Swim Lessons the Podcast
A deep-dive podcast exploring the stories, strategies, and culture of North Dakota high school basketball coaches and players.
This is a hyper-local sports podcast focused almost exclusively on the world of North Dakota high school basketball. Host Dalyss Hanson uses a distinctive long-form, narrative style, opening each episode with a cinematic monologue before sitting down with coaches and players to unpack their careers, team culture, and pivotal moments. The show provides an in-depth, insider look at the local hoops scene, far more granular than a typical sports program.
“Unlike broader sports podcasts, its hyper-niche focus on North Dakota prep hoops allows for an unparalleled depth of local storytelling. The highly-produced, narrative introductions that set the scene before the interview begins are a signature, setting it apart from typical interview formats.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Dalyss Hanson, a former high school and college athlete, Swim Lessons is a podcast dedicated to the world of North Dakota prep basketball. Hanson, who has also coached at the high school level, sits down with coaches and players for long-form conversations about their careers, team culture, and the pressures of championship aspirations. The show is part of the PSP Network and often features guests from teams in the midst of a playoff run.
Credentials & credits
- Host, Swim Lessons the Podcast
- Former Dickinson State athlete
- Former Divide County High School basketball coach
- Broadcaster, PSP Network
Other ventures
- PSP Network
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01#171 Brandon Schirado & Cody Nelson: Four Straight Trips, One GoalMar 19, 2026 · 40 min
- 02#170 Jason Schwarz: From Ladder to Mic - Inside the Majettes State TitleMar 16, 2026 · 1h 03m
- 03#169 Leelee Bell & Maggie Fricke: The Magical MajettesMar 4, 2026 · 35 min
- 04#168 Mataya Messer: The Messer EraMar 4, 2026 · 29 min
- 05#167 Jason Horner & Jonathan Roubideaux: Building a Legacy at LegacyMar 3, 2026 · 37 min
- 06#166 Jordan Wilhelm & Artie Carlow: The Demon BlueprintMar 2, 2026 · 40 min
- 07#165 Darin Mattern: 3 rings, 1 standardMar 1, 2026 · 44 min
- 08#164 Tanner Purintun: Culture, Championships, and ChangeFeb 28, 2026 · 36 min
Notable episodes
- 01#170 Jason Schwarz: From Ladder to Mic - Inside the Majettes State Title
Recorded less than 24 hours after winning a state championship, this episode offers a raw, immediate reaction from the head coach on the victory and the season's journey.
- 02#169 Leelee Bell & Maggie Fricke: The Magical Majettes
An in-depth interview with two high school stars and D1 commits, covering their entire careers from winning a state title as 8th graders to the college recruitment process.
- 03#171 Brandon Schirado & Cody Nelson: Four Straight Trips, One Goal
Highlights the emotional side of coaching, with a coach becoming emotional discussing his mentor and telling the unique story of how he got the head coaching job while working in a utility truck.
What you'll be asked on this show
Dalyss Hanson begins each interview after a long, narrative introduction that builds up the guest's story. He often opens the conversation with a short, direct question about the guest's immediate feelings, such as "How's it feel?" after a big win. He probes for deeper stories by asking guests to reflect on key figures in their careers ("What has Coach X meant to you?") or to walk him through pivotal moments ("Can you take us through the Mandan game?"). When interviewing a pair, he frequently asks one guest a question and then poses a parallel version to the other, creating a compare-and-contrast dynamic. His style is built on his personal observations and a clear passion for the local sports scene.
Each episode begins with a long, cinematic monologue by the host, setting the scene before the interview starts. The show is interview-based, often recorded on-location (like a basketball court), and focuses on long-form conversations with a single guest or a small group like two players or a coaching duo.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
2- Q.01
“How does it feel to [achieve a major milestone]?”
Often used as an opener to get an immediate, emotional reaction from a guest after a significant win or career moment.
- Q.02
“What has [Coach/Mentor's Name] meant to you?”
A signature question used to explore the impact of key mentors on the guest's personal and professional life.
origin
2- Q.01
“Tell us about the moment you found out you'd be the head coach.”
This question is used to uncover the origin story of a coach's career.
- Q.02
“When did you realize you could take over a varsity game?”
He asks this of players to pinpoint the moment of self-realization in their athletic journey.
process
3- Q.01
“Can you take us through the [specific, pivotal] game?”
Used to get a play-by-play emotional and strategic breakdown of a season-defining contest.
- Q.02
“How hard was it to keep this group together through the season?”
This question probes into the behind-the-scenes challenges of leadership and team cohesion.
- Q.03
“What does [a specific coach] bring to the table?”
This is asked to understand the specific role and value of an assistant coach or other staff member.
mindset
2- Q.01
“What was your message to the team going into the state tournament?”
This question reveals a coach's motivational strategy and leadership style at a critical juncture.
- Q.02
“What's going through your mind heading into the [upcoming tournament]?”
He asks this to capture the guest's current mindset and focus before a high-stakes event.
relationships
1- Q.01
“When did you realize your teammate was also a special player?”
When interviewing teammates, he asks this to get their perspective on each other's talent and development.
future
2- Q.01
“When did the college recruiting process start for you and what was it like?”
A key question for student-athletes to shed light on the often-intense world of college recruitment.
- Q.02
“Who was in your top five [college choices]?”
A direct follow-up during recruitment talk to get specifics on a player's decision-making process.
Signature segments
- · Long, cinematic narrative introductions
- · "Swim Lessons, baby" catchphrase in theme song
- · On-location interviews (e.g., basketball courts)
- · Hyper-focus on North Dakota prep hoops
- · "Champion Week" themed episodes
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are exclusively from the North Dakota high school basketball ecosystem, including head coaches, assistant coaches, and standout student-athletes, often from teams currently in championship contention or with a significant legacy.
- Brandon Schiradoon #171 Brandon Schirado & Cody Nelson: Four Straight Trips, One Goal
- Cody Nelsonon #171 Brandon Schirado & Cody Nelson: Four Straight Trips, One Goal
- Jason Schwarzon #170 Jason Schwarz: From Ladder to Mic - Inside the Majettes State Title
- Leelee Bellon #169 Leelee Bell & Maggie Fricke: The Magical Majettes
- Maggie Frickeon #169 Leelee Bell & Maggie Fricke: The Magical Majettes
- Mataya Messeron #168 Mataya Messer: The Messer Era
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast features local and regional sponsors, including a financial advisor (Edward Jones - Brandon Weber) and an agricultural business (Glasoe Angus), suggesting a target audience of established adults in the North Dakota community. It is also part of the PSP (Prostyle Production) Network.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
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People also ask
- Who is the host of Swim Lessons?
- The host is Dalyss Hanson, a former high school and college athlete, coach, and broadcaster in North Dakota.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It's a long-form interview show. Each episode typically features a highly-produced narrative intro by the host, followed by a deep-dive conversation with a guest or guests.
- What is the focus of the podcast?
- The show focuses almost exclusively on the people within North Dakota's high school basketball scene, including coaches and players.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, based on the provided evidence, episodes were being released as recently as March 2026.
- How can I pitch a guest for the show?
- The podcast's public description provides an email address: [email — gated].
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Swim Lessons is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Swim Lessons the Podcast - Official Websitedalysshanson.com
- [02]Swim Lessons the Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]Swim Lessons - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [04]Swim Lessons Podcast: Dalyss talks to former Dickinson State star Jay Liggins - 701 Sports701sports.com
- [05]Dalyss Hanson returns to Divide County as assistant boys' coach - The Journalcrosbyjournal.com
- [06]Our Team - PSP Networkpsp.network
- [07]Swim Lessons (Podcast) - Podchaserpodchaser.com
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