Arizona Christian University Head Cross Country Coach Brent Fahsholz joins Airey Bros Radio to discuss building one of the NAIA's rising cross country and distance running programs while developing student-athletes who grow both on and off the course. Coach Fahsholz shares his journey from Oregon to Arizona Christian, how he helped build programs from the ground up at Corban University, and why faith, character, relationships, and coachability are at the center of everything the Firestorm do. We also dive into recruiting in Arizona, developing distance runners, creating athlete-led culture, leadership, summer training, early morning practices, the GSAC Conference, and preparing Arizona Christian Cross Country to take the next step on the national stage. In this episode we discuss: 🏃 Coach Brent Fahsholz's journey into coaching 🔥 Building Arizona Christian University's Cross Country program 🏆 Developing championship culture through relationships 🙏 Faith, character, and leadership in college athletics 🎯 Recruiting the right student-athletes for Arizona Christian 📚 Why coachability matters more than talent 🌵 Training and recruiting distance runners in Arizona 👟 Summer mileage, Strava, leadership and accountability 🏔️ The competitive GSAC Conference and the road to the NAIA National Championships Whether you're a coach, athlete, recruit, parent, or fan of collegiate cross country and track & field, this episode is packed with insights on building successful programs, developing leaders, and helping student-athletes reach their full potential. Subscribe for more conversations with coaches from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, NJCAA, and beyond. Show Notes 00:00 Why Airey Bros Radio highlights NAIA, NCAA Division II, Division III, NJCAA and overlooked college programs 04:35 Official introduction of Coach Brent Fahsholz and Arizona Christian University 06:15 Recruiting opportunities and where prospective student-athletes can connect with the Firestorm 07:45 Brent Fahsholz's origin story and discovering cross country through basketball 10:00 How great coaches inspired a lifelong coaching career 11:10 Building Corban University's Cross Country program from the ground up 13:00 Learning from mentors and why great coaches freely share knowledge 15:45 Coaching while beginning a professional career 17:00 Coaching All-Americans and the athlete who changed his philosophy forever 21:20 Taking over the Arizona Christian Cross Country program 23:30 Faith, character, and Arizona Christian University's mission 25:00 What Coach Fahsholz looks for when recruiting student-athletes 27:30 Humility, growth mindset and building a team-first culture 29:15 Liberal arts education, AI, and preparing students for life beyond athletics 30:35 Summer training, Strava accountability and developing leadership 32:30 Why coachability is one of the Firestorm's core values 34:00 Arizona Christian's returning roster and expectations for the upcoming season 36:20 Recruiting distance runners to Arizona and breaking common misconceptions 38:00 Competing in one of the NAIA's toughest conferences 39:55 Creating an athlete-led program instead of a coach-driven program 44:00 Double-threshold training and why athletes shouldn't skip developmental steps 46:20 Campus life at Arizona Christian University 48:30 Why Arizona Christian practices at 5:00 AM 51:30 Team culture, Christmas traditions and building character 53:00 Why Arizona Christian doesn't compete in indoor track 54:45 Long-term athlete development and avoiding burnout 56:00 Coaching the steeplechase and endurance events 58:00 Final thoughts on the future of Arizona Christian Cross Country Final Four ☕ Coffee 💪 Daily habits 🎵 Music & books 🌮 Guilty pleasures and favorite foods Thank you to Coach Brent Fahsholz for joining Airey Bros Radio!
