Alaskan Grappler Podcast Alaskan Grappler

Chris is currently an assistant coach for Homer high school, and current athletic director as well as podcast host himself. He used to be the head coach, he grew up there, he wrestled there, he had success wrestling and coaching and went on to wrestle after high school. After college he brought his love and passion for the sport back to Homer and has been a large factor to the school’s wrestling program. He has also helped with the Alaskan Grappler rankings as well as the rankings for AKMat back in the day and even announced state finals matches in the past when AKMat used to record them and put them on YouTube. The man is an Alaskan wrestling Hall of Famer, fellow Miami Dolphins fan and a great guy.

On this episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Nathan Hoffer. Nathan was a 4-time state champion from east anchorage who then went on to wrestle for Arizona State University. We talk about when and how he got into the sport of wrestling. We talk about his experience wrestling in college and the process of how he got there. We get a never heard before story of why he was in tears under the bleachers after winning his 3rd state title. We talk about the wrestling facility he recently opened in Anchorage. And of course, we talk about his toughest opponents, favorite moments and so much more.

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hollan Gravley. Hollan was a 4 time state champion for Colony and also lead the team to their first ever state championship his senior year while winning OW in the state tournament. He then went on to wrestle for Western Colorado University. We talk about how he got into the sport, what separated him from his competition. We talk about his experience wrestling in college. We talk about Colony and the success they have had since his senior year. We talk about his favorite sports franchises, commercial fishing, his toughest opponents, favorite moments and so much more.

For this episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Isaac Deaton. Isaac was a 3 time state champion and high school all-american from Valdez. He then went on to wrestle for the University of Nebraska at Karney. He is now a shop teacher at Valdez high school and is in line to become the high school and middle school head wrestling coach. We talk about when he started wrestling and how he got into it. We talk about the 3 state titles he won in high school and how an injury kept him out of his freshman year. We talk about his experience wrestling in college and what he thinks some of the differences are between college and high school. Find out where he ranks French toast, pancakes, and waffles. We talk about his toughest opponents, favorite moments and so much more.

On this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Randy Hanson. Randy was a 3 time state champion and 4 time finalist from Bethel. He then went on to wrestle for the University of Minnesota as well as get a degree in Kineeziology. He has since moved back to Alaska and he is on a tear. He was named assistant coach of the year in 2018 while winning a team state championship with South Anchorage and as of last year he has taken over the program as the head coach. We talk about when he started wrestling as well as his time in middle school, high school and college. We talk about how he got started coaching at South Anchorage and how he got the opportunity to become the head coach as well as some of the differences and challenges from assistant to head coach. We talk about his sister being a world champion power lifter. Randy gives me his rankings on pancakes, waffles, and French toast. We talk about his toughest opponents, favorite moments and so much more.

I’d like to apologize for the long delay, I recorded this next podcast on March 28th, but my podcast mic died on me so I have been unable to record a quality intro and ending, but I have my new one now so we are good to go. For this particular episode, I am not your host. Your host will be none other than my little brother Dillon Achman. We took the time to sit down and do a roles reversal where Dillon interviewed me. He figured that not many people out there who listen really know anything about me or my past with the sport of wrestling. What better opportunity than to do a podcast about it. Also, because of all the coronavirus mandates and whatnot at the time this was recorded, we did the first ever remote podcast for the Alaskan Grappler. In this episode we talk about my past with wrestling, how and why I started, why I love the sport, we talk about when I broke my arm in the finals  at the John Tobin invitational, we talk about why and how I started the Alaskan Grappler, my favorite moments and so much more.