FirstPoint USA client and recent graduate of St Columba's School, Maddie Cleat, has committed to a field hockey scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley. As Maddie only has a few months before she sets off for the states, we recently caught up with her to find out what she is most looking forward to about her time at Cal Berkeley.
Maddie tells us she is looking forward to heading out and properly meeting her team at Cal Berkeley when she starts in August. Stating, "it will be really fun to get to know them through training and just being together 24/7." Maddie is also looking forward to meeting student athletes from different sports, as they will all be there together for pre-season.
The facilities at Cal Berkeley are also something that Maddie is looking forward to; telling us that they look unbelievable. Training on the pitch and in the gym throughout the year is something Maddie can't wait for. Especially, as the facilities at Cal Berkeley are so modern compared to what Maddie is currently used to in Scotland.
Furthermore, the Californian weather is something Maddie is really excited for. Telling us, "it will be good to get away from the rain here and have a permanent tan (even if it is a hockey tan) and be blonder!" But Maddie is also looking forward to exploring California and its surroundings, such as San Francisco which will only be thirty minutes away.
Maddie tells us that she has already been sent her Hockey Match Schedule for the season and she can't wait to play with the team and travel to different places for games. This will give Maddie the opportunity to see more of America, but also to play against other universities where some of her friends will be attending.
Finally, Maddie tells us she is also looking forward to frat parties and tail gates. "Going to tailgates before an American Football game and frat parties throughout the year will just be such a good time to socialise and meet new people while having a class time."
We'd like to wish Maddie the best of luck for her field hockey scholarship at Cal Berkeley, we're sure she'll have a fantastic time.