New Jersey Mat Chat

045: Owen Boyle

“I hated wrestling for two years.” Lenape standout Owen Boyle joins New Jersey Mat Chat for one of the most honest conversations yet — opening up about burnout, confidence, weight cuts, and eventually learning how to enjoy wrestling again. In this episode, Owen talks about: • Feeling unfulfilled despite success • Why he wishes he trained in tougher rooms earlier • The mental side of wrestling • Creekside Wrestling & Immortals • Choosing Elizabethtown College • Family support and wrestling culture • Learning that having fun actually made him better This episode is a reminder that wrestling isn’t just about wins and losses — it’s about growth, mindset, and finding joy in the grind. 🤼‍♂️ Lenape Wrestling 🎓 Elizabethtown College Commit 🧠 Mindset • Burnout • Development ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com [https://champion-athletes.com] 00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment 01:25 – Meet Owen Boyle (Lenape Wrestling) 01:49 – Was His Wrestling Career a Success? 03:01 – Realizing What It Takes to Be Great 03:09 – What He’d Tell His 7th Grade Self 03:36 – “I Hated Wrestling for Two Years” 04:15 – Freshman Year Expectations 04:32 – Most Influential Coaches Growing Up 05:18 – Always Smiling on the Mat 06:09 – Self Doubt vs Having Fun Wrestling 06:57 – Why He Wishes He Wrestled Better Rooms Earlier 07:34 – Why Convenience Isn’t Always the Answer 08:34 – Training at Immortals & Lamb Wrestling 09:09 – Balancing Different Wrestling Rooms 09:56 – Giving Up Lacrosse for Wrestling 10:15 – Family Support & Wrestling Parents 11:33 – Which Coach Is Most Like His Dad? 12:20 – Creekside Wrestling Garage Practices 13:02 – Traveling to Michigan for Wrestling 13:43 – Choosing Elizabethtown College 14:14 – Schools He Considered Before Elizabethtown 15:03 – Feeling “At Home” on His Visit 15:41 – Elizabethtown Wrestling Program Breakdown 16:12 – Rooming With Howell’s Will Stapleton 17:35 – Accounting Major & Future Plans 18:10 – GPA, Academics & Choosing a Career 19:02 – Respect, Reputation & Wrestling Brotherhood 19:41 – Thanking Coaches, Parents & Supporters 20:32 – Favorite Atlantic City Memory 20:53 – Outro

044: Mike Ahearn

Coach Mike Ahern joins New Jersey Mat Chat for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had yet. From wrestling under legendary coach Gary Papa at Paul VI… to coaching state champions… to stepping away from wrestling after personal tragedy… Coach Ahern opens up about everything that shaped him. This episode covers: • Old-school South Jersey wrestling culture • Coaching legends like Mark Manchio • Building Audubon into a sectional champion • Mental health, anxiety & loss • Wrestling’s evolution over the decades • The transfer portal mentality hitting high school sports • Why relationships matter more than wins This isn’t just a wrestling episode. It’s a conversation about life, purpose, toughness, and finding your way back. 🤼‍♂️ South Jersey Wrestling 🏆 Audubon Wrestling 🧠 Legacy • Leadership • Perspective ••Premier Sports Nutrition - Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com [https://champion-athletes.com] 00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment 01:26 – Meet Coach Mike Ahern 01:46 – Growing Up in a Family of 12 Kids 02:26 – Starting Wrestling Late (7th Grade) 03:05 – Gary Papa & Old School Wrestling Culture 04:38 – Why He Ended Up at Paul VI 05:24 – Tiny Freshman Wrestling Varsity 06:25 – State Medals, Tough Losses & Expectations 07:20 – Region Finals Battle With Che Santo 08:11 – Wrestling Left-Handed & Match Strategy 09:20 – Learning From State Tournament Failure 10:05 – Paul VI Robes & Wrestling Traditions 11:09 – Choosing Elizabethtown Over Rider 12:23 – Wrestling in College & Brotherhood 13:15 – Wanting to Join the Marines After 9/11 14:09 – Coaching With Legendary Coach John Sanders 15:20 – Early Coaching Years & Penns Grove 16:18 – Taking Over Sterling Wrestling 17:20 – Coaching State Champ Mark Manchio 18:15 – Mark Manchio’s Competitive Edge 19:05 – Other State Champs & Loaded Teams 20:05 – Taking Over Audubon Wrestling 20:33 – Personal Tragedy, Anxiety & Mental Health 22:42 – Returning to Coaching After 5 Years Away 24:10 – Building the Audubon Wrestling Culture 25:24 – Learning the Modern Version of Wrestling 26:18 – Creating a Family Atmosphere 27:15 – Leadership, Staff & Team Buy-In 28:08 – Winning Audubon’s First Sectional Title 29:09 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Wins 30:24 – Building Wrestling Programs the Right Way 31:20 – Paulsboro, Toughness & Team Culture 32:53 – The Pressure of the State Tournament Run 34:05 – Tough Losses Before the Playoffs 35:05 – Turning the Team Around Mentally 36:05 – Community Support & Booster Club Impact 37:06 – Winning South Jersey Coach of the Year 38:00 – Still Coaching at 54 Years Old 39:00 – Wrestling’s Evolution & Modern Scrambling 40:00 – Coaching Girls Wrestling & Growing the Sport 41:20 – Why JV Wrestling Is Dying 42:05 – Why He Hates the Current PowerPoint System 44:03 – Public vs Private School Wrestling Debate 46:05 – Recruiting, Transfers & Loyalty in Sports 47:25 – Parents, Clubs & The Future of Wrestling 49:05 – Financial Challenges in High School Sports 50:05 – Becoming a Wrestling Official 51:20 – Understanding Referees From the Other Side 52:14 – Learning Positioning & Making Calls 53:22 – Youth Wrestling Parents & Crazy Pressure 54:15 – Final Thoughts & Wrestling Perspective 55:01 – Outro00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment

043: Bigger & Better with Thomas Blewett

From 95 pounds as a freshman… to standing on top of New Jersey. Middletown North state champion Tommy Blewett joins New Jersey Mat Chat to break down his journey to becoming one of the best wrestlers in the state at 106 pounds. In this episode, Tommy talks about: • Growing up undersized • Finally putting on weight • Cutting weight for the first time • Wrestling alongside his brother • Going 50-1 and winning a state title • Beating nationally ranked opponents • Recruiting interest from Harvard, Brown & UVA • Shore Conference rivalries and trash talk This episode is about patience, growth, confidence, and trusting the process. 🤼‍♂️ Middletown North Wrestling 🏆 NJ State Champion 📍 Shore Conference Wrestling 00:00 – NJ Wrestling Officials PSA 00:46 – Meet Tommy Blewett (106 State Champion) 00:58 – Growing Up Undersized in Wrestling 01:35 – “I Thought I Was Never Going to Grow” 02:20 – Eating Everything to Gain Weight 02:55 – Cutting Weight for the First Time 03:23 – Wrestling the Same Weight as His Brother 04:02 – Team Goals vs Individual Goals 04:40 – Winning 50 Matches in a Season 05:58 – Realizing a State Title Was Possible 07:00 – Tough Matches at 106 & Ranked Opponents 07:44 – The Only Loss of the Season 08:54 – State Tournament Mindset & Preparation 10:11 – Semifinal Match vs Bogosius 11:04 – State Finals vs Will Cruz 11:59 – Realizing He Won a State Title 12:40 – Celebrating With McDonald’s in Atlantic City 13:57 – Family Support & His Dad’s Sacrifices 15:00 – College Recruiting Begins 15:44 – Harvard, Brown & Virginia Recruiting Interest 16:44 – School, SATs & Future Plans 17:10 – Virginia Beach & Triumph Wrestling Trips 17:40 – Working at Proving Ground Restaurant 18:14 – What Tommy Wants to Do in Life 18:48 – Coaching Wrestling Someday? 19:03 – Shore Conference Rivalries & Trash Talk 20:00 – Middletown North vs South Rivalry 20:53 – Team Outlook for Next Season 21:32 – Final Thoughts & Outro

042: Wisdom Wins with Kevin Landolt

rom NJ state champion… to Division I football… to the NFL… and back to coaching the next generation. Kevin Landolt joins New Jersey Mat Chat to tell the full story of his journey through wrestling, football, and life after sports. In this episode we cover: • Old-school NJ wrestling before clubs existed • Winning a state title at Holy Cross • Playing football at West Virginia • Getting drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars • Wrestling’s role in building NFL toughness • Coaching today’s wrestlers and raising the next generation Kevin also shares stories about the NFL Combine, the pressure of making a roster, his famous sack against Donovan McNabb, and why mindset still separates good athletes from great ones. This is a must-watch for wrestlers, football players, parents, and coaches. 🤼‍♂️ NJ Wrestling 🏈 West Virginia Football & Jacksonville Jaguars 🧠 Mindset • Toughness • Leadership Check out Champion Athletes - https://champion-athletes.com [https://champion-athletes.com] 00:00 – Champion Athletes Nutrition Sponsor Segment 01:25 – Meet Kevin Landolt 01:38 – Growing Up in Burlington Township 02:03 – Wrestling Family & Early Influence From His Dad 02:35 – Finding the Willingboro Wrestling Program 03:05 – Coaches & Mentors Who Shaped Him 04:07 – Wrestling Before Clubs Existed 04:53 – How Elite Wrestlers Trained Back Then 05:04 – Choosing Holy Cross High School 05:47 – Freshman Year Struggles & Wrestling Up a Weight 06:47 – Building a Winning Program at Holy Cross 07:47 – State Tournament Experience & Mentality Shift 08:28 – The Mindset Difference Between Winning & Losing 09:10 – Wrestling Before YouTube & TrackWrestling 10:09 – Holy Cross Football Success Begins 10:50 – Winning State Titles in Football 11:08 – Choosing Football Over Wrestling in College 12:21 – Why West Virginia Was the Right Choice 13:14 – Life Inside a Division I Football Program 14:41 – Wrestling’s Advantage in Football 15:17 – Why Wrestling Was Harder Than Football 16:05 – Big Sack vs Donovan McNabb & Favorite Memories 17:18 – Realizing the NFL Was Possible 18:17 – NFL Combine & Draft Process 19:46 – Getting Drafted by the Jaguars 21:05 – NFL Training Camp & Mental Pressure 21:29 – First NFL Paycheck Story 23:05 – Making the Jaguars Roster 23:50 – Beating the 49ers & NFL Rookie Season 24:37 – How Wrestling Built NFL Toughness 25:52 – Life After Football & The XFL 27:26 – Returning to Wrestling as a Coach 28:05 – Coaching at Riverside & Developing Wrestlers 29:04 – Coaching His Daughter in Wrestling 30:24 – Biggest Differences in Wrestling Today 31:31 – Advice for Wrestlers Chasing Greatness 32:33 – Final Thoughts & Outro

041: Its Our Turn with the Ross Twins

Two brothers. One path. And now… it’s their turn. The Ross Twins (Thomas & John) join New Jersey Mat Chat to talk about their journey, their bond, and what’s next as they prepare to enter one of the toughest wrestling rooms in the country at CBA. This episode goes deeper than wrestling: • Growing up as twins • Battling serious health issues early in life • Choosing the right high school program • Competing against each other for a spot • Their mindset heading into high school wrestling From the mat to life outside the sport, this is a real look at two young wrestlers with big goals — and the discipline to back it up. If you follow NJ wrestling… remember the name. 🤼‍♂️ Ross Twins 📍 Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) 🧠 Mindset • Brotherhood • Future 00:00 – Show Open & NJ Officials PSA 00:47 – Meet the Ross Twins (Thomas & John) 00:58 – Being Twins: Who’s Older? 01:48 – Growing Up Together (and Apart in the Hospital) 02:05 – 12 Surgeries & Early Health Battle 03:31 – Different Personalities & Interests 05:25 – Choosing CBA Over Other Schools 06:44 – Why They Chose CBA (Academics + Wrestling) 07:02 – First Impressions of Coaches & Training 07:20 – Current Weights & Future Lineup Questions 09:35 – Team Lineup Speculation & Competition 10:15 – Who Starts? Competing With Your Twin 11:29 – Brother Rivalry: Who’s Better? 11:30 – Strengths & Wrestling Styles Compared 12:17 – Training at Triumph Wrestling 12:38 – Freestyle vs Folkstyle Preferences 13:09 – Thoughts on Greco Wrestling 13:52 – Looking Ahead to High School Competition 15:05 – Ironman vs Powerade (Big Tournament Goals) 16:04 – Life Outside Wrestling (Hobbies & Interests) 17:06 – Beach Life & Personality Differences 17:11 – Wrestlers They Look Up To 19:26 – Growing Up as Twins (Life Moments) 20:54 – Injuries & Setbacks 22:26 – Freshman Year Goals (State Titles) 23:14 – Style Breakdown & Readiness for HS 24:06 – Confidence vs Reality at Next Level 25:21 – Wrestling Maturity & Growth 26:22 – Brotherhood of Wrestling 27:28 – Future: College, NIL & Careers 29:02 – Money, Goals & Long-Term Thinking 30:30 – Confidence, Mindset & Expectations 30:34 – Incoming CBA Talent & Team Outlook 31:26 – Calling Out the Shore Conference 31:49 – Final Thoughts & Outro