The first Tuesday of each month, we interview someone from Charlotte Latin Athletics with twenty questions to help the CLS community get to know some of our athletes, coaches, and supporters a bit better.
 
This month, meet the Clutter siblings: Carson '25 and Kennedy '28. Between them, they have represented the Hawks in eight different sports. Carson is currently a captain and leading rusher on the football team, he'll wrestle for the Mat Hawks this winter, and plans to play lacrosse and run track this spring. Kennedy is making an impact as a freshman on the varsity field hockey team and looks forward to soccer tryouts this spring. She's hanging up her basketball shoes, though, due to conflicts with club team travel. They're both supported in a not-so-behind-the-scenes way by their parents, who are engaged and active volunteers. Ryan Clutter might get credit for bringing Powder Puff football back to CLS, and Jennifer Clutter has been a multi-year team parent, a Hawkspys committee organizer, and is the Booster Club's president-elect for 2025-26. Not to be left out, Westport Clutter is the family's Wheaten Terrier who apparently doesn't play favorites. Read on to get to know a bit more about the Clutters: 
 
1. How did the Clutter family get settled in Charlotte and when did you become a part of the Latin community?
Carson: Our parents met at Indiana University on a date with his fraternity and her sorority. He graduated a year or two before Mom.
Kennedy: Dad always wanted to come to Charlotte.
Carson: He knew Charlotte had a booming commercial real estate market and so he sought out a job here.
Kennedy: Mom did sales but she really liked interior design and got an interior design degree after college.
Carson: I started school at Latin in third grade.
Kennedy: I came in kindergarten, but it was the same year that Carson started.
 
2. What have some of your favorite classes or subjects been at Latin?
C: Generally, my favorite subject is engineering and it's what I want to do in college. I really like math and also really enjoyed AP History with Mr. Weiss last year.
K: History is my favorite subject, but I really like my yearbook class this year.
C: We both have Ms. Davis this year and she's also been a great advisor.
 
3. In addition to Ms. Davis, have you had a particularly impactful CLS teacher?
K: Mrs. Korkowski. She's kind of like my second mom. I go in her room every day before school and tell her everything. She's helped me through some difficult situations and I've gotten close to her kids now too.
C: It's hard to pick just one. Ms. Coble, Ms. Webb-G, Mr. Dubick, or Mr. Weiss. They're all really great teachers.
 
4. Your parents are very engaged members of the Booster Club, and of the Latin athletics community in general. Your dad seems particularly passionate about Powder Puff. Where do you think that comes from?
K: He had it growing up and he loved coaching it and thought it would be a great tradition to have it at Latin. After last year's game, a lot of the girls told him how much they loved it and that it was their favorite thing at Latin.
C: He got a lot of warm reactions from it last year, so he wanted to keep it going.
 
5. You're both participating in next week's rescheduled Powder Puff game – Kennedy as a player for the freshmen and Carson as a coach for the seniors. Are you ready?
K: He's ready to lose to the freshmen.
C: I felt like we had a good practice with the people that were there. We've got separate offensive and defensive players. Asher (Weiers) is coaching the defense and I think he did a good job. We've got Wallace (Roberts) at QB, and Eleanor (Fisher) at running back.
K: I think our coaches are a little inexperienced, but it's okay. And we're going both ways because we don't have enough players to do separate offense and defense. But we all want to win really badly, and we take it seriously at practice.
 
6. You're both multisport athletes. Were your parents? Did their interests influence your choices?   
K: Nothing my Mom and Dad did influenced my sports. Mom did lacrosse in high school and was a big dancer for most of her life. She played tennis and was a cheerleader. Dad did football and track. I did play tennis for a while, and danced, but both of those both kind of fizzled out.
C: A fun fact about our mom is that she was coaching high school lacrosse at South Meck for three years and was coaching them in the state championship the day before I was born.
K: They brought her a stool to sit on during the game, but she didn't sit on it.
C: They went out for Mexican food after the game, then she went into labor and had me the next morning.  
 
7. So was lacrosse your first sport, Carson?
C: My first sport was baseball. Mom says baseball was one of my first words and that I was swinging a bat before I could walk. I played it until the age cutoff changed for Little League and I missed my sixth-grade season of baseball. I did Southpark Falcons lacrosse instead. I started wrestling in sixth grade too. That's something I never thought I'd do, but I wanted to play a sport at Latin and Mr. Wolfe is convincing. Football started in seventh grade. I had played flag (football) before that, but not tackle. Then last spring, I tried running track. I had always wanted to do track but it's the same season as lacrosse, so I couldn't. Last year, I was able to work it out to do a few meets and I have added track workouts into my training sessions. I'm hoping to make it to more meets this year and hopefully get a 4x200m relay together that can compete at states.
 
8. Do you have a favorite of the sports you play?  
K: I can't answer. I don't have a favorite. The one I'm playing at the time is my favorite.
C: My absolute favorite sport is skiing, but I can't do that year-round. Of the sports I play at Latin, football is my favorite.
 
9. What has been your favorite Latin sports moment so far?  
K: There was a (field hockey) game against Catholic this year…we did lose in overtime, which was my first experience playing in overtime. But the game was really fun and everyone played with such intensity. It had rained, and we were playing under the lights and there was great energy. I am also really enjoying watching Carson this football season. I've been to every game since his freshman year, and I've never seen the team be this close and this successful. I also lost my voice cheering for him at the wrestling state championship last year.
C: Both of the state championships in wrestling have been great. I think one of my favorite moments, though, was this season's fourth quarter comeback against Metrolina. I've been on a lot of teams that had trouble picking ourselves up when we got down in games, but this year, we've been able to overcome that. One of the strongest aspects of our team this fall has been the ability to handle adversity. Another favorite was the Charlotte Christian game my freshman year (when Latin won on a last-second field goal by Dave Mosrie).
 
10. Carson, it's senior year. How is the college application process going and will athletics be part of that decision?
C: I was waiting on ACT scores to come back and they just came in, so I'm working on finishing applications. I've applied to Auburn and plan to submit to Clemson, Virginia Tech, and the honors college at Tennessee. I'm looking for an engineering program first. I'd play sports if it worked out at a school where I know I'll be part of a strong engineering program. I may try to walk on at a school for football, but most likely I'll play club lacrosse.
 
11. Have you both set goals for yourselves or your teams this year?
K: I want to win a state championship in either sport while I'm at Latin. I think it can happen. In soccer this year, I just want to have a good season, no matter what team I'm on, and have a good work rate the whole time.
C: My goal for the football season is to not have any regrets. I'd like to see us come together and play some truly perfect football. Crucial moments in games come from how you respond to mistakes, both yours and ones made by the other team. I'd like to see us play as perfectly as we can and capitalize on our opponents' mistakes. I would really love to see another state championship for the wrestling team and get one for lacrosse.
 
12. As active and competitive as you both are, how have you stayed healthy? 
C: I've definitely had setbacks from injury. Andy (Russo) has been amazing this year and has really helped me through. Kristin (Edwards) and Cheri (Pratt) are always supportive and helpful too. The trainers here are incredible.
K: I've struggled with a lot of knee stuff. Different doctors have given us different opinions and advice, but we haven't figure it out yet. I go to the trainers during activity period every day and they are so understanding and give me treatments to help me feel the best that I can.
 
13. You've had many coaches at Latin. Are there any that you've made a particularly strong connection with?
K: There's not a bad coach at Latin. They're all so positive. Coach Alt was so supportive. Joey is great and funny and so easy to talk to about anything. I love all of our field hockey coaches. MYRO is very wise. Our new coach, Mike Mendoza, is helping me a lot with my reverse hit right now. He's currently playing so it's fun to learn from him. Coach Searles has been a great mentor and helped me work through some issues with club soccer coaches. Giavonni is a great coach who works really hard and I'm kind of sad I'm not going to play (basketball) for him this year.
C: Number one for me would be Coach Paige. I see him every morning when I lift in the Strength Center and I talk to him about a lot of different things. And, of course, he's my wrestling coach. We're talking this year about being an illuminator from the community read book, and that's Coach Paige.
K: Yes, he inspires people.
C: Also, Coach Dayton. He has been the constant through a lot of uncertainty in football, and he's spent a lot of time reorganizing the program and the vibe is so much better. The whole football coaching staff is super engaging and it's a great combination of people. Coach Dayton has always been there for the athletes individually and for the team.
K: I don't even have him as a coach, but if I ever need anything, I know he (Coach Dayton) would be there for me. Same thing with Coach Paige.
 
14. Are there any CLS athletes that inspired you or that you view as a role model? 
K: Reese Morgan. She's a captain in field hockey and even though it's not her main sport, she's always aggressive and she works really hard. She wants to win and she puts in extra time and really cares about the team.
C: I'd say James Van Nort, Daniel Haughton, and Jacob Snyder. As a freshman, I looked up to them and watched the way they carried themselves, the way they played their sports, and the way they talked to other people.
K: Having my brother as a senior, I know and look up to a lot of his friends.  
 
15. Would you say you two have a close relationship as siblings?
C: Yeah, we're pretty close. I take credit for Kennedy having sharp elbows.
K: I would not be the athlete I am without him. Not even close.
C: We are extremely competitive with each other – in everything. I think we've gotten even closer now that we're both in high school.
K: But we never see each other.
C: That's true. By the time I get home, she's at soccer practice, and then I leave early.
 
16. Alright, let's finish up with a few easy questions. Beach or mountains?
K: Beach. I love the beach.
C: Mountains. I'm a big camper and I love backpacking.
K: But, really….lake.
C: Yeah, definitely lake. We wakeboard and wake surf a lot in the summer. Fourth of July is the best holiday because we get to hang out at the lake with a lot of people.
K: Fourth of July is the best and every year it gets better.  
 
17. Do you cook? If so, what's your specialty?
C: I don't cook a lot, but I do like cooking. Steak is probably my specialty.
K: Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. It's the only thing I make. When Carson cooks there's extra butter everywhere.
C: Yeah, I'm messy.
 
18.  What's your dream job?
C: I don't really know. Maybe work at SpaceX or something. Be a National Geographic photographer or mountaineer. Yes, actually, be a mountaineer and be paid for that through sponsorship.
K: Maybe a travel agent, or something where I get to travel around. Or work with some kind of sports team.
 
19. Who's the most competitive person in the family?  
Both: Me.
C: One of the two of us. Actually, it could be our dad. He gets real fired up about Latin football.
K: He only gets that way about football. I think it's definitely me.
 
20. What is something you admire about one another?
C: I like how competitive Kennedy is. I always know what her opinion is because she will immediately tell me, without hesitation.
K: Carson doesn't let other people's opinions get in the way of how he wants to live his life. He's very focused, and he doesn't do anything halfway.