Matt’s Mishmash Podcast: Recent Episodes
Matthew John Benecke
The official podcast for author Matthew John Benecke.
As a general interest production, the podcast will cover a broad range of topics, including: writing, music, photography, parenting, beer, whiskey, sports, coaching, and more!
Follow me on social media and check out my writing here: https://linktr.ee/MatthewJohnBenecke
In Episode 040, Miss Lauren Christ and I chatted about two of my favorite topics: teaching and coaching. Miss Christ is an Elementary School Educator as well as an Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach and a Freshman Volleyball Coach at Raritan High School. She was also a stellar High School and College athlete, herself, which was part of the inspiration for our talk.
Miss Christ has the unique perspective of having participated in multiple sports growing up, including some challenging but integral years at the high school level helping to build up the girls' basketball program at Raritan. Now, only a few years later, she serves as a coach on two teams there, and is thus able to juxtapose her experiences as both player and coach.
We talked about the highs and lows of being a teacher, the progress that's been made in women's sports, and, more importantly, the advancements and changes still to be made in that arena.
Full 4k video of our discussion is available here: https://youtu.be/EYCN7ZC5Yk8
Please be sure to give the video a like and the channel a follow, and please consider leaving the podcast a 5 star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts--it helps a lot more than you know! Thanks as always for listening!
Teaching #Teacher #Educator #Education #ElementarySchool #ElementarySchoolTeacher #ElementarySchoolEducator #WomensVolleyball #WomensBasketball #Coaching #GirlPower #SheCanPlay #HighSchoolBasketball #HighSchoolVolleyball #RaritanHighSchool
In Episode 039, I got to speak with one of the most inspiring people that I know, Nicole Saulnier. I met Nicole when she was a student pursuing her physical therapy degree, and the conversations that we had just blew me away. Her dedication to her craft, her vision for her future, and just her perspectives on life in general made me come away from each chat feeling ready to take on the world.
During our discussion, we covered how she came to complete the New York City marathon, what it's been like seeing her dream through of becoming a physical therapist (and completing her program at the height of the Covid pandemic!), what her experiences were like as both a young female athlete and growing up in a sports-centric household with two athlete brothers, and, perhaps best of all, what it was like visiting Kangaroo Island and holding koalas during a study abroad adventure in Australia.
Full 4k video of our chat is available here: https://youtu.be/OfCZT0Pheu8
Please be sure to give the video a like and the channel a follow, and please consider leaving the podcast a 5 star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts--it helps a lot more than you know! Thanks as always for listening!
PhysicalTherapy #PhysicalTherapist #NYCMarathon #Marathoner #MarathonFinisher #RunnersLife #Running #Australia #KangarooIsland #Koalas
In Episode 038, I sat down with one of my all-time favorite youth coaches, Sha Parland. Sha coaches the Ocean tackle football team, the Neptune travel basketball team, and his son's AAU basketball team. He's also the father of a collegiate athlete and former two-sport star with his older son.
During our discussion, Sha and I covered the current state of youth basketball, his experience in going through the process of coaching his young athletes two times, and the differences in the sports landscape between those two stints. Sha truly embodies what coaching should be about, and he was kind enough to share some personal anecdotes that highlight the incredible character that he has--just one aspect of many that I've grown to respect about him throughout the years.
Full 4k video of our discussion is available here: https://youtu.be/uvP-uTBwmZs
Please be sure to give the video a like and consider subscribing to the channel! Both go a long way in helping to support the podcast. And if you're able to leave a 5 star review wherever you stream your podcasts, that would be much appreciated as well!
Coaching #TackleFootball #AAUBasketball #TravelBasketball #OceanTackleFootball #NeptuneTravelBasketball #CollegeAthlete #NCAA #Parenting
This episode features a discussion with Jessica Yurkow, Monmouth County Public Library Librarian. I spent a lot of time at the library as a kid when my mother worked part time for the local Brooklyn Public Library branch, and so it holds a special place in my heart. Jess and I discuss the many features and aspects of the public library that folks might not know about including programming geared towards adults, free access to things like Rosetta Stone's language learning software, and more.
As huge music fans, Jess and I also cover some of our favorite bands and genres, taking a nostalgic trip back to the late '90s and early '00s. Give Jess a follow on Instagram @WrinkledWings and the Monmouth County Public Library @MonCoLibrary
Full video of the interview available here: https://youtu.be/_Ll55UdJYLY
Please be sure to like the YouTube video and subscribe to this channel, and if you're not already following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please give it a follow there as well! Thanks for watching and listening!
Podcast #podcastersofinstagram #Library #PublicLibrary #Librarian #LibrarianLife #BookNerd #BookWorm
In Episode 036, I had a great discussion with my friend Jon Lamarsh about the challenges of losing weight and getting fit, as well as the mental struggles of dealing with body image issues. Body dysmorphia and self-image issues are stereotypically associated with women, but there are many men who battle with them as well--with Jon and I counting ourselves among their number. My hope with this episode is to shed some light on the issue, and to demonstrate through our conversation that it's a very real concern for any gender and a constant battle for those who are wired the same way.
Full 4k video of our discussion is available here: https://youtu.be/yOi8WvzCxNE
Please be sure to leave the video a like and to give the podcast a follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you stream your content--thanks!
Fitness #Nutrition #BodyImageIssues #BodyImage #MenOver40 #BodyDysmorphia #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness
In Episode 035 of the Mishmash Podcast, I sat down with Personal Trainer, Professional Wrestler, and Powerlifter, Bill Marchi. Bill is a multitalented guy with a diverse array of interests, including volunteering within the realm of animal rescue. He was kind enough to donate some of his time to the podcast and to discuss his work as a trainer, his background in fitness, his upcoming return to the ring, and his admirable work with rescues.
Give Bill a follow on Instagram @opa_nikosrikos
Full 4k video interview available here: https://youtu.be/z1GlWHMY6es
Please be sure to click like on the video and subscribe to the channel for more great discussions like this!
And feel free to follow me on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/matthewjohnbenecke/
https://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnbenecke
https://twitter.com/MatthewJBenecke
Podcast #Podcasting #PodcastersOfInstagram #PodcastersOfYouTube #PodcastersOfFacebook #PersonalTraining #PersonalTrainer #Fitness #PowerhouseGyms #Powerlifting #Wrestling #Wrestler #ProfessionalWrestler #WWE #MondayNightRaw #AnimalRescue #HamsterRescue #Hamsters
In Episode 034 of the Mishmash Podcast, I had a great discussion with Massage Therapist, Danielle DiGiallonardo. Massage Therapy is one of my very few go-to relaxation outlets, and it's something I've always been interested in learning more about. Danielle's thirty-plus years in the industry offered me a wealth of information to draw from in what was an entertaining and educative conversation.
Danielle was kind enough to share her insights about the benefits and challenges of working as a Massage Therapist, what she looks to offer in terms of the ideal massage experience, and, most fun of all, some stories about her time working for one of the world's premiere cruise ship agencies.
Full 4k video interview available here: https://youtu.be/VAIhKPRu7tw
Please be sure to click like on the video and subscribe to the channel for more great discussions like this!
And feel free to follow me on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/matthewjohnbenecke/
https://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnbenecke
https://twitter.com/MatthewJBenecke
Podcast #Podcasting #PodcastersOfInstagram #PodcastersOfYouTube #PodcastersOfFacebook #Massage #MassageTherapy #MassageTherapist #Spa #Relaxation #SelfCare #SpaDay #MeTime
In Episode 033 of the Mishmash Podcast, I caught up with an old friend and OG YouTuber, @EddieGoing . Eddie is one of my favorite people from Baruch College, and it was great both to reflect upon our college days, and to catch up on a lot that has happened in the decade and a half since.
Eddie's charisma and personality are unmatched, and so it came as no surprise to hear about his success as one of the earliest YouTube sensations, his involvement in film and television, and, best of all, his role as a master prankster. Our conversation was an absolute blast to be a part of, and, I hope, will be as entertaining a watch or listen for anyone who checks it out.
The full video interview can be seen here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Tbc8T3l-fKk
Full audio is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, and more!
Give Eddie a follow on YouTube, Instagram, and his other socials, and please be sure to click like on this video and subscribe to the channel for more content!
Podcast #Podcasters #Podcasting #PodcastersOfYouTube #PodcastersOfInstagram #PodcastersOfFacebook #EddieGoing #GoingWithEddie #SubwaySurvivalStories #ViralVideo #ViralContent #OriginalPranksters #StatenIsland #Brooklyn #NYC #BaruchCollege #CUNY
In Episode 032 of the Mishmash Podcast, I got to sit down with Food Fuels Growth Nutrition Coach, Dani Cherrick, to discuss our time working together as coach and client last summer. Thanks to Dani's incredible coaching, I was able to lose more than 20 pounds in eight weeks as a Food Fuels Growth client, and then went on to lose an additional 20 pounds on my own thanks to the knowledge that I gained from working with her.
Besides my personal transformation, we also discussed some of the common challenges that folks face when they are attempting to effect similar changes on both the nutrition and fitness fronts. As part of my recent mini-series on parenting and the experiences of Girl Dads, I also had the fun and good fortune of getting to talk to Dani about the topic, albeit from the other side of the equation. The final part of our discussion centered upon her special relationship with her Dad, and how the foundations that he provided her--whether inspiring her love of music, or providing a parental pathway to follow--helped to shape the woman and mother that she is in adulthood.
Full 4k video of our interview is available here: https://youtu.be/AgKOE0Ejm_U
Please be sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel! And please give Dani's FFG Instagram page a follow as well @ https://www.instagram.com/foodfuelsgrowth
In Episode 031 of the Mishmash Podcast, I had one of my most important, impactful conversations yet with my friend, Mike McGowan. Mike is the Assistant Boys Varsity Coach at Matawan Regional High School, the owner and founder of NorthShore Hoops, a father of one with two more on the way, and he is a cancer survivor.
Mike's story of how he was first diagnosed with and ultimately beat cancer is not just inspiration--it's life-altering. His perspective on life is something that I think everyone would benefit from hearing, and the way he approaches each day--as a father, a husband, a teacher, a coach, and just as a person--makes me appreciate all of the blessings in my own life, and challenges me to be better.
We also discussed the joys of being fathers, and how our own upbringings influence the decisions that we make as parents. Lastly, we dove into basketball, including Mike's decision to begin his own amazing program to serve the local youth population in Matawan and other towns nearby.
The full video interview can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/DjDVo4q2qk8
Please be sure to give the video a like and subscribe to the channel! Thanks for listening/watching!
Podcast #Podcasting #Podcaster #podcastersoffacebook #podcastersofinstagram #podcastersofyoutube #Basketball #HighSchoolBasketball #AAUBasketball #TravelBasketball #Coaching #Father #FatherSon #BoyDad #GirlDad #Cancer #CancerSurvivor #Inspirational #Motivational
In Episode 030 of the Mishmash Podcast, I got to speak with my good friend, Russ Sommers. Russ is a father, a husband, and an outdoorsman, but, above all else, he is someone who sets an incredible example and who inspires me whenever we get to talk.
During our discussion, we covered everything from the challenges of raising daughters in modern society, some of the keys to longstanding, successful marriages, and how to find the motivation to keep improving ourselves, despite the difficulty involved.
I hope you enjoy our conversation, and, if you do, please consider liking the video and subscribing to both the YouTube channel and the podcast on your favorite streaming service!
YouTube video is available here: https://youtu.be/Ma-pNoHmjhk
Podcast #Podcasting #Parenting #podcastersofinstagram #podcastersoffacebook #Lifeadvice #Motivation #MotivationalSpeaking #motivationalvideos
Episode 029 of the Mishmash Podcast is the first in a series focusing on parenting. Gender roles have shifted considerably since I was growing up in the '80s and '90s, as have modern parenting approaches. Having a daughter, in particular, has opened my eyes to the need for female representation in the workplace, as well as the importance of setting a solid example, as a father, at home.
In Episode 029, I got to sit down with my good friend Jon Korellis to explore some of these topics. Jon is a phenomenal basketball coach and skills trainer, a talented special education teacher, an exceptional supervisor at a special needs school, and, most importantly, a Girl Dad of two. We hope you enjoy our discussion, and I look forward to sharing more on the topic in some upcoming interviews!
Full 4k video of the interview is available here: https://youtu.be/A1dFPgLUUPU
Podcast #Podcasts #Podcasting #Podcasters #Podcastersofinstagram #Podcastersoffacebook #PodcastersofYoutube #Parenting #GirlDad #Stayathomeparent #Stayathomedad #stayathomemom #Workingmom #Workingdad #DaddyDaughter
In Episode 028, I had the pleasure of sitting down with a phenomenal pair of guests--Bobby Smith, Owner and Founder of Reach Your Potential Training, and Dr. Sharon Wentworth, Owner and Founder of Elite Sports Physical Therapy. During our discussion, we explored the origins of both RYPT and Elite SPT, and how they were influenced by Bobby's and Dr. Sharon's professional and college athletic careers, how and why they both began training and rehabilitating young athletes, and some of the injury risks and challenges faced by young female athletes, in particular.
As parents of young athletes, ourselves, we also delved into the current state of youth sports, focusing primarily on AAU basketball, specifically, and living a sports family lifestyle, in general.
For more information about Reach Your Potential Training and Elite Sports Physical Therapy, please visit their respective websites here: https://igotrypt.com/ and here: https://elitespt.com/.
You can watch the full video interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/Afz5lg9hYzo
Please be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and give a follow to the podcast through your preferred streaming service!
In Episode 027, my guest was Ricky Stephens, Colts Neck High School Head Freshman and Assistant Varsity Basketball coach, lead coach at Go Up Strong AAU, Certified Personal Trainer, and Speed and Conditioning Coach focusing on youth athletes. During our discussion, we explored Ricky's shift from the world of politics into both fitness and coaching, the challenges of working with young athletes, and the importance of both building foundational skills and forging higher levels of fitness in children.
Ricky also shares some insight behind what motivates him to work relentlessly at improving his own conditioning, as well as what enables him to be such a positive, inspiring force for the young athletes that he works with.
Be sure to give him a follow on Instagram, @ReezActive and @Coach.Stephens21 and don't forget to like and subscribe to the Mishmash Podcast on YouTube!
In Episode 026, I enjoyed a wide ranging conversation with a truly gifted writer, Catherine McCarthy. Cath and I discussed elements of the craft including the importance of drawing inspiration from firsthand experiences, the challenges and rewards of the querying process, and how a shared lifelong love of teaching and reading English has helped us both to become the writers that we are today.
You can find Catherine on X/Twitter @SerialSemantic, and you can watch the full conversation on my YouTube channel here:
https://youtu.be/-uEFtnVWS2c
Please be sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel! Thank you!
In Episode 025, I sat down with Jason Hoffman, master motivator and Managing partner/Chief Instructor at THE MAX Challenge of Edison to talk about fitness and nutrition. During our discussion, Jason provides some phenomenal advice on how people can make some simple changes that can drastically improve their nutritional health and overall wellbeing. He also offers some great tips for how to handle the potential challenges of eating right during the holidays.
In Episode 024, I got to speak with my all-time favorite artist, Anthony Jensen. We discuss how he got his start in the field of visual art, how he took the leap of faith to become a professional and to focus full-time on his art, and we swap ghost stories in honor of our favorite time of year--Halloween!
You can watch the full interview on YouTube at the link below. Be sure to check out the incredible slideshow of Anthony's work towards the middle of the video--it showcases the breadth and depth of his talent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=queha-lg9VE
Welcome to my first video podcast episode! In today's solo run, I share some of the exciting projects and personal goals that I have coming up in the near future as well as a few can't-miss guests on the horizon. Thanks for watching and listening!
Please check out the video on my YouTube channel and don't forget to hit like and subscribe! Thank you!
https://youtu.be/uAeorRV9Ei0
In Episode 022, my friend Mike English and I complete our hat trick of interviews from the summer. This time around, we take a deeper dive into the importance of music in our lives, explore the overlap of poetry and songwriting, and discuss some of the more poignant aspects of parenting.
As always with Mike, there is plenty of great storytelling, lots of laughs, and just a great conversation all around. Thanks for listening!
In Episode 021, I explore the pleasures of owning a puppy and share my survivor story of living with a furry terrorist named Vendetta.
In episode 020 of the Mishmash Podcast, I spoke with my good friend and fellow Macaulay (CUNY) Honors College Class of 2005 alum, Anja Vojvodic. We reminisced about our time as scholars at Baruch and Queens College, discussed Anja's incredible journey in her post-graduate years that ultimately led her into academia, and explored some of her areas of study that include gender quota adoption within the political realm in post-Communist Europe as well as the prevalence of female prime ministers and executives in the Central and Eastern European regions.
For more information about Anja's research and upcoming work, please visit her website:
https://anjavojvodic.com/
Local Forecast - Elevator Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
In Episode 017 of the Mishmash Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Kristin Sticco DO, MS--Chief of Clinical Pathology at Mount Sinai South Nassau to talk about her work in the fields of hematopathology and transfusion medicine. We discussed some of the challenges of being both a mother and a scientist and doctor--specifically, finding that balance between work and home lives--we explored some of the hallmarks of professional success in the medical fields and beyond, and we covered what it was like for Kristin growing up on the mean streets of Maspeth, Queens.
I hope you'll check out our discussion and come away as inspired as I was after partaking in it! Thanks for listening!
In Episode 016 of the Mishmash Podcast, I sat down with ProCare PT Christine Manley to discuss the differing treatment approaches used in the field. Christine is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), and is also trained in both Vestibular Rehabilitation and the McKenzie Technique, which is used primarily for treating spine-related injuries.
We also explored the path that led her into the field and she was kind enough to share some advice for anyone looking to do the same. Thanks for listening!
In Episode 015 of the Mishmash Podcast, I sat down with my friend Susan Medford. Sue is the co-owner of Joint Physical Therapy in Middletown, NJ, as well as an adjunct professor with 28 years of experience instructing at the College of Staten Island.
During our discussion, we talked about the field of Physical Therapy, how it's changed since Sue's career began in the 1990s, and she shared a little bit about her unique genealogy. Thanks for listening!
In episode 014 of the Mishmash Podcast, my good friend Mike and I discuss music from the '70s, including our favorite bands from that era--Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Our conversation was both wide-ranging, and, hopefully, entertaining (it was to us, at least!), so please tune in and listen to some passionate music fans cover the classics from the birth of rock and roll through to today!
In Episode 013, nutrition coach Dani Cherrick and I finish our discussion about nutrition and offer a variety of insights about how to make simple, healthy changes to your nutritional lifestyle. We explore some common myths and misconceptions about what it means to eat healthy, how difficult it really is to change your habits, and what the role of a nutrition coach actually is.
Follow Dani on Instagram and Facebook @FoodFuelsGrowth
Follow Matt across multiple platforms: https://linktr.ee/MatthewJohnBenecke
In episode 012, I got to sit down and speak with Dani Cherrick, Nutrition Coach and founder of the phenomenal Food Fuels Growth channel. We discussed some of the common challenges that parents face when it comes to maintaining healthy levels of nutrition for their children (and themselves!) while offering some helpful tips.
Dani shares some of her expertise in the field in our first dive into the world of nutrition, and, in my intro, I explain just how life altering that expertise was for me and my family.
For more information, give her a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodfuelsgrowth/
In Episode 011 of the Mishmash Podcast, I got to sit down with my buddy Brian Monzo to discuss music. This is a conversation that we've been having in person and via text for years, but we decided to transpose it to the podcasting realm for this special episode.
Join us as we talk everything from the impact on Artificial Intelligence on the future of the music industry to the staying power of bands like the Foo Fighters, as well embarking upon a nostalgia trip back to the late '90s and early '00s.
In my latest episode, I begin the second season of the Mishmash Podcast with a very, very special guest: my daughter, Sarah Lynn Benecke. We talk about everything from sports and music, to what it's like being a young woman growing up in 2023.
In the second of my three Sarah-centric episodes, I had the chance to sit down with Georgian Court University assistant coach Sarah Dessner to discuss the challenges and opportunities involved with being a coach, a mentor, and a role model to young girls.
Sarah is a successful coach, businesswoman, and all-around incredible woman who sets an amazing example for the girls who are lucky enough to play for her.
In the first of my trio of "Sarah" interviews, I got to speak with Sarah Key. Sarah is a South African novelist, education specialist, lecturer, mentor, and activist, but, more than that, she is a constant source of inspiration. She is the author of five novels, four of which were published traditionally, including her debut work, Tangled Weeds, as well as her trilogy, The Sisters of Light.
She has served as an independent contractor for UNICEF and as a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, which has been ranked as the number one university both nationally in South Africa and continentally in the whole of Africa as recently as 2016 and 2017, respectively.
During our conversation, we covered everything from the arts and writing to the social struggles faced in both South Africa and the United States as well as the challenges of raising children in modern society.
In episode 007, and in honor of Halloween, I take a look at my 31 favorite dark movies from the past 31 years.
In Episode 006, I got to sit down with HoopLab I'm Possible Skills Trainer, Garry Linton, to discuss the challenges of raising a young athlete with college or professional aspirations. Garry was kind enough to share his perspectives as a father of a Division 1 scholarship earning basketball daughter, and also as a former coach and current skills enhancement trainer.
During our talk, we covered a multitude of topics ranging from common mistakes parents make as they try to guide their children along their athletic paths, the importance of building a social media brand amid the college recruiting process, and the invaluable, intangible benefits of encouraging our children to discover and build passions that go beyond the court.
Garry is a powerful advocate for girls' basketball, a dedicated skills trainer, a devoted father, and a multitalented student of life whose creative abilities are surpassed by only his vision and desire to help others to achieve their dreams.
In today's episode, I share an interview I conducted with NBA Skills Enhancement Trainer Zach Leach. We discussed everything from the varying challenges of training both children and professional basketball players to the importance of skills enhancement in the development of modern athletes.
Zach is an expert in the field of skills enhancement who has worked with clients ranging from current NBA players such as Victor Oladipo and Karl-Anthony Towns and Division I players from the University of Kentucky and other schools of note, to international players from as far off as Israel and Jamaica. He runs a successful skills training business out of Freehold, New Jersey, and co-hosts the popular podcast Dishin' Dimes with his co-trainer, Garry Linton.
In episode 004 of the Mishmash Podcast, I take a solo exploration into the world of youth sports. Plenty has been written and said about how parents are ruining youth sports, but I don't think it has to be that way. As a former player and coach, and present parent and fan of my own kids' teams, I've accrued a wealth of observations that I use as a foundation for, what I believe, is a great way to help parents to shift their focus back onto their children and remove themselves from the equation, all while maximizing their enjoyment of their kids' respective sports.
In episode 003, I discuss how I went from a fledgling writer to being part of a global creative community and how I achieved my bucket list goal of having my books read on (nearly) every continent (damn you, Antarctica!). Best of all--I get to share my interview with one of the world's greatest photographers...who lives in Transylvania!
Tune in to hear the stories behind Andrei Cosma's epic photographs and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Cosma brothers' creative process.
In episode two, I explore what is arguably my biggest passion: music.
Topics covered include the importance of exposing kids to a variety of music, sharing my passion for music with my own kids, and, what might just be my most embarrassing musical purchase!
I also have the first ever guest to the Mishmash Podcast--Mr. Lukas O'Connor! Lukas is a 13 year old music superfan who shares his passion for some of the heavier genres as well as anecdotes from the many live shows that he has attended with his parents. His genuine love of music is inspiring and contagious--I see big things happening for him down the road!
The pilot episode of Matt's Mishmash Podcast introduces host and author, Matthew John Benecke, and includes a St. Patrick's Day story you won't want to miss!