Gene Zannetti talks with Ridge High School Head Coach Roy Dragon about the widening gap in high school wrestling, doing more than the top kids to close the distance, and why being a great person comes before being a great wrestler.

Timestamps:

3:49 - The evolution of New Jersey wrestling talent

5:54 - Doing more than the top kids to close the gap

7:17 - Social media's impact on young wrestlers

10:34 - Watching and learning from elite wrestlers

12:20 - The tight-knit wrestling community of the past

16:06 - Public school mindset and representing your town

20:06 - Creating great people first, wrestlers second

21:45 - Wrestling is the toughest sport for parents too

🎯 This episode is sponsored by:

🥗 Eat Clean Bro – eatcleanbro.com

Use code MINDSET for 15% off your order

💪 Champion Athletes Sports Nutrition – champion-athletes.com

Use code MINDSET25 for a special discount

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Gene Zannetti talks with Warren Hills Head Coach K.C. Wanamaker about the importance of training your mind as much as your body, succeeding at public schools without making excuses, and why it's less about where you go and more about what you do when you're there.

Timestamps:

3:04 - Believe in yourself and train your mind

4:17 - Wishing he had mindset training as an athlete

8:18 - It's less about where you go, more about what you do

9:00 - Building a high-level public school program

11:44 - Stop making excuses and comparing to others

15:03 - Competing against local powerhouse programs

17:16 - Where athletes train and club opportunities

19:29 - Building youth wrestling

🎯 This episode is sponsored by:

🥗 Eat Clean Bro – eatcleanbro.com

Use code MINDSET for 15% off your order

💪 Champion Athletes Sports Nutrition – champion-athletes.com

Use code MINDSET25 for a special discount

Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great episodes.

If you want to support the podcast, please leave a 5-star rating & review on Apple Podcasts.

For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email mindset@wrestlingmindset.com

🎙Stay connected with Wrestling Mindset

🔗 Visit our website: https://www.wrestlingmindset.com/

📞 Book a free consultation: https://www.wrestlingmindset.com/1-on-1-coaching/

Wrestling Mindset Social Media

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Facebook: / wrestlingmindset

Twitter: / wrestlingmindse

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Gene Zannetti reconnects with longtime friend and teammate Matt Stanzione, Head Coach of Mountain Lakes High School Wrestling, to talk about the highs and lows of coaching, the evolution of youth sports, and the lessons wrestling teaches far beyond the mat. From childhood memories and rivalry stories to navigating setbacks as a coach, this episode dives into why persistence, relationships, and resilience matter most.

Timestamps:

3:40 – Growing up teammates: football, baseball, wrestling, and more

7:55 – Starting a coaching career while still in college

13:22 – Building the Mountain Lakes program and early struggles

18:48 – Stepping away after a low point and learning perspective

25:10 – Coming back as head coach with renewed purpose

32:14 – Balancing family, teaching, and coaching for 20+ years

40:28 – The importance of multi-sport athletes and avoiding burnout

47:15 – How COVID impacted feeder programs and rebuilding numbers

53:20 – Why wrestling makes everything else in life feel easier

1:05:44 – The power of rivalries, friendships, and lifelong lessons from the sport

🎯 This episode is sponsored by:

🥗 Eat Clean Bro – eatcleanbro.com

Use code MINDSET for 15% off your order

💪 Champion Athletes Sports Nutrition – champion-athletes.com

Use code MINDSET25 for a special discount

Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great episodes.

If you want to support the podcast, please leave a 5-star rating & review on Apple Podcasts.

For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email mindset@wrestlingmindset.com

🎙Stay connected with Wrestling Mindset

🔗 Visit our website: https://www.wrestlingmindset.com/

📞 Book a free consultation: https://www.wrestlingmindset.com/1-on-1-coaching/

Wrestling Mindset Social Media

Instagram: / wrestlingmindset

Facebook: / wrestlingmindset

Twitter: / wrestlingmindse

🎧 Listen to our podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/65xcqo9ZdPY36HeQOltPUI

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.