A Tucson-based tactical swimming instructor for U.S. Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land) teams is featured in the latest episode of Die Trying, one of Barstool Sports’ newest shows.
Die Trying stars Donny Enriquez, a social media influencer, a chef, and the author of Not Your Mother’s Cookbook. The show documents Enriquez’s preparation for and participation in extreme activities, such as skywalking, school bus racing, bullriding, and BASE jumping.
The show’s first season finale was released earlier this week and it follows Enriquez as he gets a taste of the physical and mental challenges of U.S. Navy SEALs training. And that is where Utsch comes in.
Utsch, 54, is a master swimmer and owner of Streamlined Performance, the only tactical swimming company in the U.S. with more than 25 years of experience training military special forces at the highest levels. He was recently contacted by the producer of Die Trying to travel to San Diego to give Enriquez a sense of what he would face in the pool with two former SEALs.
Once Enriquez was done with the SEALs, he and Utsch took part in a two-mile open ocean swim near Coronado Island. While the show’s star had a rough time, the swim was a cakewalk for Utsch, who was on the U.S. National Team in the mid-1980s and captained his swim team at the University of Arizona where he graduated in 1991 with a degree in aerospace engineering.
Utsch has been contracted by the military for several years, but is quick to note he has never been a SEAL himself.
“Being accepted into that community as a contributor in some small way is the biggest thing I could ever ask for,” he says.
That sense of purpose carries over outside the pool as well. Utsch has had a successful career in real estate, and in recent years has become an in-demand constitutional scholar and historian. He has frequently appeared with KFYI’s James T. Harris to discuss the current events from a historical perspective.
“American History is very important to know, and to teach well,” he recently told Arizona Daily Independent. “But you can’t pick and choose just the good or the bad. That gives a false sense that America is not the special place that it is.”
Utsch also serves as an instructor for the Pennsylvania-based Leadership & Freedom Center, where he to teach courses focused on leadership, personal development, and resiliency. One of his favorites is Policing with Purpose, which he has presented to several law enforcement agencies including Tucson PD.
“Whether its teaching swimming or history, my goal is to help others achieve their potential,” Utsch said. “It is my belief that anything worth doing is worth doing well. It is also important for us to use our time wisely, as we all have many roles within our lives.”
And what about his recent experience with the Die Trying show? Utsch says he came away impressed with Enriquez.
“Donny’s got a great attitude, and he was always looking to grow. And that makes such a difference,” he said.
As to the Die Trying season finale, viewers with a weak stomach should use caution.
“I didn’t die, but I did want to kill myself every second of making this episode,” Enriquez tweeted. “Death would have been easier.”
Die Trying Season Finale: Navy SEAL Training https://t.co/iHx2gnievN pic.twitter.com/oT81EOQt05
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 31, 2021
The full 10-minute episode about Navy SEALs training can be viewed at https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3399776/die-trying-season-finale-navy-seal-training