Championship Culture & Mental Health Movement | Damon Parker

We sit down with Coach Damon Parker to trace how a girls’ wrestling experiment became the largest team in the world and why a funeral changed his path toward founding the Jones Project. The conversation moves from culture and leadership to mental health, ownership, and hope.• Building a program that prioritized family, voice, and belonging• Why girls’ wrestling exploded and how leadership sustains it• Turning down trophy talk to focus on culture• The single‑parent stat and what support looks like• Student leaders holding teammates and coaches to account• The resignation, grief, and the birth of the Jones Project• Three critical steps for teen mental health• Social media as a lifeline for students in crisis• 29029 endurance climbs and fundraising with “bricks”• Community, goals, and guardrails for mental health• Topeka’s strengths, local spots, and date‑night rituals________________________________________This podcast has been brought to you by Choose Topeka. If you're thinking about making a move, Choose Topeka can get you up to fifteen thousand dollars to relocate. Apply now at ChooseTopeka.com________________________________________0:00 - Opening Banter & Sponsor0:39 - Meet Coach Damon Parker2:58 - Early Teaching And Coaching Years5:02 - Rebuilding Washburn Rural Wrestling6:31 - Birth Of Girls’ Wrestling In Kansas7:19 - Building The Largest Girls’ Team8:18 - Choosing Girls Over Boys Program9:11 - The Single‑Parent Statistic And Its Meaning11:26 - Coaching For Needs And Relationships13:34 - Culture Over Trophies16:28 - Teaching Real Family And Conflict19:00 - Wanting It For Them Vs. Their Choice22:07 - Student Leadership That Holds Everyone Accountable25:56 - Introducing The Jones Project27:28 - Resignation, Loss, And A Wake‑Up Call30:02 - Launching A Free School Tour On Mental Health33:05 - Word‑Of‑Mouth Growth And Impact35:02 - Social Media As A Safety Net37:10 - 29029 Everest Challenge As Fundraiser40:12 - Carrying Bricks And Washington Post Spotlight42:20 - Habits For Mental Health: Community And Goals44:17 - The Three Critical Steps: Not Alone, Get Help, Own The Work48:08 - Why Ownership Matters In Recovery50:10 - Life In Topeka: Community And Schools53:15 - Local Favorites, Food Gaps, And Date Night1:03:33 - Closing And Where To Find The Jones Project________________________________________Beyond the Podcast: 🎙️Be sure to follow our Topeka Insider Socials below and check out our website for additional stories and articles pertaining to Topeka, KSWebsite -- https://topekainsider.com/Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/topekainsider Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/topekainsider/Follow Your Hosts: 📱Follow both Justin & Jon on their personal socials to get connected. They would love to connect and answer any questions about the show or their day to day.Jon Griffith's Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/thejongriffith/Justin Armbruster's Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/armbruster_jdFor Any Inquiries, please DM @TopekaInsider on Instagram!