Meghan O'Leary's unique perspective on transitioning out of sports comes from experience.
She's done so more than once.
As a former two-sport athlete at Virginia, a two-time Olympic rower and now a key figure on the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, O'Leary understands the challenges athletes face when their competitive careers end.
"I knew going into the (2020 Olympics) that those were my last Games," said O'Leary, who serves as head of commercial development and innovation for both the USOPC and LA28, the group organizing the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. "I was an athlete all my life. I was a volleyball and softball college athlete, transitioned out of sports because I went to work and then got to have this second life as an elite athlete. So I'd been through that transition before, and quite honestly, I didn't give it enough credit. It really hits every athlete in a unique way."
This personal experience has made O'Leary an advocate for providing better support to athletes during their transitions. Her current role at the USOPC allows her to make significant contributions in this area.
"It was such a unique combination of five years of ESPN, media rights background, programming background," O'Leary said of the role, which she also said pulled from her experience working with startup companies. "In startup life, we're kind of building things and understanding how to serve a customer in the marketplace. Then, obviously, being an athlete, it was all of that tied up into something where I felt like I can make an impact."
One of O'Leary's significant achievements in this role is a partnership with the education company Guild that offers unprecedented support and diverse opportunities for athletes, addressing their needs beyond their sport.
"This truly is a pretty remarkable partnership, in the sense that it is unprecedented," she said. "We've had education partners in the past, but to this degree of diversity of offerings, support and meeting every athlete where they are in their life, that's what's really unique. It's special, and it's groundbreaking."
The Guild partnership provides Team USA athletes with education and career development opportunities, ensuring a seamless transition from athletic competition to professional careers. This support is crucial, as athletes often find themselves out of pace with their nonathlete peers professionally after retiring from sports. The Guild's tailored approach ensures long-term success for athletes by offering tuition-free education and personalized one-on-one coaching.
O'Leary's transition from elite athlete to a key figure in sports administration exemplifies how the skills and lessons from her time as a student-athlete have positively impacted every stage of her career. At Virginia, O'Leary excelled in both volleyball and softball, a dual commitment that demanded exceptional time management and prioritization skills.
"Being a college athlete forces you to mature because you have to make decisions and take ownership of them," she said.
After college, O'Leary joined ESPN and worked in programming, where she thrived in a fast-paced environment, but the call of competition remained strong. At 25, she discovered rowing by chance through CrossFit, which introduced her to an erg machine. That piqued her interest enough to look a little deeper into the sport.
"I Googled (rowing lessons). I was 25," O'Leary said, laughing. "I played volleyball and softball at the University of Virginia. UVA has a great rowing program. The rowing coach did try and recruit me. I said, 'I'm busy, but thank you. I'm flattered.'"
That coach saw something in O'Leary that she herself discovered years after her college career ended. Within a year of her first time in a boat, she was training with the national team, a testament to her adaptability and determination. Competing on the world stage was transformative.
"The Olympics was a dream come true, opening up a whole new world for me," O'Leary says. "It was a massive accomplishment and dream come true."
She credits her time at Virginia for laying the foundation for her Olympic journey.
"That allowed me to then go into this very big dream and very big, steep mountain I had to climb, but say, 'You know what? I've done this before. I actually have the tools. It's an entirely different sport, but I know how to apply and be able to successfully do that,'" O'Leary said. "That mindset was instrumental in being a college athlete."
A former volleyball and softball athlete at Virginia, O'Leary competed in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics in rowing. She got introduced to rowing at age 25, opening up an unexpected path to become an Olympian. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images)
