Athletics merge the excitement of winning with the intensity of training. For many, sports are a lifetime pursuit. But what happens after the final game, final race, or final buzzer?
For senior Carla McSweeney, a Harvard University hockey commit, answering that question became the inspiration for an independent study project (ISP). Carla created a podcast series called “End Game: Life After Sport” that explores sports retirement, something many experience yet few discuss.
In the second semester of Carla’s junior year, she started an ISP with Upper School counselor Jane Knoche. At first, her project was centered around sports psychology and the book “Do Hard Things” by Steve Magness, which highlights the idea of toughness from a sports psychology perspective.
However, the book inspired Carla to change the direction of her ISP to focus on a different aspect of sports psychology. “I landed on sports retirement because it’s something that every athlete goes through, but it's also something that's not talked about a lot,” Carla said. “We talked about what happens when an athlete retires and what are the struggles they face.”
With her new focus on sports retirement, she spontaneously decided to make a podcast discussing these issues as her ISP’s final product, since she had always loved podcasts. “Neither one of us had any podcast experience,” she said. “Mr. [Ian] Merritt [a visual arts teacher at Latin] was super helpful in helping us get equipment to record.”
Trial and error followed. Carla and Ms. Knoche overcame a few technological hiccups, and Carla eventually found her rhythm and realized her vision for the project. “We set up interviews for people that either have retired from sport or are young and playing a sport but will retire someday,” Carla said. “The people we've had on the podcast have been so helpful and want to make it the best it can be, and it’s a great opportunity for them to share their stories and their wisdom on sports retirement and athletics in general.”
The magic of interviewing shines through in every podcast, especially when the content resonates with the audience. As both the host and an athlete, Carla finds a connection to every interviewee.
“I love hearing and talking to all the people we interview because as an athlete, I feel like it's a great way to relate to another athlete,” she said.
Since launching “End Game: Life After Sport,” Carla has recorded 13 episodes that showcase unexpected athletic journeys of Latin faculty and students, highlighting individuals ranging from senior and Cornell University running commit Ben Gibson to Athletic Director Katie Johnson. Although the podcast began as a junior year project, Carla continued to grow and film new episodes on her platform throughout her senior year, converting the simple ISP into a long-term passion project.
“I think it's just so cool to be able to interview people in this school that other people don't know anything about,” Carla said. “People didn't know that Mr. [Upper School math teacher Zach] McArthur played golf at Williams or [getting] to highlight Bo McCrea, a freshman who is new to Latin, and let him tell his story and share his experience.”
As the podcast has progressed, viewers have seen its positive growth and natural flow. Ms Knoche noticed this growth rapidly. “It was really cool to see how Carla improved as an interviewer,” she said. “Listening from her first episode, which was amazing, to now, as she grew her ability to ask good follow-up questions and maintain a nice storyline throughout was really impressive.”
Though Carla only recently began her sports podcasting journey, she has been involved in sports her entire life. She started skating at 2 and playing hockey at 5. Hockey is “all [she] has ever known,” she said.
She spent much of her schooling juggling club hockey, school hockey, and intense workout sessions, while balancing school work. “It is a huge time commitment, but it’s definitely worth it,” she said.
Carla leaves an impact far beyond the final score of each game, inspiring her fellow teammates as a mentor. Sophomore and teammate Mickey O’Malley said, “It’s been really cool to see Carla grow up and have a really successful career and watch her as I’m growing up.”
Sports have not only provided many opportunities for her future, but have also positively impacted her identity beyond the rink. “Whether that's hard work, going out of your comfort zone, teamwork, working with other people, personal development, and leadership skills,” she emphasized the many ways sports has inspired her growth.
Carla’s dedication has created the opportunity for her to play Division I ice hockey at Harvard University this coming fall, a dream since she first laced up skates. “I hope to make the biggest impact I can both on the ice and with the team and being a great student and positive member to the community,” she said.
Unfortunately the demand of college-level school work and DI ice hockey will require Carla to make sacrifices, including consistent podcasting. “I don't think I'll be able to maintain the level of podcasting that I'm doing right now when I get to school, but I think we're trying to record some extra episodes that we'll drop over the summer,” she said.
While the future of the podcast remains uncertain, Carla’s lasting legacy—behind the mic as well as in the rink—is irrefutable.
As for her retirement plans, although she may not see herself with a career surrounding sports, she wants to help coach on occasion, never fully abandoning her stick. “It’s a huge part of me,” she said, “and it’s important to give back to the community that gave me a lot.”
