma mater, Sierra Vista, where she gives back to the program that helped shape her. Beyond coaching, she’s also the eye behind the lens—capturing wrestling moments as the program’s photographer. All of this while balancing work and continuing her own training in jiu-jitsu.

Unique is living proof that it’s never too late to step into wrestling—and that embracing the scrap can shape who you become, both on and off the mat.

Emilio, a third generation wrestler joins The Caution Stalling Podcast. While wrestling has taken over his family, Emilio found peace on the mat. Even today he often refers to it as, "it's all I know." While some people look at wrestling as job, Emilio significantly benefitted from a wrestler. Today, Emilio has left the mat but the mat never left Emilio.

Emilio while credentialed in his own right in wrestling, continued the family success as the 3rd generation wrestlers in the Garcia family. He speaks on the aid and guidance he received as well as the moment of being apart of the induction to the Hall of Fame. While his journey has come to an end, he discusses missing wrestling and the grind that has built him to what he is, a success story.

While wrestling has changed his life through the grind, Emilio has now taken that same grind into his new profession of tattooing. He has worked none stop as an apprentice to make it. Practice makes perfect and through every rep, he continues to imply his wrestling mindset in his craft.

Nathan, an inspiring young player idolizing Jackie Robinson, walked into the Eldorado High School baseball program. A young man, with no club experience, no high level ball minus the zoned little league, was inspired to become the absolute best player he could be. While struggling in little league, Minton just put his down and was willing to outwork everybody.

During his high school career, Minton was arguably the worst player on the roster. While conquering his own development battles, Minton showed up everyday. Minton volunteered as tribute to workout with the best players in hopes they would fast track him. Many days, Minton got outplayed BUT, only the strong survive. After two years of partnering with the best players, Minton started to impact the team. Minton became the beacon of hope for many players in our program. This grind and dedication pushed Minton into his biggest baseball role ever, Captain.

Senior year, Minton changed into arguably one of the most impactful players in Coach O's coaching career. Nathan maintained the status of the 'Face of the Program' and our absolute best defensive player on the field. his willingness to make high level diving plays allowed his leadership to flourish; he always put it on the line for the team. Now, Minton gets to reap his own fruits by signing to play in College. A dream that seemed so farfetched to many but Minton met somebody who believed in him just as much as his own dream.