CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard football senior Shane McLaughlin spent time with GoCrimson.com to discuss serving as team captain, what The Game means to him, and his experience during his time in Cambridge. 

How would you describe The Game? 

The way I tell my friends is it's our bowl game. It's our Super Bowl. It's always the 10^th game of the year. We don't have access to the bowl games or even playoffs as an Ivy League FCS program, so this is our opportunity to play on that stage. It's also just super rich with tradition. We always have a ton of alumni there. We know how much it means to the program. And it's funny because every year, no matter where Harvard stands, where Yale stands in the Ivy standings, it always feels the same. It always feels like a championship bowl-like game.

What does it mean to play in The Game?

It's understanding that you're not just playing for yourself. You're not just playing for the members on your team, but you're playing for, as we say, the 10,000 men of Harvard that have come before this, and then, especially as a senior, our families as well who have put into this program. Understanding that this is something of meaning for more than just us on the field.

How would you sum up your Harvard experience?

It's been the best learning experience, coming of age experience, as transitioning into a man, that I could ever ask for. It teaches you how to operate when time is of the essence, teaches you everything you need to know to navigate life. So, it's been, obviously a great football experience, but the ultimate experience in terms of becoming a man as well.

How has football prepared you for life?

Well, there's a bunch of really great people around us. Our coaching staff, many of whom know the Ivy model, many of whom played here. So having a great support system, mentors who understand our trials, and then you come in and you're going to be with 110 dudes who are all competitive, very mature and smart as well to push you. So, it's just going through every day with that sort of support system, learning from your elders and then just dealing with the demands of school, of summer job experiences, but also making sure that you're playing like a FBS program-level guy.

What advice would you give to future Harvard Football players?

To future generations, I would say just look through a lens of optimism. Understand that there's going to be days where you don't want to be out there, but the more energy you can add to this program, the more you can view everything with a positive light, the more you can get out of this entire experience. You're just going to make your team and your teammates better players.

What does it mean to be the 150^th football team captain?

It's definitely special. It's my biggest accomplishment thus far in my life. And I that's how I try to approach it. I also understand that there's a lot of respect that goes into that, and there's a lot of also capable guys who aren't in this role on the team. So, I just I try to lean on them. And then make sure that, everything is going right for the team before myself and anything else surrounding my life. It's the team for me. I just have a great support system with the coaches and also some of the other seniors who have been through this program for years with me.

What are some of your favorite traditions?

We have senior speeches. For a Saturday game, it would be a Friday night and it gives a chance for some of the seniors who don't normally have a platform to speak to say something that means something to them. Naturally, those are really funny sometimes. Those are always special. We always have great traditions. That Yale week where we come out and practice in different jerseys than we normally wear. We don't drop the focus, but there's little things like that, that make the experience a little bit sweet. And then, the tradition of being in the Harvard football program, some of the non-describable things like just walking out during the Yale game and seeing everything, that's super special to us.

What is your favorite memory so far?

My favorite memory so far will have to be last season, probably the Penn game. Winning in overtime, with a group that had to work through a lot and wasn't expected to win, really, the Ivy League at all. That was big. Obviously we didn't finish the job at Yale and that one stings a little bit. But yeah, that was fun. Got to experience that for what it was, jump up the stands, see my family. Thank them and show the love to them for coming to every game as well. That was special. But like I said, not finishing at Yale puts a little fuel to this fire this year for sure.