Episodes

Molly Bent

She played college basketball under the famous coach Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut after a high school career as a student-athlete that saw her set records in basketball, plus she competed in soccer as well. Presently she is a missionary at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as part of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students and a part of Varsity Catholic.

Notable guest quotes:

“I was extremely blessed to grow up in a wonderful Catholic family with a dad who really just is the face of God the Father for me and then a mom who is one of the greatest examples of, like, sacrificial love and servant love.”

“Even when I was younger, I was never a kid who kind of put up a fight going to Mass.  I always kind of enjoyed it.  Mostly, just, I loved listening to the gospels and to the priests’ homilies.”

“My dad… actually started going to daily Mass after my little sister was born.  She was born with Down Syndrome and it kind of reignited this flame for his faith and the trust in the Lord that His plan is better than anything we could imagine and what a gift it is to have my little sister as like a constant presence of that.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to pray about it and reflect on my path that the Lord has had me on and it’s so clear that His hand was in everything.”

“I wasn’t really asking God for much that I remember throughout my high school (basketball) career other than kind of like a superstitious almost prayer before games and practices, like, ‘Lord, help me play well and help me to stay safe’.”

“I read recently in a book about Mary Magdalene that a good friend gave me that when we seek love outside of the ultimate love and the infinite love we’re just left with kind of like this deep lack of fulfillment.”

“I’m a very joyful person.  I like to say I’m a BIG joy person.  I love radiating and allowing the Lord to radiate joy through us.”

“So that kind of led me into this kind of more awareness of Jesus Christ the person and of God who has a hand in everything.”

“I just was falling in love with getting to know Jesus.  And, in my mind it was a very similar feeling to when I received an offer from UConn where it was just like, ‘Yeah, of course.  Like, there’s nothing else that my heart was made for other than this at this moment’.”

[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]

Beth Torina

She has been the head coach of the women’s softball team at LSU for ten years, following a stint leading a National Pro Fastpitch team, having previously been in the same position at Florida International University. Prior to that she had been the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Houston.  She had started into coaching as an assistant coach at Stetson University in 2000.  As a student-athlete she had been a pitcher at the University of Florida.  In her current role she has established an active community service function within the softball program as the LSU players regularly visit hospitals and schools in the Baton Rouge area.

Notable guest quotes:

“I’ve been raised Catholic my whole life… definitely was at church every Sunday with my family and my parents, and my dad has been a big pillar of my faith and my religious upbringing.”

“I spent a lot of time at the church on Wednesday nights and Sunday nights and some of the youth groups had a big part of who I am.  We did some cool stuff.  We went to World Youth Day and got to see the Pope.”

“I was really lucky to get involved with the campus ministry… there was a family that would have a Bible study on Sunday nights and then the Catholic, on-campus church at the University of Florida was just awesome.  I developed a really good relationship with Fr. Tim, who was the priest there at the time.”

“One thing I think is really cool here at LSU is… when we go on the road, we make sure on Sunday mornings… we always try to find a church in the city that we’re in.”

“I have spent a lot of time in my life telling God the things that I want, and He just can kind of laugh and make a much better plan than I ever could have imagined.”

“We’ve worked really hard, especially here at LSU, to have some program standards that we live by.  We call it TIGERS for Life and it’s Trust, Integrity, Grit, Energy, Relentless, and Selfless.  All of our players could tell you this… and I think I just try to live my life the same way I ask them to live it.”

“You have so many special women that, ya’ know, we’re supposed to be growing them, and in return they end up growing us all the time.  And I think a big key to that is just letting your heart be open to it.”

“We are raising three little girls and I would say, when I talk about God’s plan, this is the one where He really had a different look than I did.”

Related link:

Beth’s full bio on LSU 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.)

Tyler Rosser

For more than four years now he has been the head women’s soccer coach at Ave Maria University, where last November he was named the Sun Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the team to the best season in the history of the program. He also last year became the winningest coach in conference play in program history. Before taking the job at Ave Maria he was the head coach of the Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School girls’ team for three years. He is licensed by the United States Soccer Federation and is an alumnus of his current employer.

Notable guest quotes:

“Growing up I did love God, I loved Jesus, but in terms of the Catholic faith I struggled to know why we do a lot of things as Catholics.”

“Growing up it was always my mom’s influence that helped me stay in the Catholic faith.  And so when I got to college I sort of had a choice to make — do I want to continue with this or do I not want to continue with this, so to speak.”

“That was really the first time in my life — although I probably heard it, but this was maybe the first time that I was actually listening — where I heard that I could have a friendship with Jesus.”

“We don’t initiate the relationship with Jesus.  He is always seeking us.  He’s coming after us gently and peacefully and patiently and kindly.”

“I think that the Lord has really brought me through as an athlete, and He has always put a desire on my heart to coach or be involved in sports some way.”

“I just fell in love at the conference with Jesus in the Eucharist because not only do I have a friendship with Jesus but now I can encounter Him literally on a daily basis whether it be in Adoration or at Mass.”

“I went to India… there was a five-week mission trip… it was working with Mother Teresa’s order of the Missionaries of Charity.”

“I went up to the chapel and Eucharistic Adoration was there and I just got down on my knees and I said, ‘Jesus, like, my whole life I’ve been trying to do things on my own and I don’t want to do that anymore and I just really desire at this moment to surrender my entire life to you completely’.”

“I really learned about the integration of the faith into a (soccer) program and how one can do that effectively.  The Lord, I think, had a plan in those years of preparing me for my role now.”

“The reason I coach is so much greater than wins and losses.  It’s really to help these women get to heaven and ultimately for them to help me get to heaven too.”

Related link:

Tyler’s full bio on Ave Maria 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.)

Leo Lopoz

The Vice President for Athletics at De La Salle High School, a private Catholic school for boys in California. He started there as Assistant Athletic Director in 1999 before taking over in 2006 as Athletic Director. He is an alumnus of the school and has also coached boys golf as well as basketball there. He is also both the founder of the Catholic National Athletic Association AND the commissioner of the East Bay Athletic League.

Notable guest quotes:

“It’s definitely within the La Salle mission to educate the mind, body, and soul, and not everyone’s going to be a football player, not everyone’s going to be a tennis player, not everyone’s going to be a golfer.  So, it’s important to understand and respect each individual student-athlete’s journey.”

“Ultimately when the day is done, we want… every coach to think that their time was served to help make the kids graduate as a man of faith, a man of scholarship, and a man of integrity.”

“Catholic grammar school, truthfully, … going to Mass, being a part of Catholic service, all that stuff that one would presume some of the characteristics of what one would kind of perceive as the traditional Catholic family was where we were kind of going.”

“Everything from Confirmation, I can remember the altar server days, all that stuff that I think made me who I am today.”

“All the stuff that I believe the Catholic Church stands by and is great has been part of my life… and I do believe it’s a guiding light on how I’ve made decisions and where I’ve gotten to where I am today.”

“There’s always a way in the Catholic Church to do something better on a daily basis for others.”

“I think compassion, forgiveness, a lot of pillars of the Catholic faith come into play… from the heart.”

“I think God has put me here to help others.”

Related link:

Catholic National Athletic Association

John Smith

His name is synonymous with wrestling success.  He won six consecutive world championships as a competitor from 1987-92, including gold medals at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul and at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Additionally, he owns five national championships as head coach of Oklahoma State’s men’s wrestling program, a role that he has held for 30 years. During that time, he has coached 33 NCAA individual champions and five Olympians. He was recognized as the National Wrestling Coaches Association coach of the year in 1994 and 2003 and is a 15-time selection as his conference’s coach of the year. Most recently, he led his squad to its ninth consecutive Big 12 tournament title, with three of his student-athletes claiming individual Big 12 Conference titles in 2021. He has an .863 winning percentage for his career dual match record as a head coach.

Notable guest quotes:

“We were very strong in our faith, not just on Sundays but several days a week we’d say the rosary as a family.”

“For me (his oldest brother) was always really a great role model, not just athletically but spiritually as well.  Just led by his faith.”

“It’s amazing that all ten of us really have still a strong Catholic presence in our life.  And that just tells you about how parents are.  That they’re really the leader of the family.”

“I kept my priorities straight.  I loved wrestling.  I loved trying to be the best wrestler in the world pound for pound.  I loved chasing world championships.  I loved preparing for Olympic gold medals.  But I also always recognized that there’s another purpose that’s much bigger than this and that’s my faith and the salvation.”

“We’re really on fire for Jesus in Stillwater Oklahoma.”

“The one thing I’ve learned about coaching in NCAA is, be prepared for changes… And what doesn’t change is your faith and your values.”

“Building your character, building your faith, seems a lot more important today than it did in the past.”

“You don’t want to see your student-athletes negotiate with their faith.”

“We did get a chance a couple years ago.  We took our team to Italy… We got to spend two full days at the Vatican, which, I’d been to the Vatican several times.”

Related link:

John’s bio on OSU 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.)

John Scott

He played close to 300 games over eight seasons with seven different National Hockey League teams and he was the MVP of the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. He had played college hockey for four years at Michigan Tech and has an autobiography called, “A Guy Like Me: Fighting to Make the Cut.”  He also has his own podcast, called, “Dropping the Gloves.”

Notable guest quotes:

“That’s what I did for my whole childhood, just skate in the winter and play baseball and lacrosse in the summer.”

“Sometimes I did go out of my way to fight when maybe I shouldn’t have.”

“Nowadays there’s so much hate and just people being separated by the religion and politics, all this stuff.  If you just kind of realize, like, hey, you know what, I can help that person, whether it’s in a grocery line letting someone go in front of you or when you’re driving not beeping your horn, be like, ya’ know what, go ahead, I forgive you, move along.”

“I just chalked it up to I’m pretty lucky, I’m pretty lucky, but looking back now, obviously I found my faith and I found the reason behind all of that; it was God, it was the Holy Spirit kind of weaving me through my life.  And it took taking a step back and realizing, gosh, I could’ve never done this on my own, and there was a driving force there.”

“My wife, she’s very good at reminding me… ‘You have 15 guardian angels because you should not be where you’re at right now’ and I totally agree with here where it’s just like, golly, God is great because I have so many blessings.”

“You really try to pay it back and you try to do the right thing and you’re like, ‘Okay, you’ve given me so much, Lord, I’m gonna go out and try to spread the gospel, spread the Word, raise my kids right, do the right thing, and just be a good human being.”

“Everybody is given so much and it’s just amazing that God doesn’t want anything back, but it’s nice to try our best.”

“I kind of delved into the history of the faith and it was really great where I didn’t just do it because I had to.  I ended up doing it because I wanted to.  It’s such a beautiful faith and the history is so rich.”

“I couldn’t imagine myself being not Catholic.  I try to go to Mass every day.  I do all these things at the church.  I try to involve myself any way I can.”

“The faith is my whole life now.  Everything we do, my wife and I, just kind of revolves around God and our faith and trying to be in tune with that and that’s what I want to talk about… Our whole life is kind of encompassed by the church and it’s so great.”

“I now serve three days a week at the Carmelite monastery.  It’s a traditional Latin Mass.”

“You will never regret going up and serving our Lord just any way you can.”

“Faith is such a strong part of my life, it would be hard to hide it.”

Related links:

John’s official website

(This episode contains a prayer originally excerpted and adapted from Day By Day: The Notre Dame Prayerbook for Students by Thomas McNally, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)

Brad Berry

He played over 250 regular season and playoff games combined in the National Hockey League with two different franchises in addition to playing overseas in the Swedish Elite League. He went on to be a scout for the Vancouver Canucks and later joined his fourth NHL franchise, the Columbus Blue Jackets, as an assistant coach. He also was an assistant coach in the American Hockey League and nowadays has been the head coach of the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team since just over six years ago. In 2016 he became the first rookie head coach in NCAA men’s ice hockey history to win a national championship.

Notable guest quotes:

“There’s a lot of things that are coming at ya’ when you’re away from your family that, ya’ know, trying to do the right thing.  Trying to stay on that narrow and focused road.”

“You talk about being a servant leader, of serving others, and just trying to be a good person, and I really feel that my faith was a big reason why I’m where I am.”

“There was some adversity… I got sent to the minors a couple of times… I think adversity, it’s how you handle it… Faith got me through it.  It was one of those things where God’s in control, and you control certain things but He’s the ultimate control of your life.”

“When you’re kind of busy or focused in that side of it, there’s tendencies to, not forget, but, put on the back burner of the belief and the faith and going to church on every Sunday and serving God… as a young person that’s very easy to do.”

“Through the Catholic religion of my wife and her parents it was a big driving force that made it strong.”

“You want to be the best at what you can do but you can’t leave the people in your life behind, you can’t leave God behind, and you gotta take time for that.”

“I always believe God has a plan, and it’s not one that you know with certainty what that is.”

“Never keep looking over the fence at what could be or should be or whatever.  Be blessed and be grateful for what you have.  And blessed and grateful is what I am.”

“Part of being a Christian is always giving back, being a servant of God.”

“I always wake up every morning and I have two or three things that I recite to myself here.  And there’s one that really hits home for me and it’s the great commandment of Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4.”

Related link:

Brad’s UND bio page

(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.)