About this episode
In Episode 113 of the Athletor Podcast, we sit down with Grant Leeth, head club wrestling coach at Tarleton State NCWA and founder of Heilung Shoes, to talk about what it takes to build a college wrestling program from scratch. When Grant arrived in Texas in late 2023, there was no wrestling room, no athletes, and no alumni base—just a vision. He walks us through the challenges of getting administrative buy-in, the role of fundraising, and the foundation working to bring college wrestling to Texas. We also discuss the recruiting process, how Texas remains an under-recruited state, and Tarleton's approach to keeping talent in-state. Grant shares lessons learned in his first year, the struggles of delegation, and why winning an NCWA title isn’t the ultimate goal—building a sustainable Division I program is. If you're interested in the future of college wrestling, coaching, or sports entrepreneurship, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!