The athlete focused podcast will release their first episode on Monday, August 5th under the SGC network. Sophie and Mary explore sharing the truths about being a “washed up” athlete while also keeping things energetic, hilarious and refreshing.
Mary's story...
I grew up in Louisiana and started playing golf at 7 years old. After years of tournaments and work, I earned a spot on LSU’s team. I played 4 years for LSU and then moved to Nashville. Within 6 months I started feeling very lost because I no longer played the sport I had played for 15 years. The idea of Hung Up Cleats started because I had never heard anyone talk about this feeling as well as many mental health trials that come with being an athlete.
Sophie's story...
I grew up in the suburbs of Nashville in a town called Hendersonville, TN. I began playing soccer when I was 3 years old. I started my college soccer career at The University of Alabama in Huntsville where I played my freshman, sophomore, and first semester of my junior year. I then transferred to Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN. After being at Tech for a month I became very ill and had to medically retire from soccer. It was so abrupt and out of the blue I was left feeling so helpless and like my whole identity and worth was stripped away from me within the blink of an eye. I then transferred back home to Belmont University to finish my degree as a student. As I was beginning my journey post retirement and dealing with all the emotions that came with it I was venting to some coworkers in the break room of lululemon about how weird it was to be going to school and not be an athlete and how it’s not talked about enough the identity crisis that follows retiring from your sport. Mid conversation Mary walked in the break room and expressed how she had been dealing with the same feelings and she always thought about starting a podcast. I, without hesitation, was like let’s do it! Shortly after I started classes at Belmont and my first class at Belmont they asked me a fun fact about myself and it was the first time in my life I couldn’t say I was a soccer player. Proceeding that class, I had a social media marketing class where we had to create a campaign about something we were passionate about. I immediately texted Mary and was like we are doing the damn thing. I then began building a website, creating the branding, interviewing athletes in blog form, and started social media pages. After my class ended, Mary and I launched Hung Up Cleats the Podcast in January 2023.
What stories do you look to share?
MARY: We want to tell the stories of athletes everywhere whether they are a current athlete or have hung up their cleats. We want to focus on mental health and mental toughness with hopes to use their stories of trials and triumphs to inspire others.
SOPHIE: I feel like it’s all about building a community and creating a safe space for athletes to share their testimonies. We have so many people that come on the podcast and are able to feel comfortable enough to open up and share their stories with not only us but our community as well. I feel like for many it’s kind of therapeutic in a way for not only the athlete sharing their story, but for the listeners as well. We get such positive feedback from the people we are interviewing and listeners who can relate in a way they never have before.
What does being an athlete mean to you?
MARY: Being an athlete is something that I’ll always be so grateful for. It has taught me so much resiliency and what it means to work hard. It has also taught me how to work with others and that sometimes you have to put others before yourself. Being an athlete deeply influences how I approach trials in my life and for that, I am eternally thankful.
SOPHIE: To me being an athlete is something that has shaped me into the person I am today. And although it is a huge part of who I am, it is not all that I am. It took me such a long time to come to terms with that, but everyone goes through it. It's taught me the true meaning of hard work and dedication. It’s made me feel at my highest, but also made me feel at my lowest. It’s taught me what it means to be a part of something bigger than yourself. It brought me my best friends in the entire world and endless connections. Although I’m retired, I will always to an extent be an athlete. It's just not my defining characteristic. I’m proud of everything I endured and the person I’ve become because of all the trials and tribulations.
Why is Hung Up Cleats important?
MARY: Hung Up Cleats was made to establish a washed up athlete community. Since I felt like I wasn't given the resources to transition from being an athlete to being a normal person, I want all athletes to feel that they are supported with anything they go through inside and outside of their sport. I also want all athletes to learn to develop a sense of identity that isn’t connected to the sport they play.
SOPHIE: Hung up cleats is a community and a support system to athletes in every phase or transitional period of their career. I want people to know that they are never alone and they are always supported and have a community that can relate and understand. By sharing our stories and the stories of other athletes I want people to find comfort and see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I also want the younger generations to feel prepared and see how other athletes transitioned into their post retirement life and how they found happiness after.
What are your favorite sports teams and why?
MARY: I’m a big NFL girl. I used to be all college football but I love being able to keep track of all 32 teams and hot take - it’s more entertaining. My favorite teams are the Saints, Bengals and I love the 49ers also! But, a Saturday night in Death Valley will always bring tears to my eyes.
SOPHIE: I am an NHL girl through and through. Being from Nashville, hockey used to not be that big but I always LOVED going to Nashville Predators games as a child. Then in 2017 when we went to the Stanley cup finals, it spread like wild fire across Nashville and we finally became a hockey city. I have never seen Nashville be so passionate about any sports team until that year and the craziest part was it was hockey. I actually interned for them this past semester and it gave me a new appreciation for the organization as a whole. My first university, UAH, was a hockey school so that was our big sport on campus as well so I really enjoyed going to games with my roommate Sarah. She is a BIG Dallas Stars fan so you can only imagine the banter when the Preds and Stars would play. I am also a big Nashville Soccer Club fan. My boyfriend is on the team and although I’m biased because I played as well, the games are so fun and I have so much respect for the entire organization. I love watching him live out his dreams and still being tied to the soccer world.
The two girls sat down with MaryKate of Women Changing The Game podcast for a chat... LISTEN HERE!
Catch Hung Up Cleats every Monday streaming wherever you get your podcasts & the video recording on YouTube.
Follow @hungupcleats
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