This summer the University of Vermont women’s field  hockey team began its pre-season training in unfamiliar, yet exciting surroundings; playing the Scotland women's under-21 side over a three-match series at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

This across-the-pond training opportunity was in no small part due to UVM head field hockey coach Kate Pfeifer and player Carla Godsman and her family; Carla is a senior at the Grossman School of Business who hails from Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow in Scotland. 

Once the opportunity to train in Scotland had been identified by coach Kate, Carla and her family swung into action to make the trip an unforgettable experience for the team.

Aside from a demanding training schedule and playing the Scottish team, some serious sightseeing was organized including visits to Glasgow University, Loch Lomond, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Princes Street Gardens and trying out the culinary delights at a Burns Supper; including most of the team eating haggis and dancing the night away at a traditional Scottish ceilidh (pronounced K-lee) hosted by Carla’s family.

From playing field hockey at high school Carla, class of ’19 with a concentration in marketing, was scouted in Scotland at a hockey camp and invited to attend other U.S. colleges. But for Carla, once she landed in Vermont and instantly feeling at home it felt right. UVM and the Grossman School of Business were a good fit for her and her decision was an easy one.

“The Grossman School of Business is a tough school, it’s not an easy school to be in” Carla said. “A big part for me is the academic rigor, so having a degree from here is impressive to have on a resume.” She continued “Balancing those academics and athletics can be hard, so I’m grateful to have a great support system to get through school here and make it possible for me to succeed with my studies and with my athletics, especially professors DeWitt and Tomas. In fact all the professors here really care about their students, and they are always willing and open to meet with us whenever we need it.”  

She concluded “Being here at Grossman I’ve grown as a person, and although I have always been independent I have grown up too. I’ve learned how to prioritize, how to balance my work and life, and figure out what I want to do with my career. Grossman has a close-knit, family feel to it, where everybody knows one another, which is the perfect school size and ideal for me and the way I learn.”