Sports Surge

Betting on Yourself: Cole Etzler's Drive to Coach College Volleyball

Welcome to Episode 19 of Sports Surge! This week, Kyle Heyne and special guest host Matt Bruns sit down with Coldwater native Cole Etzler. Cole currently serves as the undergraduate student manager and technical coordinator for the top-ranked University of Louisville Cardinals women’s volleyball team. Cole pulls back the curtain on the intense, behind-the-scenes grind of a premier Division I program. He breaks down his unique journey, from discovering his passion for coaching while taking stats as a high school sophomore to networking his way onto the Louisville staff. Episode Highlights: * The Path to the ACC: How commuting to play club volleyball at Munciana and a chance encounter peppering with Coach Dan Meske led to his recruitment. * Coding the Court: A deep dive into real-time analytics, complex keystroke coding, and grading serve-receives during high-stakes matches. * Sibling Rivalry: The surreal experience of managing against his sister, Spencer, during a massive Top 5 showdown with Stanford. * The Pro Stage: Stepping up as an assistant coach for the Major League Volleyball All-Star game in Orlando, broadcast on CBS. * Future Goals: Cole's plans to graduate in 2028, become a graduate assistant, and pursue a full-time collegiate coaching career. Whether you're a high school player eyeing the next level or just a fan of the game, Cole's story is a masterclass in putting in the work, grabbing opportunities, and betting on yourself!

Building a Cardinal Culture (and Surviving a Train) with Chad Wells

Welcome back to episode 18 of Sports Surge on 96.7 The Wave! This week, hosts Brent Sellhorst and Kyle Heyne sit down with Chad Wells, the Director of Athletics and head baseball coach for New Bremen. Broadcasting live from the Coldwater Eagles 3025, the guys dive deep into Chad's extensive athletic and coaching journey in the Grand Lake region. Chad shares his path from growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to throwing high heat as a pitcher for Ball State University. He reminisces with Kyle about their Ball State connections, the competitive nature of MAC baseball, and the changing landscape of college recruiting in the NIL era. Chad also unpacks his winding coaching career, starting as a varsity assistant at Coldwater, navigating a sudden job loss at Minster, scheduling independent football games at Fort Loramie, and finally finding his long-term home at New Bremen. As New Bremen's Athletic Director, Chad gives an inside look into the community's incredible athletic turnaround. He credits the school's tight-knit coaching staff, who prioritize sharing multi-sport athletes during the grueling summer months, for building a unified winning culture. He also reflects on the magical 2020 State Football Championship run, including his unforgettable impromptu halftime speech at Massillon to keep the game from being shut down due to COVID-19 protocols. Chad also weighs in on the future of high school basketball with the implementation of the shot clock, noting that New Bremen is already ahead of the curve. To cap it off, Chad shares his essential advice for young assistants, his quirky left-shoe game-day superstitions, and a jaw-dropping family story about why he always lifts his feet when driving over railroad tracks. Grab this episode on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon to hear all the great stories!

The Grand Lake Surge: Net-Cutting, Core Values, and the Making of a Division VI Dynasty

Welcome to episode 17 of the Sports Surge podcast! In this exciting installment, hosts Brent Sellhorst and Kyle Heyne sit down with St. Henry High School's head girls basketball coach, Nate Uhlenhake. Coach Uhlenhake joins the show fresh off leading the Lady Redskins to an incredible 2026 Division VI State Championship with a stellar 27-1 record! The conversation covers Nate's incredible journey from being a 2012 St. Henry graduate to taking over a 6-17 basketball team in 2021, and eventually transforming them into state champions in just a few short years. Coach Uhlenhake dives deep into the crucial role that faith, and tight-knit community support played in the team's success, especially when overcoming tough adversity like an unexpected injury during the state semifinals. He also shares his program's core guiding values: courage, together, and joy. But it's not all serious basketball strategy! The guys share plenty of laughs discussing the legendary mustache Nate grew to fulfill a bet with his players. They also debate the proper way to construct a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with Nate revealing that his go-to pre-game meal is a homemade PB&J. Above all, Nate expresses deep gratitude for his dedicated coaching staff, the supportive St. Henry community, and the unwavering backing of his wife, Brooke, throughout the demanding season. Tune in for an inspiring mix of sports talk, life lessons, and Grand Lake region pride!

Dare to Believe: Building a Dynasty with New Bremen Volleyball Coach Diana Kramer

In episode 16 of Sports Surge, hosts Brent Sellhorst and Kyle Heyne sit down with New Bremen Volleyball head coach and newly announced principal, Diana Kramer. Coach Kramer takes listeners on a journey from her roots as a St. Henry graduate who didn't see the varsity volleyball court until her junior year, to earning a full-ride scholarship to play at Duquesne University. She opens up about the difficult decision to leave teaching and coaching at her alma mater to build a program in New Bremen, a community where her husband worked and her family lived. Kramer details the dramatic turnaround of the New Bremen program, transforming a team that initially struggled with basic fundamentals into a powerhouse that went on to win four state championships. Impressively, in her ten years at the helm, the team is averaging an astounding 2.8 losses per season. Throughout the interview, Coach Kramer emphasizes her coaching philosophy, anchored by the team motto to "dare to believe". She discusses the fierce competition of high school volleyball in the MAC and the Midwest, the importance of surrounding yourself with great people, and why she pushes her athletes to prioritize face-to-face communication over social media apps like Snapchat. Coach Kramer also highlights the importance of accepting your role on a team and working hard when no one is watching. Tune in for a highly inspiring conversation filled with valuable life lessons, and a surprising revelation about Coach Kramer’s hidden talent for playing the flute, piccolo, and oboe! She was also able to get Brent & Kyle to say Go Cardinals!

Leadership, Overcoming Adversity and OHSAA Fallout with Jerry Snodgrass

Welcome back to Episode 15 of Sports Surge, broadcasting live from the Coldwater Eagles 3025! After a month away covering tournament basketball and logging nearly 2,900 miles on the road, hosts Brent Selhorst and Kyle Heyne return to the mics. This week, they are joined by a true Ohio high school sports legend: former OHSAA Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass. In this deeply candid and educational interview, Jerry opens up about his journey from a student-athlete in Upper Sandusky and the University of Tampa to becoming a pivotal figure in Ohio athletics. He shares behind-the-scenes details of his 12-year tenure at the OHSAA, where his duties expanded from managing five sports to fourteen without a pay raise. Jerry provides a gripping firsthand account of the unprecedented COVID-19 shutdown, describing the immediate chaos of canceling the state basketball tournaments with just over 12 minutes left in warm-ups at St. John Arena. Beyond the administrative decisions, Jerry discusses his unexpected and confusing exit from the OHSAA, explaining how he used personal adversity—including the tragic loss of his only son—to push open new doors and continue serving others. The hosts also dive into the current landscape of Ohio sports, debating the expansion to seven divisions and the complexities of tournament formulas. Topping it off, Jerry shares a powerful, heartwarming story about a simple act of kindness involving a state tournament game ball and local athlete Brayden Monnin. Whether you are a coach, athlete, or passionate fan of the Grand Lake region, this episode is packed with profound lessons on leadership, resilience, and the true impact of high school sports.