Sevan Matossian (00:00):
Okay, good. <laugh> bam. We’re live. Can’t believe I’m talking to you. Um, did you remember how we met, how we were introduced?
Kane Waselenchuk (00:12):
I do not. I do not. Actually,
Sevan Matossian (00:14):
There was this cat that I, um, I went to college at UC, uh, Santa Barbara and I was, I was, they had a, they had racketball courts there, a shitload of ’em. They probably still do UC Santa Barbara is a university of California of Santa Barbara. Where do you live?
Kane Waselenchuk (00:29):
Boston, Austin, Texas.
Sevan Matossian (00:29):
Okay. I’m over in California. And, um, I’m 50 now, but this was, I don’t know, 30 years ago. And I used to play, um, racketball over there. And like, there was a team of B team and a C team, like level players and of the C players. I could destroy anybody. And then the worst B player would come in and I didn’t even know what the fuck was going on. <laugh> like, it was just like, it was crazy. And this dude, Justin Saroyan, who was like younger than me, I don’t, I don’t know. He seemed like a God to me, but he would come in and just destroy me, but I really liked him. And, uh, so I would just always play with him and, and I couldn’t even score point against him. And then, and then we stayed in touch just through Instagram, over the last 20 or 30 years. And recently he, he texts me and he is like, Hey dude, I’m flying out to Texas to train with this dude. You gotta get this dude on your podcast. And so that’s why I don’t know, like, oh
Kane Waselenchuk (01:22):
Right.
Sevan Matossian (01:22):
Six months ago I putting
Kane Waselenchuk (01:24):
Together Justin, right?
Sevan Matossian (01:25):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Super nice, cool dude.
Kane Waselenchuk (01:27):
Really nice guy. Yeah. Yeah. One of my, uh, one of my favorite lessons that I’ve, that I’ve done, we, most of the time we just talked about stuff other than racketball <laugh> but uh, great, great guy. Yeah. And thank you for having me on. I appreciate it.
Sevan Matossian (01:40):
Yeah, totally. Uh, I, I made this movie, um, called pulling John. It was a documentary about John zinc. He’s the greatest arm wrestler who ever lived. Um, he’s still alive. He, he’s still an amazing arm wrestler, but as I researched you, I saw this like parallel between a guy who traveled all over the world, just smashing everybody, but in this crazy niche sport, um, and, uh, and everyone who follow the sports, like can’t even believe that there’s someone this good.
Kane Waselenchuk (02:13):
Yeah. I get this person does a lot. I get actually, I, I get a lot where I, you know, I don’t, they’ll talk, I’ll talk to ’em about it. And then they’ll go. And like you said, they’ll go and research it. And they’re like, man, you’re, you’re the greatest athlete that no one knows about, you know? And it’s just kinda, I was like, well, you know, I guess, thank you. <laugh>, you know?
Sevan Matossian (02:30):
Yeah. It’s a trip. I mean, your dominance is crazy. It’s how many years it’s, it’s over 20 it’s you had 20 years of dominance.
Kane Waselenchuk (02:36):
Uh, yeah. I mean, I’ve been on tour for 20. This will be my 23rd year, 22nd year. Something like that. And out of those, uh, I don’t know. I think 14 of ’em I’ve been number one and 15 of ’em. I I’ve been the us open champion and they’re all in a row. <laugh> I think that, I think when my career is all said and done, I think that’s probably the most gratifying thing is, I mean, you know, it, it’s hard enough to win one, but to win 14 in a row. I mean, that’s, uh, you know, truly a, you know, a blessing that I was able to be healthy and, and, uh, and, you know, sustain a level that I have for, for that long. I mean, uh, you know, it’s kind of funny playing on tour now, you know, some of these guys that are playing, it’s like, you know, I, my, my first number one was when you were still in diapers, you know, and some of ’em, I, I, you know, some of those young guys, I mean, some of them, they weren’t even born yet, so, um, you know, truly blessed to, to be able to still be, you know, out there and playing,
Sevan Matossian (03:34):
How, how old are you?
Kane Waselenchuk (03:35):
I’m 40.
Sevan Matossian (03:36):
Yeah, it’s crazy too. It’s like, you’re not even, you’re like, not even halfway through your life. What, what is the life expectancy of a, of a racketball player? Is it longer than most athlete or,
Kane Waselenchuk (03:48):
I mean, it varies. I mean, you know, but, uh, as far as being at the top level, I think, you know, the, the, the oldest that I know of anyways is, um, you know, as far as dominance would be 31, 30, 2 33, somewhere in there, we have a couple of guys on tour, you know, that are a little older than me. Um, but it’s not like, uh, it’s not like they’re dominating or anything like that. So, um, but yeah, usually anywhere between like 30 and 35 is usually, you know, kind of like tennis, I guess you can say, you know, I mean, you know, after, after probably about 35, you’re defying all odds really, you know,
Sevan Matossian (04:26):
In tennis, I mean, in racketball, do you ever hit the ball as hard as you can?
Kane Waselenchuk (04:31):
Uh, I mean, sometimes, you know, I mean, but, uh, you know, for me, uh, I never really, you know, I, I, I bring it out when I need to, you know, um, but, uh, other than that, it’s more about shot selection and, and, and just, you know, your opponent who you’re playing and, you know, I mean, yeah. You know, fair enough. There’s some times where I get pissed off a little bit and, you know, maybe, you know, hit a, serve harder as hard as I can or something like that. But, you know, I mean, with that, you know, you also lose control as well, too. So, you know, there’s a happy medium in all of it, you know, not too light, not too hard. So I’ve never been known as the hardest hitter on tour. Um, but, uh, you know, I can move the ball when, when I want to.
Sevan Matossian (05:11):
Do you watch UFC?
Kane Waselenchuk (05:13):
I do.
Sevan Matossian (05:14):
It’s, it’s kind of like, like Colby, right? Do you know Covington? Mm-hmm <affirmative> yep. It’s just like, it’s just this endless barrage of shots that look like they’re like at 60%.
Kane Waselenchuk (05:23):
Yeah, correct. Correct.
Sevan Matossian (05:25):
And I just imagine kind of like racketball being like that too. Like my kids play tennis and I don’t know a lot about it, but I’ve been watching now for three years. And a lot of it’s like, there’s, you have two choices. I mean, this is pretty rough and rudimentary. I’m wondering if rack ball the same way the kill shot or stay out there. The odds are the, every time you hit it, the odds start increasing that one of you is gonna miss it in the, in the rally.
Kane Waselenchuk (05:47):
So
Sevan Matossian (05:47):
There just kind of like just staying in the game and waiting for air
Kane Waselenchuk (05:50):
Energy exertion. Right. I mean, if you’re in a tournament, you know, and you’re out there and, and, and right from the get go, you’re just hitting as hard as you can. That’s, that’s a lot of energy that you’re spending, you know? And so, you know, it, I don’t think it’s ideal, you know, at times, like I said, you gotta bring it out, but it’s not ideal. I mean, I’m in great shape, but to be able to sustain, you know, hitting the ball as hard as you can, you know, I mean, it, it, it, you know, I don’t think it’s ideal for, for, for the longevity of a tournament.
Sevan Matossian (06:17):
Uh, how about your career just holding? How about your career just holding up in, in for over the long term shoulder, elbow?
Kane Waselenchuk (06:24):
Yeah, I mean, I’ve been very fortunate I’ve, I haven’t really had any serious injuries. I’ve had a few aches and pains here and there. Um, but for the most part, you know, I’ve been, um, I’ve been healthy and, you know, I’ve gotten a lot of flack, you know, over the years of playing because, you know, if I, if I just didn’t feel, you know, up to it, or I just, you know, as far as my body and, you know, I would just, I wouldn’t play. And if I was in a tournament and I felt, you know, some sort of tweak or I just, you know, I, you know, I just, I, I listened to my body and I think that’s also another thing too, is that I never, you know, I had nothing to prove going out there and playing injured. I mean, you know, and, you know, a lot of people were like, oh, you know, he, you know, he was losing or, you know, this guy was playing good. And so he forfeited and, you know, all, that’s just crap, you know, it’s just, that’s all it is. It’s just crap. And I just, you know, it’s not a sprint, you know, it’s a marathon and, you know, 40 years old, you know, being able to still, you know, whoop up on these guys and be number one and all that kind of stuff. I mean, you know, I mean, that, that just goes to show you that I, I was making the right decisions all through my career.
Sevan Matossian (07:28):
There was no, uh, I saw this, someone said the other day that, um, when LeBron started, um, playing basketball, there was no Facebook. The, the, I mean, when you started, it was like, there was no, I mean, there was no YouTube, there was like almost no internet. Like when you were a kid, when you started playing racketball, I mean, no one even went on the internet.
Kane Waselenchuk (07:49):
Yeah. I mean, I, you know, when I was a kid, I don’t, I don’t even think there was internet <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (07:53):
Right, right. I I’m trying, I’m trying to think I was in my twenties when my early twenties, when I think the first time I started seeing like the internet.
Kane Waselenchuk (08:00):
Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, if I’m not mistaken, you know, you had to go to the store and buy one of the paper maps, if you wanted to get around.
Sevan Matossian (08:07):
Yes. <laugh>. Yes. And, and you, and you never went hard in social media. It’s not, it’s nothing, you never embraced it. Like, fullheartedly like you don’t have a TikTok channel where like you’re juggling racket balls or some shit.
Kane Waselenchuk (08:20):
Yeah. No, I, you know, I’ve always kind of been a private person. I’ve always tried to separate my, um, my professional and my private life. Um, you know, I, I’m not, I’m just not wired that way. And, you know, I mean, I can, I can say that, you know, maybe it’s hurt me a little bit in my career as far as, you know, popularity and maybe sponsorships here and there, but I just, you know, it, it just, it’s not me, you know, it’s just not me. And, and, uh, and like I said, I just, I’ve always, you know, I don’t look at myself as like KA the racketball player. I’m just KA you know, the dad, I like to, you know, I like to have a couple old fashions here and there. I like to hang out and I’m just a regular guy, you know?
Kane Waselenchuk (08:59):
And I just, I don’t, you know, I don’t ever think about, you know, you know, taking a picture of my food or, you know, or, you know, just letting people know where I am in general. I, I don’t really, to be honest, I don’t really care about it. You know, it’s just, that’s just me. Um, so, uh, I’ve tried to do a better job the later end of my career to kind of, you know, uh, you know, kind of do a better job of that. You know, I got an athlete page, you know, Facebook and Instagram and, and stuff like that. But, uh, you know, it’s just, again, it’s just kind of, not me, I’m just, you know, more of a private person. So
Sevan Matossian (09:32):
Is that a fifth child or is that a doll?
Kane Waselenchuk (09:35):
That’s a doll.
Sevan Matossian (09:36):
Oh, I was like, yeah, if
Kane Waselenchuk (09:37):
It’s a fifth child, I have no idea about it. So,
Sevan Matossian (09:40):
Uh, beautiful family dude, beautiful daughter, beautiful wife, adorable son. I’m
Kane Waselenchuk (09:44):
Very blessed for sure.
Sevan Matossian (09:46):
Uh, you, you like the smell of racquetballs when you’ve opened the can.
Kane Waselenchuk (09:50):
Yeah. Yeah, I do. I, do
Sevan Matossian (09:52):
You hear that? And you get a little dopamine, like other kids are like getting happy off a TikTok. You’re like, ah, brand new can of racketball.
Kane Waselenchuk (09:58):
Yeah. Yeah. It’s kind of, I mean, even like, I remember, you know, when I played hockey, you know, I mean walking in and smelling the arena, and I know this is gonna probably sound gross, but when you know, the smell of equipment and all that, yeah. There there’s some nostalgia on that, you know, it just gets, you gets you, you know, kind of wound up a little bit ready to go.
Sevan Matossian (10:16):
It’s funny how new shit does that? I can remember. I had a, like a 10 year run of smoking weed, and anytime I would go over to the dude’s house to buy a bag of weed and I would get a brand new, but this is my twenties. I’m gonna smoke weed in 20 or 30 years. But, um, I would get that the bag of weed and it’d be $60. And just the bottom would be filled. They called it an eight. I’d be like, I’d be so happy. Or you, I smoke cigarettes for a while. And even then you get a brand new pack of cigarettes, then you mature. And it’s like, yeah, can’t racket balls. Yeah.
Kane Waselenchuk (10:44):
<laugh> yeah. That’s funny how it changes or,
Sevan Matossian (10:46):
Or like
Kane Waselenchuk (10:46):
Opening a can of beer, you know? So I
Sevan Matossian (10:48):
Got that, that sound,
Kane Waselenchuk (10:49):
You know, and now, and now, and now it’s now it’s, you know, pouring a protein shake.
Sevan Matossian (10:54):
Yes, yes, yes. Um, uh, when you, um, when you play out there, do, um, do you ever go to, uh, does Rae ball have a pain cave? Is there, is there a place wherever you, um, can become so tired out on the court? I interview a lot of UFC fighters and they’re like, yeah. The worst thing that can happen to you out there is, uh, you run outta gas. Mm-hmm, <affirmative>, they’re like you see punches coming and you can’t even lift your hand up. They said, it’s a fucking nightmare. Yeah. Um, and, and people in the CrossFit community that I live in, you know, that’s kind of the goal, you know, at some point during the day in a workout to kind of go to the, till the wheels fall off the bus, that’s where you get adaptation. Right. Mm-hmm <affirmative> does that ever happen on the court, in, in that
Kane Waselenchuk (11:36):
Sport? Yeah, it’s happened. It’s happened plenty of times on the court. And some of it is just, I’m just battling away. Um, more so in the earlier years, you know, of my career, um, you know, and then some of it was just, you know, just not being in the shape that I needed to be as well, too, you know, but, uh, for the
Sevan Matossian (11:51):
Most time, so people have worn you down. You’ve been, been out there and you’re like, fuck, I see the ball. I should be able to get it. But like, I’m, I’m just, I, I wilted.
Kane Waselenchuk (11:59):
Yeah. I mean, I mean, it’s just, uh, you know, you get, you get into that, you know, where you just kind of, you know, you kind of get into where, you know, the mind isn’t, isn’t really working as fast as it, as it, you know, was before. And, but most of my career, I actually, I would actually go play racketball and train after I would train for like three or four hours as well. So anytime I’d step on the court, you know, I always wanted to, you know, I always wanted to make sure that when I was playing, I was always like, especially practice if I can, if I can perfect practice when I’m exhausted. Well, then I have no, I have no, you know, no doubt in my mind that when I get to a tournament and I’m fresh, what I’m capable of, you know?
Kane Waselenchuk (12:38):
And so playing almost in that lethargic state has been kind of a normal for me, um, for a long, long time. And so, uh, you know, for me, that’s just, you know, I I’ve always looked at it as like, you’re never gonna, you always wanna end the tournament as close as how you started it, but you, you gotta understand that that’s not reality. These are all the best players in the world. And, and you’re, it’s just, no matter how hard you train, you’re, you know, you’re not gonna be there. Right. So to me, I figured that why not train, you know, why not train in that state? And, uh, you know, and, and again, I, I know what I’m capable of, you know, when I’m fresh, you know, uh, another thing that I used to do, and this is just, you know, kind of put me in a mental good mental state was, um, I used to go and hit the ball, uh, late at night.
Kane Waselenchuk (13:26):
I used to leave, you know, the house and I used to go and hit the ball at like 11 o’clock at night, and my gym is open 24 hours. And so, um, a lot of people would ask me why I did that. And I said, well, you know, to me, when I was hitting the ball, you know, I would always think to myself, well, everybody else is sleeping, I’m getting better. You know? And so that was just a mental edge that I had. And is it, is it true? I mean, I don’t really know. I mean, you know, I don’t know, but the reality of it is, is that’s what, that’s, what helped, you know, get me focused and get me motivated and, you know, so those are those little things. And as you know, my career went on, I mean, you know, the motivation is changing, you know, constantly.
Kane Waselenchuk (14:02):
And I think that, you know, if you ask any athlete, you know, in, you know, in any sport, I think that, you know, you know, at first, you know, I was chasing all the guys and, you know, that’s really easy to get motivated for that. And then I became number one and, you know, it’s kind of like a, it’s kind of like a new relationship, you know, everything is new, everything is great. And then that wears off and you gotta find new motivation after that. And then I became a dad. And so my motivation changed after that as well too. And then I got a little old older and, you know, so, you know, I mean, racketball was the most important thing, you know, for me for a long time, it was the only thing I really knew as far as, you know, my life.
Kane Waselenchuk (14:38):
Right. And then all of a sudden I became a father and, and racketball wasn’t number one. And, you know, and now, you know, racketball, you know, isn’t necessarily number one at all right now. I mean, I, I still play. And, and, uh, but you, you know, I, I, I have a job, you know, that I work and, you know, I have the four kids and stuff like that. And, you know, I just, you know, for me, I would rather put, I, I guess I never put racketball on the back burner, but I always try to keep it in perspective that, you know, when you have kids, you know, some things only come around one time and so you need to take advantage of it. And so, you know, a racketball tournament or a racketball, you know, game or whatever it is is far less important than, you know, those times that I can, you know, have with my family, my kids, and, you know, watching them play sports and, you know, all that kind of stuff. That’s, you know, kind of the most important thing for me. Um, especially right now, you know,
Sevan Matossian (15:31):
I used to, um, I used to own like basically every camera that fucking existed <laugh> I was like, just the camera nut, every lens I spent an absurd amount of money. It it’s just absurd. And the new cannon came out, new Nikon, new Leica, whatever I bought it. And when the package arrived, I’d be waiting for the fucking ups guy and I’d open it and be so excited. And, um, I, I used to have this thing. I was a, I was a, a and I still am. I was a pretty hard cord, a dirt twirling, hippie piece, love all that shit. And, and I still got a lot of that in me that I’m proud of. And I, and I, the only goal I had in life was never to kill another man. I always thought, well, if, if I heard someone break into my house, I’ll just jump out the window, go to the store and get a cup of coffee.
Sevan Matossian (16:10):
Let ’em Rob my shit, go back. Like, what do I care? Like I got me then one day after I had kids, I heard a noise in the yard and I fucking got the gun out. And I started walking around the yard and I’m like fucking kills to someone I think tonight. Yeah. And then in the morning I woke up and I was like, oh, shit, package, new cameras come. And I don’t open the packages. I’m, I’m eager to fucking blast someone in my yard. Who’s fucking with my, like a threat to my kids. When did that change? And when I hear you talk about, and I didn’t even know it changed, so it must have changed it the night when I was sleeping. <laugh> yeah. <laugh> but I hear that in you, you’re a guy who’s, I’m guessing entire identity was built around being the best rack of ball player who ever lived, not even just the best racquetball player, but I know how you guys are.
Sevan Matossian (16:57):
You’re the baddest dude in the room and like, I’ll beat you at anything. Um, you want, you want, you wanna fight with the rackets in our left hands. You wanna play lefthanded? Do you wanna take our shoes off? Do you wanna go outside and fucking like, fight? Like, I’ll do it with you. I mean, I know, I know that being the best comes with a lot of, um, uh, jet fuel mm-hmm <affirmative> and then all of a sudden, one day it changed all of a sudden you’re like, nah, I rather go watch my kids play soccer.
Kane Waselenchuk (17:24):
Yeah. It’s it is weird.
Sevan Matossian (17:25):
Did you know how that changed? Did it creep up on you too? Like all of a sudden one day you were like, torn, like whether you should practice or go watch your kids and when you’re like, where the fuck did this come from? Well,
Kane Waselenchuk (17:35):
I, I think that, you know, I think that when they were first born, uh, you know, my, my motivation changed. I, you know, there was two things that I always wanted, you know, I, I always wanted to be able to play and be number one, uh, long enough for my kids to, you know, really understand, you know, and, and, and really, you know, can can like really, you know, absorb exactly like what I did and, you know, and how hard I worked and the sacrifices I made. And then the other part of it is every time I stepped on the court, I always thought to myself, like, you know, this, this, you know, this fucker is trying to take my, you know, food off my daughter’s plates and, you know, and I’m not gonna let that happen. So my, my, you know, my motivation changed when it came to that, you know, I just, and again, so
Sevan Matossian (18:20):
You leveraged them, whatever,
Kane Waselenchuk (18:22):
Whatever makes you tick, right? Yeah. I mean, some people, you know, don’t look at it like that, but for me, I just, I, there was a really big importance for me to, you know, not see my kids, not, not, not have my kids see me lose, you know, um, now I have lost and, you know, I it’s actually become a great blessing and a great teaching tool for, for, for me. I, I, you know, I, you know, a little while ago I lost and, you know, I hadn’t played for a while and I lost in the finals and I came home and all the kids were like, oh, you lost. And, you know, it was a great little teaching tool for me to, to be able to tell ’em like, listen, it’s, it’s, you know, it, it’s how you come back from it, you know, and, and, and be humble about it.
Kane Waselenchuk (18:59):
And, and, you know, and, and that’s, you know, that’s what really makes a true champion too, right. Is like, you know, you think about, uh, you know, people winning and, you know, being a champion, but really, you know, there’s, there’s many parts to being a champion, you know? And, and one of that is that, you know, listen, you’re bound to lose. You play long enough, you’re bound to lose. And, you know, it’s how, it’s how you, it’s how you react to that as well, too, also that I believe that, you know, makes you, you know, a, a, a true champion in general. And so for me to be able to teach that lesson to my kids, you know, and, and be able to tell ’em like, Hey, listen, you know, the guy played good, you know, instead of making a bunch of excuses and, you know, and hopefully, you know, they’re all in sports and hopefully as they grow up, you know, it’ll, it’ll, it’ll transfer over to them.
Kane Waselenchuk (19:41):
And, you know, because I do believe that having that humbleness and, and, you know, you know, accepting what it is, you know, I mean, yeah, I lost in my pissed yeah. I’m pissed. I don’t like to lose, you know, and I don’t lose very often, but, you know, shit happens, you know, and that’s just the way it is. And so, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s also how you come back from it too. And, you know, and so I played the guy, you know, a couple tournaments later, you know, and I beat him like 15, zero and 15 three, you know, and it was like, come home. And I’m like, now that’s how it’s done. You know, that’s how it’s done. Like, you know, you, you may get me, you know, and I’ll, I’ll, you know, be there and I’ll shake your hand, I’ll buy you a beer. Not too many people can say that they’ve beat me, you know, so congratulations, but be ready the next time. You know, that’s kind of my mentality on that. So to be able to teach my kids that as well, too, even though I don’t think they totally understand, you know, the, you know, the degree of, I guess, you know, the, the, the championship level I’ve been on, you know, and I’m, I’m just, I’m just dad. And I’m just an old geezer that, you know, doesn’t know what I’m talking about. <laugh>,
Sevan Matossian (20:42):
Uh, but they’re storing it in there. You know, they are, are your parents alive?
Kane Waselenchuk (20:45):
They are. Yeah. They, they live in Canada
Sevan Matossian (20:48):
And, uh, they trip. Did they trip on your, on your path?
Kane Waselenchuk (20:54):
Uh, well, I mean, my dad was the one that got me into racketball. I started playing racketball when I was two years old. Um, and one of my first tournament when I was six years old, um, I have one junior world championships, you know, ju uh, junior national championships, stuff like that. And I played hockey. I always wanted to be in the NHL. And I also was not too bad at that. And, and, uh, so, uh, I quit actually and played hockey for a little while. And I had a bunch of guys at the, at the club that, you know, that wanted to pay for my way to go play in the senior nationals. And so I went and played. And you know, how,
Sevan Matossian (21:32):
How old were you when that happened? How old were, when that, how old were you when that happened? I
Kane Waselenchuk (21:36):
Was, uh, senior nationals. I was like 16, 17. And
Sevan Matossian (21:39):
So, so you’re young and, and, and, and totally comfortable with a racket in your hand, basically from the day you were born, because your parents introduced to it, then you went to go play hockey. Cuz that’s what Canadians do. But some guys at the club knew you were so good at racketball. They’re like, Hey, we’ll give you money if you just do. Yeah.
Kane Waselenchuk (21:56):
They, they, they had been playing with me ever since I, you know, basically was born or going to the club, you know, you know, they had known me. And so, uh, you know, they, I played a little bit with them and, and, you know, started playing again a little bit and they’re like, man, like, you need to go and you need to go play. And I was like, ah, I don’t really know. I’m not really too sure if I wanna do this. And so they paid my way and next thing you know, I win and I’m stuck on the Canadian national team. And then I’m, you know, making $30,000 tax free money from the Canadian government. And I mean, that was pretty much, you know, that was pretty much it because when I was growing up, you know, we didn’t, we didn’t have a lot of money. And so, you know, it was an opportunity for, for, you know, my whole family, their lives to change too. I mean an extra $30,000. I mean, even though it was a training, you know, kind of allowance you can say and you know, I mean it still, I mean, it, it changed, you know, it changed a lot
Sevan Matossian (22:48):
For, yeah. And that was, that was probably six that’s the equivalent to like 60 or a hundred now.
Kane Waselenchuk (22:53):
Yeah,
Sevan Matossian (22:54):
Exactly. I wish I was joking, but I’m not this guy. Uh, this guy here in the comments, David Smith, he owns this, uh, tennis racket company and he, and he sent this, uh, racket out. My kid plays oh, awesome. Shitload of tennis Kamodo and he writes the goat, love, hearing the mindset of the best ever to do it. Thanks David. And in this rack, it’s awesome. And I keep it, I’m gonna take it out and play with it, but I want to keep it next to my desk so I can keep plugging it. Uh, when I look at, um, young footage of you, there’s this, uh, I, I don’t see, uh, professional athlete. I see, uh, dude who hangs out in bar and fights vibe. Like I get this, uh, <laugh> like, like almost like this, like your redheaded kid vibe from you. Like when you’re young, when they’re interviewing you, you ha you seem like a, more like a guy who collects money from people who didn’t pay in Boston <laugh> than an athlete. It’s, it’s a trip. You got this, um, pretty hard, hard vibe to you.
Kane Waselenchuk (23:54):
Ah, appreciate it. Yeah. I, I, uh,
Sevan Matossian (23:56):
<laugh> like that. I appreciate that. Well, thank you. I,
Kane Waselenchuk (23:59):
Uh, I kind of, you know, I actually take that as a really, really good compliment. That’s my might be one of the best compliments I think I’ve ever gotten.
Sevan Matossian (24:06):
Yeah. I don’t get any of
Kane Waselenchuk (24:07):
This. No, I mean, I just, I, I I’d like to come across, like, you know, I’m a nice guy, but I just don’t take no shit. And I’ll just tell you how it is. You know, sometimes, you know, sometimes I get myself in trouble cuz I don’t really sugarcoat things. I just kind of tell it how it is, you know, but I think,
Sevan Matossian (24:21):
Yeah. And you were thicker, your head was a little bit rounder. You, you had this kind of like baby baby face and your shoulders were broad mm-hmm <affirmative> and you just didn’t look like this felt guy out there who, uh, you know, who would be bouncing around. Um, what was life hard for you growing up?
Kane Waselenchuk (24:39):
Uh, I mean, you know, at times, you know, at times, I mean, I think that, I think that’s fair to say with everybody though, you know, at times, you know, everybody’s family. I mean, I, I, uh, um, you know, I didn’t have the best, uh, you know, childhood as far as like what I had as luxuries and stuff like that, you know, but that’s okay. You know, I think that, you know, uh, my mom and dad got a divorce. Uh, I, you know, I, how
Sevan Matossian (25:00):
Old were you when that happened?
Kane Waselenchuk (25:02):
I was like eight or nine and uh, yeah,
Sevan Matossian (25:05):
That’s a tough age that
Kane Waselenchuk (25:06):
Time I seen, I lost contact with my mom for 12 years. Um, so, you know, there was some things that obviously, you know, were, were rough, but you know, I, I, I take a, I, I, I look back on it. Right. And, and, and I think that the only way that you can possibly, you know, to me look back on it and, and, you know, I’m sure people can, you know, also they’ve had their problems and stuff, but listen, I mean, I think looking back on it, I, I think to myself sometimes, like if those things didn’t happen to me, would I be the man that I am today? You know, and I don’t wanna make light of it cuz some things I just don’t agree with, you know? And some things, you know, you know, they don’t really sit heavy with me anymore. I’m pretty content, you know, with where I’m at in my life and, and, and, and how I got here and stuff like that.
Kane Waselenchuk (25:48):
But I think overall, you know, you, you, you know, people Harbor a lot of things, you know, from their past and you know, whether it’s five years, 15 years, 20 years, whatever it is. But I think that, you know, in time as time goes by, you know, I think that you have to put it in perspective. And so, you know, I, I tried it for me. That’s how I put it in perspective. I think, you know, I’m, I don’t necessarily, again, I don’t necessarily agree, um, you know, with, with, uh, with everything like that, but, you know, would I be the man that I am today, if those things didn’t happen, you know,
Sevan Matossian (26:19):
12 years. Uh, so you were eight years old when you lost contact with your mom.
Kane Waselenchuk (26:24):
Yeah, I w yeah, I was like, well, actually I was, I was like 11 years old, somewhere in there. And then my, uh, and then my mom actually called me four days after I had gotten married. Um, when I was 24, 20,
Sevan Matossian (26:41):
Oh, shit, you got married young.
Kane Waselenchuk (26:43):
I did. I did.
Sevan Matossian (26:46):
Um, was it drugs? Did your mom get into drugs? Is that how you, is that how your mom vans? No.
Kane Waselenchuk (26:50):
Uhuh, no. Uh, it just was, you know, the two families, just button heads constantly and just, you know, and, uh, just a lot of problems, a lot of chaos, you know, a lot of, a lot of, uh, you know, a lot of bullshit, you know? And so, um, I don’t know exactly, you know, my mom, when I got in contact with her again, uh, you know, she wanted to talk, you know, about it. And I just said, you know, I’m mom, I’m not interested. You’re here now. And that’s, what’s important. I don’t need to know why. I mean, bottom line, you know, do I think maybe it could have been different? Yeah, I do. But at the time you make a decision for, for the now and that’s all you can do. And, you know, I’m sure my mom, you know, harbors a lot of, you know, stuff, you know, but listen, you know, you, you, you look forward, you know, and, and that’s it.
Kane Waselenchuk (27:32):
And I don’t really, you know, to me, you know, talking about that type of stuff, I is not gonna change anything that happened and I, you know, and so, and it wasn’t ever gonna change anything that happened, you know, and it is what it is. And so, you know, uh, we both lost time, you know, I mean, my mom didn’t get to, you know, see my first date and, you know, see me graduate and whatever. And, you know, and there was times where I needed my mom and, and, you know, she wasn’t there. So we both, you know, we both, you know, we both had the shit
Sevan Matossian (28:00):
In and 11 year old boy needs his mom, 11 year old boy needs his mom
Kane Waselenchuk (28:04):
Every, yeah. I mean, listen, I’m 40 years old and I still need my mom. Good, good point, good point. Yep. You know, I mean, you know, the bond that a son and a mother has and is, you know, is, is, is big, you know, but, um, for me, me and my mom, I mean, I talk to my mom almost every day now and at least text message or whatever. And so our relationship is strong. And so that type, that, that all that past, you know, bullshit I’m, I’m, I don’t even think about it. It is what it is, you know, I, and I hold iHeart, you know, hold no grudges against it. I don’t, you know, and, and, uh, you know, I’m, you know, I love my mom and, you know, I’m, if we could go back and do it again, I’m positive, we would do it differently, but we’re here now. We might as well make the best of it.
Sevan Matossian (28:43):
I, I can’t think of anything, a specific example, but it’s interesting how there’s things that maybe, like, I was upset about my, that with my mom, with my whole life. And then the second I had kids, not only did I forgive my mom, but I was upset. I was put it in such perspective that she did nothing like, holy fuck. Like she had a, you know, cuz you’re a kid and you’re completely selfish and you’re like, everything my mom should be doing about me. And then you have kids and you look at your parents and you’re kind of like, fuck, what can I do for them? Well, you know, was it amazing once you had kids? You were like, yeah, for
Kane Waselenchuk (29:16):
Me, I, you know, it’s funny cuz all, you know, when my kids were first born, I, I, I did kinda Harbor a little bit of things here and there, you know? And, and uh, you know, I remember when my first, you know, Kennedy was born. I remember thinking to myself, you know what, like there’s two parts to it. Like damn being a parent is, is fucking tough. <laugh> and, but Kennedy’s
Sevan Matossian (29:37):
Your first daughter, your oldest. Kennedy’s your oldest daughter.
Kane Waselenchuk (29:40):
Pardon me? Yeah, my oldest, yes. Okay. Yeah. And you know, I mean being a parent’s tough. I mean, it really is. There’s no manual to it. Um, you know, I’m, you know, I’m some things there’s right and wrongs, but you know, and then there’s the other part of it of, of just, you know, some of the things that happened to me, I, you know, I always, you know, tried to give the benefit.
The above transcript is generated using AI technology and therefore may contain errors.
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