Episode #5
Pressure Is a Privilege: Inside Iowa State Wrestling
What does it take to build a championship wrestling program—and what happens when the pressure to win becomes part of the privilege? In this episode of Ag Ammo & Adventure , Steve Larsen sits down with Iowa State wrestling coaches Derek St. John and Alli St. John for a conversation about wrestling, coaching, recruiting, marriage, and the rapidly changing world of college athletics. Derek and Alli share their journeys from growing up around wrestling to competing at the highest levels and eventually finding themselves on the coaching side of the sport. They talk about Derek’s path from Iowa wrestler to assistant coach at North Dakota State, Virginia Tech, and ultimately Iowa State, along with Alli’s experience as a pioneer in women’s wrestling and her role in building Iowa State’s women’s program from the ground up. The conversation gets into what coaches really look for when recruiting athletes, what life is like for a Division I wrestler, and why loving the sport, embracing hard work, and buying into a team culture can matter just as much as raw athletic ability. They also discuss the changing landscape of college athletics, NIL, fundraising, recruiting, the growth of women’s wrestling, and the responsibility that comes with coaching at a program with Iowa State’s wrestling tradition. And because this is Ag Ammo & Adventure , there’s plenty of humor along the way; including how two wrestling coaches handle marriage, why Alli is more comfortable helping butcher a deer than hunting one, and why Derek believes “pressure is a privilege.” A behind-the-scenes look at the people, pressure, and passion helping shape the next generation of Cyclone wrestling. Host: Steve Larsen Music: Partner in Crime - Pablo and Pour Decisions Audio & Post-Production: Rachel Yancey
