What Kombucha, Ironman, and Sobriety Have in Common
This week on the Clean Play Podcast, Chris and I had the chance to talk with Fred—a kombucha brewer, Ironman athlete, and someone who lives and breathes intentionality. What started as a conversation about drinks and business turned into a reflection on sobriety, movement, and the mindset it takes to build a life that actually supports you.
Fred’s story is one of those that sticks with you. Not because it’s flashy or dramatic, but because it’s grounded, curious, and full of those quiet truths that make you pause. He went from working in tech to brewing kombucha full-time. From training for Ironman races to teaching himself to swim in his 30s. From drinking to fit in, to living a life that doesn’t require recovery the next day.
He said something that really got me: "I'm always looking for something that is sustainably elevating." That phrase hit different. Because how many of us chase what feels good for a moment, only to pay for it later? It gives us a spike, a hit, a high, but it's not sustainable. It doesn’t hold us or build us. And most of the time, it leaves us feeling worse.
Fred talked about kombucha the way I talk about coaching. He blends ingredients to create something flavorful, intentional, and good for you—not just in the moment, but over time. Something you want to come back to because it makes you feel more like yourself.
As someone who coaches athletes and former athletes through big transitions—sobriety, identity, purpose—this conversation reminded me why I do what I do. So many of us are trained to perform. To push. To win. But we’re rarely taught how to rest, reflect, and realign. Eventually, the pushing stops working. We get tired. And that’s where the real work begins.
Fred found a new way by staying curious, staying active, and staying connected to what felt right for him. He didn't need to "hit rock bottom" to walk away from drinking. He just paid attention. And that's the kind of sobriety I believe in, too. The kind that isn’t rooted in shame or punishment, but in choice. The kind that asks: "What if there's a better way to feel good?"
We also talked about swimming—and how humbling it is to try something new, especially as an adult. It struck a chord because it reminded me how many of us, especially athletes, struggle with being new at something. When you’ve been excellent at one thing, starting over is uncomfortable. But the growth lives in that discomfort.
Fred said that in swimming, you can’t fight the water. You have to work with it. You have to let it shape you. And wow, if that isn’t the perfect metaphor for recovery, healing, and all the inner work. Sobriety, healing, identity work—none of it can be forced. You learn to move with what’s happening, not against it.
This episode was a reminder that mastery isn’t about control. It’s about learning to respond differently. To tune in. To trust yourself enough to stay in the water.
If you’re in a season of questioning—whether it's your relationship with alcohol, your identity as an athlete, or what comes next—Fred’s story is worth a listen. Not because he has it all figured out, but because he’s walking his path with clarity, consistency, and compassion.
That’s what we’re about here at Clean Play Coaching—helping you create a life that feels sustainably elevating. One that supports who you are becoming, not just who you used to be.
You can listen to the full episode on the Clean Play Podcast or at the link above—and if Fred ever launches his basketball breakdown show, I will be the first to tune in.
Until then, keep asking the better questions.
