EP 87 (S2E35) - Eben Krigger PSU D1 Athlete & Venice Beach Lifeguard

·1 hr 22 min·5 clips

Eben says college swimming taught him time management, but not how to build a life outside the pool.

The episode opens with a pitch about saving lives and changing lives. Eben steps in as a former Penn State Division I swimmer who now works Venice Beach as a lifeguard, and that immediately gives the conversation a different feel from the usual pool talk. The host says he has known him for years through swimming and respects the way he followed a real interest instead of a socially approved script. That idea keeps resurfacing. They spend time on how a swimmer's path can feel oddly narrow after college, even when the racing is going well. A strong conference meet or dual meet can still leave you wondering whether you peaked too early, and the episode does not act like that feeling is rare. It is one of the more honest parts of the discussion. The talk also leans into time management, because athlete discipline does not just disappear when the season ends. The host brings up his own work as a performance and strength coach at Streamlined Performance in Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Arizona, and uses it to talk about jobs that do not fit a standard nine-to-five. Corporate life is not for him, and the conversation frames Eben's path as just as off-script. There is also a running side conversation about being a park ranger one day. That turns into more encouragement for Eben to keep sending applications and keep looking at the next move. The episode stays loose and conversational rather than tightly structured. That looseness fits the show, because the best stretches sound like two athletes talking shop and then drifting into whatever matters next. They circle back to lifeguarding on Venice Beach and the practical insight that comes from doing the job for real. The host even points listeners toward more insight on what it takes to become a lifeguard with LA County. Near the end, the tone turns openly appreciative. The guest gets thanked for bringing a different dynamic than pure pool talk, and the show clearly values the life angle as much as the sports angle. There is a sponsor mention and a quick plea for reviews, including a joking request for six out of five stars. All told, it is a conversation about identity after swimming, work that feels authentic, and why the path that looks unusual from the outside can still be the right one.

As heard by us

A former Penn State Division I swimmer now lifeguarding on Venice Beach opens a grounded look at life after college swimming.

Episode 87 follows a former Penn State Division I swimmer who now works as a Venice Beach lifeguard, and that contrast gives the conversation its shape.

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Why you'd press play

If you want a swimmer-to-swimmer conversation about lifeguarding, choosing work that fits your life, and life after NCAA racing.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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