Stephen Boyle & Brendan Day don't have balance. One lives in NC, and all he does is wrestling. One lives in FL, and all he does is wrestling. They gave themselves one more wrestling responsibility - talk about it - World & Olympic freestyle, NCAA, RAF, high school coaching & program building, and anything else that may come up along the way.
(0:00) - Introduction(1:15) - What is burnout?(3:26) - Why kids quit wrestling(13:26) - When we see burnout in wrestling(48:25) - Burnout vs. Underpreparation(1:04:03) - Will we ever get the NWCA All-Star Classic lineup?(1:08:25) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: Weight Cutting
28 Sept 2026
Delayed Final X Match Analysis and Who's Number One Reactions
(0:00) - Introduction(1:11) - Final X 65kg - Bo Bassett defeats Real Woods(10:32) - Final X 68kg - Kennedy Blades defeats Bella Mir (forfeit)(14:43) - Final X 76kg - Dymond Guilford defeats Kylie Welker(17:15) - WNO 165 - Melvin Miller defeats Camryn Howard(19:14) - WNO 190 - Salah Tsarni defeats Mario Carina(22:29) - WNO 132 - Grey Burnett defeats Paul Kenny(25:04) - Penn State recruits at WNO(27:41) - Overall college implications of WNO(37:25) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: Burnout
21 Sept 2026
Delayed Final X Matches, Who's Number One Preview, and 3pt Takedowns
(0:00) - Introduction(0:28) - Reaction to our high school preseason episode(3:20) - Delayed Final X matches preview(3:37) - 65kg: Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods(14:50) - 68kg: Kennedy Blades vs. Bella Mir(16:25) - 76kg: Kylie Welker vs. Dymond Guilford(17:52) - Best wrestling format: duals, tournament finals, or cards?(30:59) - WNO: 165 - Melvin Miller vs. Cam Howard(33:21) - WNO: 138 - Dean Anderson vs. Gavin Magano(35:57) - WNO: 126 - Sammy Sanchez vs. Landon Sidun(41:39) - 3 point takedowns(1:10:27) - Up Next: Reaction from delayed Final X matches and WNO
14 Sept 2026
High School Wrestling Preseason Structure
(0:00) - Introduction(1:22) - Club vs. High School programs(17:33) - Wrestling technique(34:35) - Running & conditioning(51:21) - Lifting programs(1:04:49) - Competition Schedule(1:20:32) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods Preview(1:26:01) - Other NCAA Wrestling season thoughts
(0:00) - Introduction(2:03) - MAC preview(12:36) - SoCon preview(35:35) - High School-College coaching relationships(45:31) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: All-American Predictions
24 Aug 2026
U20 World Championships & Ivy League/EIWA Previews
(0:00) - Introduction
(1:39) - U20 World Championship Reaction
(11:12) - Ivy League Favorite: Cornell
(16:52) - Ivy League Contender: UPenn
(21:23) - Ivy League Darkhorse: Columbia
(25:35) - Ivy League Preview
(28:27) - EIWA Favorite: Lehigh
(35:24) - EIWA Contenders: Navy & Army
(38:52) - EIWA Darkhorse: Binghamton
(41:48) - EIWA Preview
(42:50) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: MAC & SoCon Previews
(44:01) - Soon: Headgear Optional All-American Predictions
17 Aug 2026
ACC Preview
(0:00) - Introduction(0:43) - 65kg Final X Date Set - Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods(3:08) - 2027 U.S. Senior World Team Qualification Procedures Changes(16:13) - Big 12 Favorite: Oklahoma State(32:47) - Big 12 Contender: Iowa State(45:37) - Big 12 Darkhorse: Missouri(53:46) - Other Notable Teams: Arizona State, UNI, and SDSU(58:02) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: ACC Preview
11 Aug 2026
Big 12 Preview
(0:00) - Introduction(0:43) - 65kg Final X Date Set - Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods(3:08) - 2027 U.S. Senior World Team Qualification Procedures Changes(16:13) - Big 12 Favorite: Oklahoma State(32:47) - Big 12 Contender: Iowa State(45:37) - Big 12 Darkhorse: Missouri(53:46) - Other Notable Teams: Arizona State, UNI, and SDSU(58:02) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: ACC Preview
3 Aug 2026
Big Ten Preview
(0:00) - Introduction
(0:50) - Judge grants 5th year for HS class of 2022
(5:53) - The Favorite: Penn State
(24:41) - Top Contender: Nebraska
(36:02) - Top Contender: Iowa
(45:35) - Contender: Ohio State
(1:01:31) - Other impact incoming freshmen
(1:09:58) - Up Next: Big 12 Preview
27 Jul 2026
College Wrestling Experiences
(0:00) - Introduction(0:23) - Meyer Shapiro transfers to Nebraska(7:43) - Carson Floyd - Iowa State and Appalachian State(36:38) - Joey DiVello - Washington & Lee University(53:56) - Phoenix Alyea - Virginia Military Institute(1:15:47) - Up Next on Headgear Optional - NCAA conference previews
20 Jul 2026
NCAA Revenue Sharing, NIL, and Roster Caps
(0:00) - Introduction
(1:14) - What is revenue sharing?
(4:32) - Impact of revenue sharing
(23:52) - Impact of NIL
(43:05) - Impact of roster caps
(56:43) - The overall state of collegiate wrestling
(1:00:23) - What's next for headgear optional
13 Jul 2026
Youth Wrestling: What needlessly sucks & what needs to suck
(0:00) - Introduction(1:06) - Tournament Length(12:02) - Choosing the right competitions(21:12) - Middle School scheduling(33:21) - What Works: Coaching(39:37) - What Works: Technique(49:14) - The Ideal Wrestling Parent
6 Jul 2026
NCAA adopts 5 for 5 eligibility rules
(0:00) - Introduction(0:22) - Iowa vs. UNI Duals in 2026 & 2027(4:24) - U23 World Team Reps at 79kg and 97kg(15:10) - A.J. Ferrari Arrested(16:55) - What is 5 for 5? (32:08) - Roster Battles: Oklahoma State 125(34:39) - Roster Battles: Oklahoma State 133-149(39:43) - Roster Battles: Penn State 157-174(48:10) - Roster Battles: Ohio State 125(48:55) - College Coaches recruiting impact(59:04) - High School athletes recruiting impact(1:03:54) - Notable 5 for 5 eligible athletes(1:07:32) - Competition schedule impact(1:12:06) - Up Next on Headgear Optional: Youth Wrestling
29 Jun 2026
Freestyle or Folkstyle?
(0:00) - Introduction: Freestyle or Folkstyle?
(2:29) - Birdman: Freestyle
(5:52) - Brendan: Folkstyle
(13:16) - The Middle Ground
(36:41) - Birdman's Perfect World
(38:46) - Brendan's Perfect World
(57:09) - Next on Headgear Optional: NCAA Adopts 5 for 5
22 Jun 2026
Final X Reaction
(0:00) - Introduction
(3:15) - 86kg Kyle Dake def. Zahid Valencia
(8:25) - 61kg Marcus Blaze def. Jax Forrest
(12:53) - 97kg Kyle Snyder def. Stephen Buchanan
(18:54) - 74kg James Green def. David Carr
(21:30) 57kg Spencer Lee def. Luke Lilledahl
(25:22) 125kg Wyatt Henderickson def. Mason Parris
(30:33) 70kg Zain Retherford def. Ridge Lovett
(36:26) 79kg Levi Haines def. Chance Marstellar
(42:00) 92kg Trent Hidlay def. Michael Macchiavello
(47:26) 65kg Preview (Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods)
(51:55) What's next for Headgear Optional
12 Jun 2026
Final X Preview
(0:00) Introduction
(3:30) 57 kg - Spencer Lee vs. Luke Lilledahl
(9:00) 61 kg - Jax Forrest vs. Marcus Blaze
(15:41) 65 kg - Bo Bassett vs. Real Woods
(22:41) 70 kg - Zain Retherford vs. Ridge Lovett
(28:10) 74 kg - David Carr vs. James Green
(35:48) 79 kg - Levi Haines vs. Chance Marstellar
(40:56) 86 kg - Zahid Valencia vs. Kyle Dake
(45:50) 92 kg - Trent Hidlay vs. Michael Macchiavello
(48:59) 97 kg - Kyle Snyder vs. Stephen Buchanan
(52:06) 125 kg - Wyatt Hendrickson vs. Mason Parris
Contact Headgear Optional
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Headgear Optional?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
