Matt’s Mishmash Podcast
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
Episodes
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 is...
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 ...
In Episode 034 of the Mishmash Podcast, I had a great discussion with Massage Therapist, Danielle D. 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 ab...
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...
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-alter...
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 mo...
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 go...
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 trai...
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 f...
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 @S...
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 ...
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 ...
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-Communi...
In Episode 019, my good friend Mike English returns for a continuation of our earlier conversation about all-things music. This discussion explores some of the best bands ever to step up to the stage, drummers-turned-frontmen, underrated or overlooked singer/songwriters, and, much to my chagrin...baseball.
Oh--and keep an ear out for a pair of jokes that nearly sent Mike in search of a wardrobe change. Thanks for listening!
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