2-time Olympian Kristi Kirshe is living her dream after winning a bronze medal with the US Women's Rugby Sevens team in Paris! The Franklin, Mass native has dreamt of being an Olympian since she was a kid, and while it may not look exactly as she thought (on the rugby pitch), it may be even better! Today we dive in to:

• The feeling of coming home to her Franklin High School field and community with as an Olympic Bronze Medalist
• Inner dialogue during the final seconds of the bronze medal match against Australia when Alex Sedrick (aka Spiff) scored to win the game
• Rugby culture -- camaraderie and competition
• Rise of the sport as a result of the team's performance and personalities
• The 1% of work and play the world sees vs. 99% we don't
• Love for movies & dream "meets"

Watch how Krisit first found rugby at 23 in Boston here.

Follow along with Kristi on social: @klkirshe

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Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a WNBA first: SOLD OUT game at Boston's TD Garden! The Connecticut Sun are hosting the LA Sparks for the pioneering moment. To celebrate the occasion we had to have CT Sun star Veronica Burton back on the podcast (you can listen to her first episode here!) Veronica grew up in the Boston area, had an incredible career on Northwestern University, was drafted to the Dallas Wings in 2022 where she played for a few years. Just before the 2024 season tip-off she was waved from the team. She stayed locked in and was ready when Connecticut called in June; she made an immediate impact and continues to do so. Today we dive in to:

• What it was like to get the call from the CT Sun to continue her WNBA dream closer to home
• Team chemistry and commitment to chasing the championship
• Physical and mental work that went in to staying ready between Dallas and CT
• Significance of FIRST-EVER women's professional basketball game at TD Garden (SOLD OUT, btw!)
• Role family has played in her life and career, especially sister Kayla

Follow along with Veronica on social: @veronicaab22

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Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the swing between fun and frustration on the tennis court that has Dana Mathewson hooked. Right now she is the country's top-ranked female in wheelchair tennis and is preparing for her third Paralympic appearance in Paris. She's been a pioneer in the sport for several years, cementing that legacy when she became the first American woman to earn a Grand Slam wheelchair title in 2022 at Wimbledon. Today we dive into:

• Significance of 3rd opportunity to represent Team USA at the Paralympic Games and her approach
• Value of routines and calmness in tennis
• How she found wheelchair tennis & hopes to shed adaptive sports of any stigma
• How her competitive nature and stubbornness have helped her pave a path she is proud to live
• Why growing the game is so important for disabled athletes of all ages
• Dana's non-negotiable on match day

Follow along with Dana on social: @dana.mathewson

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Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly

To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.