Episodes

Zoltan Mesko

He was selected in the fifth round of the National Football League Draft in 2010 and went on to a pro career with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals, including playing in a Super Bowl. He had played his college football at the University of Michigan after having become one of the best high school football kickers in the nation, excelling both as a punter and placekicker. For his first season in the NFL, he set a rookie record for net punting yard average. Off the field, he started a Foundation, which he talks about during this interview.

Notable guest quotes:

“My story starts on the Eastern Bloc behind the Iron Curtain.  I was born… before communism was overthrown in Romania, so we had a dictator, so… life was very hard… There was bullets literally flying through our apartment building… on Christmas Eve.”

“I feel very, very fortunate and blessed to have my dad just on a whim having applied for that green card lottery.”

“But I did find an organization on campus called Athletes In Action that somehow helped me set an anchor to what really started to matter and I think that was sort of a catalyst of a transformation.”

“I used prayer and God as a rabbit’s foot to the means to an end of football.”

“I still remember being at St. Elizabeth’s Church… in Cleveland, praying that my weight would go up.”

“Even into my first, second, third year with the Patriots, lo and behold I was praying for a good average or a good performance.”

“I really, I didn’t like the fact that I was using my faith as a rabbit’s foot.  And I felt a little helpless.”

“(Catholic journalist) Trent Beattie was kind enough to share a book with me about St. Ignatius of Loyola.  And I read his book and I was really surprised by what the definition of a saint was.”

“It’s okay to not be perfect and maybe be made perfect through prayer and God – the forgiveness of that.”

“Now that I look back on this plan that I feel like God has for all of us and for myself as I look back at the timeline, there is not a single piece that I would change about it.”

“I actually did the reading for our (Patriots’ team) Mass on Saturday nights… and then I also partook in the kind of non-denominational version of the Bible study led by teammates and sometimes a chaplain as well.”

(This episode contains a prayer originally from prayers-and-poetry.blogspot.com, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Casey Martin

He has had a long and highly decorated career in professional rodeo, including numerous appearances in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and multiple top five finishes in the world standings.  A longtime steer wrestler, he first joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 2002 and over his career he has competed seemingly all across the country.  He attended McNeese State University in Louisiana and back in his days as an amateur had qualified for College National Finals Rodeo in 2002-03 and had qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in 1998-99.

Notable guest quotes:

“My mom and dad were true, devout Catholics.  They both had made a Cursillo early in life.”

“We grew up back and forth to the Cursillo center, church every Sunday, every… holy day of obligation, first Fridays, prayed rosaries every day – we had a family rosary just about every day anyway, very seldom did we miss (that) I can remember – they sent us all through Catholic school from kindergarten to eighth grade.”

“I never got real far away from the faith, I guess.”

“I made my Cursillo and that was about the time I met my wife… For a long time there I kinda regretted making it at a young age.”

“Years down the road I go back – they have a Cursillo renewal – so I go back to it and I hadn’t forgotten anything!”

“I always went back to the rosary… I’d always… say a rosary… kinda know when I was missing something and know I needed more.”

“You spend a lot of time driving when you rodeo… my favorite part to drive was the nighttime shift, nobody was on the road and I got time to myself, so I always had time to think and to pray and to be by myself, so that was more of my time with God.”

“That was the A.C.T.S. retreat, which is an acronym for Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service… the biggest thing I got out of the retreat was the brotherhood… It was a really life-changing, really important part of my life.”

“That’s my favorite time of the week.  Now my holy hour every week is Monday morning from 1 to 2… I feel like Mondays are my best days of the week.  Maybe because I get to get up in the middle of the night and go spend an hour with Jesus.”

Eric Sutulovich

He spent 16 years as a coach in the National Football League, working as a special teams coach for the Houston Texans and the Atlanta Falcons, and, in between, as an offensive assistant coach with the Detroit Lions.  His years in the NFL included going to Super Bowl LI in February 2017 with Atlanta.  He also coached in the college ranks, at the University of Kansas, the University of Pittsburgh, and at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech University, which he had attended on a football scholarship.  He had played both football and basketball back in high school and coaches high school football present day.

Notable guest quotes:

“I am a cradle Catholic… K-12 I went to Catholic school.”

“I remember hearing about (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and thinking it was a good thing.”

“What I did find is, comforted knowing that my parents, my grandparents laid such a strong foundation in me.”

“I feel very strongly and confidently (that) I can defend our (Catholic) faith.”

“I prayed to be in the NFL every time I was at Mass.”

“I was very blessed and lucky.  I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and it worked out for me.  But, with being able to do that, it has also given me a small platform that I can go back and… talk to people, to talk to youth groups, to talk to young men, young women, about their faith and how to defend it and how to pick up the cross and do what God has called you to do.”

“I hope that I’ve at least tried to do it the right way and use it for our faith.”

“I’m big on action, not words, and anytime I can do the right thing, show the right thing, hold the door, pick up this, help the older person into the car, get their groceries, when I have opportunities to speak to our team, those are the things that come out of my mouth.”

“What you do and how you take care of God’s earth, God’s people, makes a difference.”

“When you lead by actions instead of words, it can be life-changing for some people.”

“I’m on a path with my hope being to see our Lord when I pass on.”

“Once you start to read the early church fathers, there is no other option but to be Catholic.”

(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.)

Jeff Grabosky

He completed a solo and unsupported 3,700-mile run across America in 2011. During the journey he ran while praying for intentions people sent him from all over the world.  He became one of only a small handful of people to cross the country in this manner, finishing with one of the longest routes in history while averaging more than 30 miles a day over the four-month journey. His book, “Running with God Across America,” was published in 2012 and details his prayerful journey. He also has a chapter in the book, “Across America on Foot,” which was published in 2020. He has continued to run after his journey, running long distances on his own, in the U.S., and even in the Holy Land. He had begun running at a young age, competing in cross-country throughout high school and recreationally in college, eventually completing his first marathon in 2004. He is currently the vice chairman for LIFE Runners, which he talks about during this interview.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was really blessed to be born into a good Catholic family.  We attended Mass every week.  My parents were involved in the parish, and they even had a group of friends that they would get together with periodically to pray the rosary for all the intentions of the group.  It was a really wonderful experience to witness as a young child through young adulthood.”

“I went to Catholic school through about fifth grade until I switched over to public school… and then I went to Notre Dame by the time I went to college.”

“As being a father, I can recognize that now in my life and trying to be very careful and intentional about how I conduct myself around our kids and how we do our daily routines and how we respond to different situations.”

“I graduated with majors in both Finance and Theology… the Theology was really driven by… I decided I wanted to focus on something that I really wanted to know more about and learn more about… and… after college I’ve spent countless hours, probably hundreds upon hundreds reading the Bible as well as other commentaries… to really deepen the faith, to really embrace it as my own.”

“I did my second hundred-mile (ultra-marathon) and took about six hours off my time, and I thought – based upon that and some other things – that I was going to be in a good position to take on this (cross country) journey but for a much higher purpose than just for myself.”

“It’s funny how often times in life we can look back on things and see how God was using those elements to prepare us for what was next.”

“After I had run a marathon for charity… the feeling of doing something for somebody else or for a cause that was dear to me was more rewarding than anything I had tried to do for myself prior.”

“I couldn’t ignore it anymore.  I really felt called to it.  I was praying about it a lot.  And I just got to the point where I couldn’t ignore it, and this wasn’t me trying to do something for my own glory.  I felt like God was calling me to do this and to do it for Him.”

“The finish of that run (across America) was really just the start for me even in my own spiritual journey.  So, it has been a journey and it continues to be one.”

(doing a long distance run in the Holy Land) “was an amazing story and one of the many instances that God has me right where He wants me.”

Related link:

Jeff’s book on Amazon

(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)

Brad Seng

He competes year-round as a professional ironman triathlete.  He is the head coach of the 18-time national champion University of Colorado Boulder triathlon team, and he is a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach AND a Certified Sports Nutritionist.  He had spent his years as a student-athlete competing in soccer, including during college, and was even a swimmer in high school.  In addition to his racing endeavors, he is a nationally recognized abstinence speaker and has spoken to thousands of teens & young adults on the benefits of being physically, emotionally & spiritually “buff.”

Notable guest quotes:

“Our Catholic faith was a big part of my life growing up, as a child, even when I left the local Catholic grade school and went on to the public schools… I was consistently going to the CCD classes and involved with the local high school youth ministry groups.”

“As a Catholic athlete, a Catholic coach, my faith is just interwoven into my being, my person.  It’s part of my coaching philosophy now and how I interact and engage with athletes.”

“I really look at our student-athletes as people first, students second, and athletes third and really try to embrace a coaching philosophy and methodology that looks at the whole person and really tries to lift up and make sure that they’re being protected and watched over as a complete person, and that’s spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, psychologically.”

“For me it comes, like, second nature to practice my faith within the coaching I’m doing… and it’s extremely rewarding knowing that perhaps I’m having an impact… but I really treasure and value being able to not necessarily hide my faith, but to be able to share it in various ways.”

“We can do all the training and get ourselves physically prepared, but if our mind – and our heart, even more importantly – are not aligned to really where God wants it to be, then we’re not going to be able to reach our full potential.”

“Triathlon can become a very selfish endeavor… Fortunately for me, as I was racing professionally and making the move out to Colorado… that was a catalyst for when my faith really started to flourish and tapping into the treasures and resources of our Catholic faith.”

“What better way for me as a professional triathlete to recover my body spiritually and even physically from the rigors of training than receiving the holy Eucharist?  Getting involved in Adoration, attending Adoration, confession, opening the Bible, reading the Word, and then ultimately the time that I’m out there training – swimming, biking, and running – is prayer time.”

“I can’t tell you how many decades and how many rosaries I’ve prayed over the years while I’m training and racing.”

“I pray to St. Sebastian before every single team practice at CU.”

“Prayer is a huge part of what I’m doing athletically.  Often times we can compartmentalize prayer and think, well, as Catholics, maybe it’s reserved for one hour a week on Sundays to attend Mass.  But I think if we are fully open to allowing God into our lives, He’s never ever outdone in His generosity.”

“We need to avoid the emotional and spiritual ‘junk food’ that is out there, that is constantly bombarding us and trying to grab at us and pull us into an unhealthy and negative direction and away from Christ and away from God and perhaps away from our faith.”

“As a Catholic I always really, really valued the opportunities I had to go into the local public schools giving that healthy message of abstinence.”

Related link:

Brad’s official website

More about Brad

(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.)

Erin Honbarrier

She played basketball in high school — and later competed in many alumni basketball games there — and was a decorated college soccer player.  Attending Whittier College in California, she not only played soccer all four years but was team captain for two years, was multiple 1^st Team All-Conference, and in her final year was both 2^nd Team All-American AND Conference Player of the Year, with her team being the regular season champion.  She also coached her daughter’s soccer team for one year, and, she has a strong connection to the NFL’s Denver Broncos, which is talked about during this episode.

Notable guest quotes:

“I attended Catholic school my whole life up until college.  I attended Most Precious Blood Catholic School, which was also in Denver, Colorado, and then went on to St. Mary’s Academy, which is considered Englewood, Colorado.”

(World Youth Day) “was one of the most amazing experiences in my faith up until then… It was within walking distance of our home, right across the street, basically, from us… It was one of the places that John Paul II decided to have Mass.”

(John Paul II) “has always been somebody that has had a significant impact on me in my life.”

“In high school, part of my French class opportunity was to take a trip to Europe and one of the first trips was to the Vatican.”

“Through (RCIA) sponsorship, I almost re-learned my entire faith through an adult lens, a mature lens, able to really take it in and know the importance of the catechism.”

“I felt completely out of control and knew that the only thing that was going to get me through it was the Lord and I just at one moment decided, in the midst of tears, that I was going to completely surrender to His Will.”

“I wish, in retrospect, that I had had that knowledge in order to give Him the glory every single one of my competitions… so, it’s really important to me to instill that in my kids.”

“Christ was our center and we leaned on Christ and talked with one another.  It really got us through that hard time, especially the first two years of Covid.”

[This episode contains a prayer (poem) by Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, PA) Principal Ed Bernot, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport]

Dr Jimmy Walters

He has been in various roles in sports throughout his life. In his childhood he played CYO basketball and Little League baseball. In high school he played intramural softball and has also played in softball leagues in his adult life. He also coached CYO basketball in the past and nowadays helps coach his daughter’s baseball league. He also had a long history as a sportswriter for a newspaper in Queens and had been the Assistant Sports Editor for St. John’s University. He is the author not only of a book from two-and-a-half years ago called “Dreams Come True: Discovering God’s Vision for your Life,” but, more recently, a second book that just came out this past April, titled, “Batter Up: Answering the Call of Faith and Fatherhood.”

Notable guest quotes:

“Sports has always been part of my life and so is my faith.  It’s a part of who I am.”

“I don’t know if God gave me the most talent to play sports, but He did give me the talent to be able to write about it.”

“I felt that inner calling.  I didn’t want to go away to school.  And going to Catholic school was important.  It was always a part of my life.”

“Going (to St. John’s University) I got involved in my faith life pretty quickly.”

“It was that campus, that faith life, that really helped me at that point.  I remember on that Friday night I went to the chapel on campus, and they had a candlelight vigil.”

“It’s not just the relationship with Christ through prayer, but it’s through service.”

“Things that come easier to us, things that we do well, things that we do well that we love to do – that’s a key piece to it – those are gifts from God.  And then how do we spend that time to focus on that and to develop that further.”

“Saint Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite saints.”

“I was writing about the three things I love the most: God, baseball (and sports), and my family.”

“Sports was really the avenue of discovering God’s love… It’s a miracle in our society that we can gather tens of thousands of people in a stadium and they can get along… Strangers are hugging each other and there’s a sense of our unity and I like to believe there’s hope that if we can do that there, we can do that in other parts of our lives where maybe we’re not being so kind and caring to one another.”

“We pray together.  We talk about God.  We talk about the saints.”

Related links:

Jimmy’s official website

Jimmy’s two books on Amazon

(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.)