Episodes

Len Clark

He specializes in covering Notre Dame athletics using emerging media technologies. He has been recognized as the Indiana Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association, from which he also received the association’s national Powerade Award for his audio feature on the Notre Dame-USC football rivalry. Last year he authored the book, “Teddy and The Gipper: A Notre Dame Friendship,” and now his newest book is releasing, called, “Vision, Values, and Victories: Notre Dame-Style Leadership: Forging Champions in Faith, Character, and Commitment.” He was the guest on this show six-and-a-half years ago way back on Episode 11.

Notable guest quotes:

“With the release of chat GPT by Open AI a couple of years ago, that has really opened the floodgates of this new medium, if you will, that I have really adapted to because if I want to consider myself an educator of the next generation of multimedia journalists, I have to stay ahead of them and I have embraced it and am really having a lot of fun with it.”

“Adversity is part of life. It’s the way that you respond, and it’s been my Catholic faith that has really gotten me through some tough times, especially in the past couple of years.”

“I didn’t learn until four days before the Ireland game, after the Marcus Freeman press conference, that I was fired … and the first thing that went through my mind is, ‘How am I going to help my mother’?”

“The faith in Ireland is, it was refreshing. It reinvigorated my faith.”

“I said it would be great if I can tie in everything I like to do in Ireland. I like to walk the pilgrim paths, and I actually completed all the five pilgrim paths and received this Gaelic title for being … only the 8th American to do it.”

“In order to lead others, you have to learn how to lead yourself.”

“George Gipp almost drowned in the St. Joe River and was saved by Father Cornelius Haggerty because he didn’t know how to swim. Now, if he would have drowned, there wouldn’t be no ‘win one for the Gipper’.”

“Everything about a Notre Dame football game has a reference to the Catholic faith and that’s why every time I step back on campus you just have this feeling that you have to be bigger and better than yourself and be a person of service.”

Related link:

Len’s two books

Dan Leonardi

He has been playing soccer since the age of five, although in high school he also played travel baseball. Following four years of high school soccer he played the sport at Belmont Abbey College. He played rugby after college and made a semi-pro soccer team, plus he spent six years as a soccer referee and has spent time coaching in the sport as well. He also is presently in a competitive volleyball league. He is the Director of Advancement at The St. Austin School, which is a pre-K – 8 Catholic school in St. Louis.

Notable guest quotes:

“Cradle Catholic as they say, and my mother was actually a convert before my brother and I were born, and through that conversion experience she actually met my father and then they had us.”

“We were indeed raised Catholic. We were homeschooled for a majority of our elementary educational years with some Catholic Montessori mixed in… And then for high school my brother and I both went to Catholic high school.”

“We’re called to be formed mind, heart, and spirit.”

“I always love defending; defending the faith, defending on the soccer fields. Whatever the case may be.”

“We had to memorize 15 quotes that were about Catholic teaching on sports or very Christ-centered messages around being faithful and fit. The school’s motto was excellence in virtue. And those 15 quotes, we had to memorize those, and we would get quizzed on them before we could step onto the field.”

“We may lose a game, or we may get tackled and we may get hurt a little bit, but it’s persevering through that pain much like our Savior did on the cross and in his ministry.”

“The three hearts pilgrimage… it’s usually in October when they have it, and that pilgrimage is essentially maybe a smaller scale version of the Camino.”

“It’s fascinating that the Almighty in His infinite wisdom chose to make Himself manifest as man beyond our understanding and maybe a conversation we can enter to into Him with when we see him in the beatific vision, God willing, of course.”

“I’m sure Saint Joseph himself was physically fit and… I always love to picture Saint Joseph, yes, as the terror of demons but also if anything happened or any physical threat to the whole family came, he was more than ready and willing to defend them and protect them as he was so strong.”

“I was just recently talking to our girls volleyball team here at St Austin and the coaches wanted me to talk about how to be more Christ-centered in their games and in their huddles and when they’re talking to each other, so I said, ‘Girls, look at the cross’.”

“He had to carry His cross after He was beaten and with people berating Him and spitting on Him and hitting Him and He fell three times and had the cross land on Him with all His open wounds but He was physically fit, yes, and even more spiritually fit and He was performing the will of His father as we are all called to do.”

“I think, in His divine wisdom, the good Lord sends us things in our life that we cannot understand, and we don’t see the reason why they’re happening, and I learned that in college soccer specifically.”

Related link:

The St. Austin School website

(This episode contains a prayer from the National Catholic Coaches Association’s “The Leadership Papers,” although originally credited in there to The Coach’s Bible.)

Austin Baron

He appeared on Season 15 and Season 17 of American Ninja Warrior on NBC, having reached the finals and participated in the bracket of 32 athletes remaining. This year he competed in the Barbados Ninja Throwdown, after last year having competed in the USA National Championships. For two years now he has competed on the Ninja Sport Network in both Season 3 and Season 4. Since 2021 he has competed in the World Ninja League, seasons 7-11, all after having competed in four seasons of the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association. In elementary school he had played soccer and CYO basketball, and then in high school started participating in ninja warrior competitions. He is currently a student at the University of Notre Dame, where he is regularly running, lifting, bouldering, and top roping on campus. Through it all, he is using his platform to advocate for an end to world hunger.

Notable guest quotes:

“I went from kindergarten to eighth grade to a Catholic school and religion was my favorite subject. I love just learning about my faith, learning about Jesus and His whole story.”

“In fourth grade I started altar serving and I just loved being able to serve the Lord. And then after going to a Catholic school from kindergarten to eighth grade, I went to a public high school and that’s really when I had to start taking responsibility for my faith and I made a priority of going to Mass, to daily Mass, at least once a week because that was something that was really important to me, because going to daily Mass is such a solid way to grow in your faith.”

“God blessed me with a friend who was thinking about becoming a priest in high school and seeing how much he knew about his faith really encouraged me to learn more about my faith.”

“I really just fell in love with the Ninja Warrior community because even though we’re competing against each other, everyone wants to see each other do the best on the course. They share their tips of how to do the obstacles, and it’s really just a wonderful supportive community.”

“My faith always comes first and I always … make it a priority to go to daily Mass because I want to continue to grow in my relationship with Jesus. And so, I always put my faith first.”

“It definitely does take like a lot of focus, but my faith comes along on the course with me. I keep a miraculous medal with me in my pocket when I run the course because I want to keep Mary close to me. I have a devotion to Mary, and I want to always be reminded of why I’m competing is to glorify God.”

“Feeding the hungry is … a corporal work of mercy that we talk about as Catholics and when I went to meal packing events in my parish when I was younger I just loved packing meals and getting to do (it) with my parish community and going to the meal packing events over the years I eventually learned that a billion people go to bed hungry each night and that the meals that I was packing with my own hands would be the only food for someone else to eat and that really impacted me and instilled a desire to want to help the hungry.”

“It was really beautiful just to see such an intense glow coming from her womb, but to me that was a reminder of Jesus’s light into the world and how we’re all called to share Jesus’s light with other people in the same way that Mary does.”

“God gives us all these gifts and talents, and they’re used best when they’re used to give glory to God and to love other people.”

“What I’ve noticed is that when people see you trying to do something good in the world and help others, they’ll be very supportive of you and God will bless you with your efforts.”

Related link:

Knot Perfect site (American Ninja Warrior content)

Mike Fegan

He played football, basketball and ran track, and then in high school played football, going on then to be on the football roster for Catholic University in Washington DC. He went on to become the offensive line coach at Georgetown Prep from 1984 through 2023, retired from coaching after the 2023 season, but came back this season to help the new offensive line coach transition from having been their tight ends coach. On top of all that, he also coached his own children in youth basketball and lacrosse. Along the way, in 2014 he received the John W. Voight award from the Maryland Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, was inducted into the Georgetown Prep Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, and last year was a Georgetown Prep Insignis Medal Recipient, which is the school’s highest honor.

Notable guest quotes:

“We… went to church every Sunday at Holy Cross Parish… mom was in the choir for up until about 80 years old, up until about eleven years ago. Faith was always there for us. We went to Catholic schools as well.”

“I know if I had played and I’d stayed at Catholic (University) all four years, I would not have met my wife, would not have had the beautiful family that I have right now. So. in that regard, I do not regret having not played there.”

“I started realizing how I was brought up and the values and morals that I was taught from my parents, from the nuns and from the Jesuit priests and wanted to raise my children that same way.”

“I was probably 33, 34 years old and I hadn’t been in confession since the age of 17. We went to the school where my kids went and to the church and the line starts forming behind me. I tell these folks, ‘I haven’t been in 16 or 17 years’ and they quickly dispersed.”

“The priest asked if I had missed Mass in that time period. I said, ‘Yes, a couple of times,’ and I kind of said it flippantly like it was no big deal. But he got so angry that I was acting that way and really let me have it with both barrels and I left after doing my penance thinking, ‘My gosh, well, this priest doesn’t want people to come to confession because he really laid into me.’ But I got to tell you it worked because from that point on I didn’t miss Mass on Sundays and the holy days… he really got to me. So, I’m glad he was tough on me.”

“Here at Georgetown Prep … we’ve got team Mass. So, whether it’s a Friday game Saturday game we do a team Mass… and Coach Paro tells our guys every year that that is the most important thing we do as a team is our team Mass.”

“Our president now is our team chaplain. We’ve only had four team chaplains in 65 years and Father Van Dyke does a wonderful job. He is the only Jesuit here, the only priest here on campus, so he wears a lot of hats and he’s now our team chaplain and his message is always, ‘Look, I’m not going to say good luck to you but I’m going to say play well. We pray for ourselves not to get injured and for the other team as well and just to do our best.”

“The homily was about free will and that God gives us all free will and that unfortunately some people choose to do evil things with that free will. So, the timing couldn’t have been better, and it definitely was not a coincidence that that was preached that day.”

“We get to spend three hours a day with these guys, more than their parents, more than any teacher. So, we have a big influence on these young men and we have to be good examples.”

Related link:

Georgetown Prep athletics

(This episode contains a prayer from the National Catholic Coaches Association’s “The Leadership Papers,” although originally credited in there to The Coach’s Bible.)

Xavier Desaunettes

He started into taekwondo as a youth and by age 15 won his first Canadian National Championship as a junior and later earned the senior title at 21 years old. That same year he had the honor of representing Canada at the World Championships in the Philippines. Over the years he has competed in numerous countries under the Canadian flag. In addition to competing in the sport, he spent several years teaching taekwondo. He has also led seminars in Mexico and Greece, sharing martial arts and mentorship across cultures and communities. On the faith side, he has a personal story of coming face to face – literally – with a Pope.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was a part of the church community at my elementary school, I would help out on Sundays but … really a traditional upcoming, very traditional Catholic home.”

“I’ve done gymnastics, as a young child, I’ve skied a lot throughout the winter … (a) little older I played a little roller hockey … I did judo, a little boxing – but … I always circled back towards taekwondo.”

“It was life changing for me and we could really talk for a long time of how this impacted my life and many other people that do this sport.  It’s a game changer and I feel most kids should practice martial arts.”

“As he walked inside the cathedral the Pope was walking slowly and he stopped at the lane where I was sitting in and he made his way through everybody, came to me, stopped at me and gave me a kiss on the forehead.”

“At a very young age with my religion teacher I’ve learned to pray every night. When I was younger, I couldn’t quite explain but it was, something was missing if I went to bed at night and I didn’t have my prayer with God.  So, every night I would pray, I would say probably since the age of seven or eight years old I’ve prayed every single night and I still do to this day.”

“When competition came around my prayers would get adapted to the circumstances to make sure I was in my best shape, that, to make sure things would go well for me and if they didn’t that a lesson be learned at that moment, and for sure when success would take place, after competition, prayer of gratitude would happen that night for sure.”

“I didn’t go for serving but that’s why I stayed.  I stayed because I found the value of helping and serving.”

“I think all of us need to make sure that the world is a better place because we are in it, maybe small or large.”

“In taekwondo grace shows up as discipline in motion.  The respect that one another shows when engaging in a combat we bow to one another as a sign of respect to one another for the training that we have both done on our side, the country that we’re representing, and we acknowledge the strength that it takes to get and the courage that it takes to show up in the ring.”

“When I was younger, I didn’t openly display my faith.  I was concerned about how others might perceive it.  Over time I’ve come to value authenticity not just in others but in myself.  And the search for the integrity can’t just stay confined to my personal life.  It has to show up in my professional life as well.”

“My faith became sort of a compass for me.  It helped me discern what was right, what was wrong, and make decisions rooted in conviction rather than fear.  So, I found myself praying more often.”

“It’s the moment when you learn and you realize that you can love something more than you love yourself and that changes the prayers, it changes what you want out of life.”

Related link:

Xavier Desaunettes on LinkedIn

(This episode contains a prayer adapted from one by an unknown Confederate Soldier, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Drew Vilinsky

He played four years of varsity hockey at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland and then played four years of club hockey (two at Division II and two at division I) at Saint Louis University. After his playing days he served as varsity hockey assistant coach and j.v. baseball assistant coach at St. John’s Jesuit in Toledo, Ohio for one year. He returned to his alma mater and served in a variety of roles: J.V. head coach for eight years at St. Ignatius High School, varsity hockey assistant coach for one year, two years coaching j.v. soccer and j.v. baseball, and three years of freshman baseball. At St. Ignatius he has created and directed the Sports and Arts Chaplaincy Program.

Notable guest quotes:

“Catholicism was the air that we breathe. It wasn’t something that we talked about much, but it was presumed that we’d be at Mass at Holy Family Parish on Sundays. The picture of Jesus right next to the front door and the blessing of my parents wedding from the Pope were hung on the walls and that’s just what it was.”

“My high school is an exceptional place. It’s a place where the Holy Spirit flows really freely. When I was a sophomore, we had a student gathering… where four kids had 45 minutes to speak to the entire student body about their experience going on a service trip to the Dominican Republic. And hearing what they were talking about and the way that they were living with families and digging latrines, it sounded like something that I wanted to do and was called to.”

“Our Catholic faith shows us accompanying the poor and discovering Christ in and through the other, especially the poor and vulnerable and being the face of Christ for them.”

“Being with people who did not have nearly as much as I had and spending time with them, those pregnant moments where there’s nothing going on, opened me up to a way of living, a way of being and experiencing Christ in the other.”

“In college, the happiest people that I met, the brightest people that met, were practicing Catholics, were people who took the time to get in front of the Eucharist, to go to Confession, to pray before they ate meals.”

“I was lucky enough to be on the team with our head coach… We prayed before practice. We prayed before games. It was part of what we did. And so I was in an environment that made it easy to continue to practice the faith.”

“In the exact same way that a football coach should know every single aspect of his team but is also going to have an offensive coordinator – because offense is so important, we need somebody to drill down on that and to make that his or her own – at St. Ignatius we have 20 people who run the chaplaincy for 25 different teams and performing arts, that help invite kids to know Christ in and through their sport.”

“I came back to the school, and I wanted to know, how are we inviting kids into the faith through sports. We say that we are and I saw it happening in an ad hoc way… I wanted to see, is there an institutional way that we can do this… I remember like Father Ken Styles being at the end of the bench when I was playing hockey at school.”

“I’ve actually gone to Rome and talked to some people at the Dicastery for Culture and Education and sports falls underneath that, and the idea of laypeople being the chaplain is something very, very different in our church for high school level, moreover in North America.”

“My buddies, when I was in high school, we would wake up at 5:30 in the morning to go play hockey. We wouldn’t wake up at 5:30 in the morning to go to Mass. But to leverage their love of hockey, their love of basketball, their love of soccer, to show them how God’s reaching out to them in that, and then that becomes an inlet to go to Mass.  That becomes an inlet to engage with the church. That’s what we’re attempting to do at our best.”

Related link:

Sports and Arts Chaplaincy Program at St. Ignatius

(This episode contains a prayer by Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R., as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

George Rose

In light of Pope Leo XIV’s canonization of the Catholic Church’s two newest saints last week Sunday and due to other timely and relevant reasons you’ll hear cited at the very start, this is a reissue of what was Episode 188, exactly three years ago this month. The now departed George Rose was the Executive Advisor of Pacific Rim Operations with the New York Yankees, which included having served as a Japanese translator for the likes of Hideki Irabu, Masahiro Tanaka, and Hideki Matsui, among others. He also served as an advisor for Japan’s Yomiuri Giants baseball team. He was a board member of “Catholic Men for Jesus Christ,” a more than 25-year old organization. He also had a radio show called, “Brothers in Arms,” which he talked about here. And, he was a cancer survivor who by far was not only the first person to come on this show with a story about a miracle that would help confirm a saint, but probably the ONLY person who will be a guest and have that kind of witness to share — the closest that any of us will come to hearing something like this firsthand.

Notable guest quotes:

“I went to Catholic school just about my whole life, grammar school, high school, and college.  The first time I didn’t go to a Catholic school was when I got my MBA.”

“My mother was actually a nun at one time in her life.  When she first got out of high school, she was in the convent for three years.”

“When I was in eighth grade there was nothing I wanted more than to be a Major League Baseball player.  I used to sleep at night with my batting gloves on and my mitt.”

“When I was in my late twenties – 29 to be exact – I got sober at the time and about six months into my journey as a sober man I wandered back into St. Paul the Apostle on 59^th and Columbus, for Mass one Sunday, and when I went it was kind of like I was hearing the words of the Mass for the first time.”

“I did go away to college, in Worcester, Massachusetts, I went to Holy Cross, which is a Jesuit school.”

“I was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer about five-and-a-half years ago, in 2017… I wrote to ask friends and family and anybody else to pray for a miracle of healing for my lung cancer.”

“I have a devotion to Sister Faustina and, of course, to all the Polish saints, right, Sister Faustina, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Pope John Paul II, just giants of the 20^th century.”

“I’ve been involved in Catholic Men for Jesus Christ for the last 12 or 13 years… we do Catholic men’s conferences in New Jersey in the Diocese of Trenton, near where I live, and I help organize the conferences and have been on the Board.”

“Even when you have cancer, every day, does become just a little more precious, I would say… And it was incredible how close I felt to God when I first got sick.”