David Carle's Got an ESPN.com Gig

Posted by adn_aces

Posted: November 12, 2008 - 4:32 pm

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I've never met David Carle of Anchorage -- we've talked on the phone a couple or three times, and he seems like a great kid -- but he's starting to get on my nerves.

I mean, the guy just turned 19 last Sunday, and he's already got a gig busting out a column for ESPN.com. Not to put too fine a point on it, but, at 19, I had not yet written my first published newspaper story, let alone snagged work on a national scale. (At 47, I...well, feel free to insert your own joke here).

I'm kidding, of course, about David grinding on my nerves. Really, he's one pretty together teenager. Puckheads likely remember that David was a prized young defenseman headed to the University of Denver and likely as a high as a second-round pick in last summer's NHL draft before a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy just prior to the draft caused him to retire from the sport. HCM is a thickening of the heart wall that can cause sudden death during strenuous activity.

Anyhow, David handled that crushing news with poise and perspective beyond his years. Class-act Denver and coach George Gwozdecky honored David's scholarship -- Tampa Bay drafted David, another class move -- and he's serving as a student assistant for the Pioneers. He is also reaching out to the public to educate it on HCM and is involved with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association.

You can check out David's latest column here and take a look at his debut column here.

And, by the way, this Carle clan is turning out OK. The oldest son, Matt Carle, is a NHL defenseman with the Philadelphia Flyers. David, the middle son, no doubt is going to be a success at whatever he does in life. And Alex, the youngest, is a defenseman who just made the South High varsity as a freshman. Guess Karen and Bob Carle have graded out well as parents.

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