CARLA SWENSEN-HASLAM

Show Notes

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06/26/2018 | 65 Minutes

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This week’s guest: Carla Swensen-Haslam – a native Utahn with dual-citizenship, Carla grew up playing soccer on the fields of the Wasatch Mountains and the pitches of Columbia’s U20 National Team. Now she provides color-commentating for Utah’s Professional Women’s Soccer Team. Be it broadcasting, literature, education, politics, or inspiring you to progress and win, Carla’s ticked.

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PERSONAL TICKS

• “The Great Gatsby” – she’s always loved literature and writing. The analysis and critique of ‘The American Dream’ shared by Fitzgerald has been very inspiring.
   

• The idea behind Social Mobility to continually pursue dreams. Carla was the first female to broadcast a professional sport in the state of Utah.
   

• Doing what makes you happy and living up to your potential. The fear of “not living to who she’s supposed to be” is motivating.
   

• Sacrificing to become more and living unexpectedly
   

• The Habit of Winning, by Vince Lombardi 
   

• Education, particularly to those who may not have as equal opportunities. Thomas Jefferson is cited as saying, “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”
   

• Originally a Political Science Major in college - #politics. She’s driven to have influences on our educational systems and not waiting for the system to be broke before fixing it.

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PERSONAL TICK OFFS

• Voter ignorance – again, #politics or complacence in ignorance. When people are just “OK” not knowing about something that affects us.
   

• Protesting problems but not working towards solutions.
   

• Ungrateful attitudes – and unfortunately, we ALL fall victim to this.
   

• Social media influences when we try to be someone we’re not.

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PROFESSIONAL TICK OFFS

• Female on-camera reporters are subject to materialism and judgement. Whether it’s crooked teeth, or a weight-gain, or anything. It’s hard to be yourself. You be you, boo.

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PROFESSIONAL TICKS

• Carla works with a fantastic broadcast team that let’s her be herself, and who rely on her perspective.
   

• Interacting with fans during a broadcast through live tweets and her roll call.
   

• Researching players before games to identify trends or player habits.
   

• Creating a fan experience, helping fans feel like they know the team.
   

• A Real Salt Lake organization and a Salt Lake community that is fully embracing this new women’s soccer team.
   

• Watching people who perform at an elite level in their industry, be it in sports or outside of sports.

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CONNECT WITH CARLA

• Twitter: @carlitas07
   

• Instagram: @carlaswenshas

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OTHER FACT-CHECKS

FIFA Soccer Organization Team Declaration: Eligibility for any national team depends on the following criteria: 

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• Player was born on the territory

• Player has biological mother or father born on the territory

• Player has grandmother or grandfather born on the territory

• Player has lived continuously on the territory for at least 2 years - as in the case with Dom Dwyer for the US Men’s National Team

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If the above criteria is met, player may “only once” request to change their national team association. The change cannot occur if a player has played at the senior international level in a competitive international match, such as a World Cup Qualifier, FIFA World Cup, or other FIFA regional competitions. Senior friendlies, therefore, are not deemed sufficient to tie a player to a particular country association.

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Lib requested a Fact-Check on Jonathan Gonzalez, California-native with Mexican parents, who declared for Mexico’s National Team. This ESPN Article shares that Gonzalez, “felt like he was turning his back on the U.S., but insists that playing for El Tri now "feels like home."