ALASKA SPORTS TALK
Isaiah and Brad welcomed Scott Campbell, head track and field coach at Dimond High School, to preview the upcoming state track and field championships. They talk about what it takes to build a strong program. Scott shared the highs and challenges of coaching, including keeping athletes focused after the holiday weekend, Dimond’s strong second-place regional finish. The conversation also dives into Scott’s coaching style, the value of middle school sports, the rise of Mat-Su programs, and what it means for Anchorage/Dimond to host the state track meet for the next three years. From early morning practices to facility upgrades and the behind-the-scenes work of running a major meet, Scott gives a great inside look at Alaska track and field. The crew also breaks down the upcoming state soccer tournaments, including top seeds, bracket locations, overtime rules, and teams to watch as championship weekend gets underway. The guys then walk through major state tournament qualification changes coming across Alaska high school sports, including new RPI-based formats for basketball, volleyball, softball, and flag football. The group debates the good, the bad, and the complicated parts of using RPI, guaranteed berths, and at-large selections to determine state tournament fields. Watch the Full Episode on AST YouTube Page: https://youtu.be/gPW8JQG309w
AST RECENT EPISODES
A podcast all about Alaska Sports! We bring insight, knowledge, with an interesting and fun perspective about all the happenings in high school and college sports in Alaska!
Photos on AlaskaSportsTalk.com provided by Stephanie Goon (@goongallery96), Todd Ramoth and the University of Alaska Anchorage
SEASON 3, EPISODE 48
Steve Nerland from the American Legion Baseball and the AST crew break down the Cook Inlet Conference baseball format, including how tournament byes work, why the final regular-season games matter so much, and which teams are positioning themselves for a big postseason run. Steve gives a detailed look at the current CIC standings, with Service leading the way, Dimond and Chugiak battling near the top, and strong pitching performances becoming the difference-maker as teams get ready for conference and state tournament play. The baseball conversation expands statewide with updates on Juneau, Sitka, Soldotna, and Southeast Alaska’s long history of postseason success on the diamond. The group also talks player development, year-round training, and standout athletes like Rylan from Service, who continues to turn heads with high-level talent and big-game potential. Steve also shares exciting updates on the continued growth of baseball in Alaska, including the impact of field turf at Mulcahy, Kosinski, and Bartlett, future turf-field possibilities, and major fundraising efforts supporting American Legion and youth baseball. To wrap things up, the crew welcomes John Lewis from South Anchorage High School for a great conversation on track and field, coaching multi-event teams, and the success of South’s athletic programs. John highlights standout athletes, the value of track for multi-sport development, and the culture that has helped South Anchorage build one of the strongest athletic programs in the state. Watch the Full Episode on AST YouTube Page: https://youtu.be/7K1AD9Z_ilA
SEASON 3, EPISODE 47
This episode of Alaska Sports Talk welcomes Morgan Hooe, the new head coach of UAA Women’s Volleyball, for a fun and wide-ranging conversation about taking over one of Alaska’s premier college programs. Morgan talks about the whirlwind start to her new role, stepping in during January, meeting with the team, bringing Austin Osborne on board as acting assistant coach for the spring, and beginning the work of building the next chapter of Seawolf volleyball. She shares how her volleyball journey was shaped by her parents’ different coaching styles, her championship mindset, and her belief that great athletes are built through discipline, trust, and being challenged the right way. We dive into Morgan’s vision for UAA volleyball, including creating a competitive but supportive team culture, growing the fan base, connecting with local youth, and making Alaska athletes a major part of the program’s future. She also talks about the value of multi-sport athletes, the difference between sand and indoor volleyball, and why keeping talented Alaskans at UAA can be so powerful for both the players and the community. Baseball weather problems, tournament field survival strategies, sump pumps, domes, rainouts, and why games somehow still happen when Don is involved. They also break down changes to the Division II baseball championship format, Isaiah has a rant on the NFL schedule frustrations, highlight Alaskans making noise in professional sports, and preview the final stretch of track, field, and soccer action around the state. Watch the Full Episode on AST YouTube Page: https://youtu.be/OtfTKkObDuA
SEASON 3, EPISODE 46
Keaton, Brad, and Isaiah kicked things off talking about the chaos of Alaska spring sports schedules, with baseball and softball games stacking up quickly as teams battle weather, travel, and exhaustion. The baseball conversation brought plenty of insight, especially around pitching strategy in high school tournaments. Keaton explained why championship teams need more than just one ace, while the guys discussed how smart coaches save arms and manage short tournament runs. They also highlighted Sitka’s Caleb Calhoun after his monster 17-strikeout performance — the highest strikeout total in Alaska since 2018. There was also plenty of love for Alaska athletes competing at the next level, including Liam Learman at the University of Washington, Cohen Nicolai at Arizona State, Rylan Nicolai, and Willie Paul after a strong showing at a pro showcase in Canada. The episode also covered: ⚾ Alaska high school baseball standings and field updates 🥎 Softball standings with Dimond staying undefeated in conference play ⚽ High school soccer standings, including South girls soccer’s eye-popping 111 goals scored and only 2 allowed 🏟️ Updates on Mulcahy Stadium, McKay Park, and Kaczynski field conditions 📅 Upcoming state soccer championships on May 28-30 🏀 Kamaka Hepa’s professional basketball success overseas in Croatia. Watch the Full Episode on AST YouTube Page: https://youtu.be/Wrdj82h0oGU