How Trish Earned Her MSc from the #1 Uni in the World for Sports Subjects
My name is Trisha Thompson and I am from Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. I am playing soccer at Loughborough University and getting a master’s degree in Musculoskeletal Sport Science and Health. Prior to becoming a TeamGLEAS student-athlete, I played DII women’s soccer for Coker College in the South Atlantic Conference. My plan after college before learning about TeamGLEAS was to get my master’s while being a graduate assistant somewhere in the US or go home to Canada and get certified as a kinesiologist to work. I wanted to still be involved with soccer and preferably playing.
I heard about TeamGLEAS from friends at Coker College. I had three friends one year ahead of me go through TeamGLEAS to continue playing and getting their master’s. Two played men’s lacrosse and one played women’s volleyball. They all had great experiences and suggested the program to me. I also had friends in my year at college doing the same process as me with TeamGLEAS. A careers person at Coker also suggested TeamGLEAS to me.
My initial thoughts were that it was exactly what I wanted to do and I couldn’t believe a program existed for free that would help me. I was extremely excited to continue playing soccer, get my master’s degree in one year, and have the opportunity to stay abroad for my education.
I knew I wanted to do my master’s degree and I couldn’t imagine trying to go to university without playing soccer, especially doing it for 4 years already at the NCAA level. I loved being a student-athlete. I chose to pursue TeamGLEAS after talking with Lindsey and my friends who worked with her.
I already moved out of my home country for university so I didn’t have many initial fears or hesitation in leaving my comfort zone. Honestly, my biggest challenge since moving abroad was the time difference which was easy to overcome. I created a daily routine of class and practice. Being able to be a student-athlete still and having my course friends and teammates really helped with that. Having the support of family and friends from back home and occasional FaceTime calls also really helps.
The biggest difference I have found between the US and UK academic systems is the amount of help professors give you as well as the grading. In about half of my classes, the professors don’t offer any additional help or clarification on coursework. Most of the time, everyone in my program has the same questions and if we can’t get it answered, we do the work and the teachers realize we actually need the clarification we asked for after they graded the work. Then they grade accordingly so while it’s not too big of a deal, it is slightly frustrating. The grading system is different in the UK but is easy to understand once it’s explained to you.
The biggest difference between the US and UK college athletic systems is the length of the playing season. Women’s soccer in the US plays their competitive season in the fall from August to December. In the UK, the season runs from October to March. All sports play all year long with one game a week unlike the seasons and multiple games a week in the US. Travel distance to games isn’t as far as what we’re used to in the US, but our British teammates think it’s really far. We always get a good giggle out of that.
My favorite part of the TeamGLEAS experience so far is everything! I get to be a student-athlete in a more relaxed environment while getting my master’s in one year instead of two. I get to play the sport I love, study, and travel throughout the year and grow even more as a person. On top of that, I’m making friends from all over the world.
Balancing my master’s program, sports commitments, and travel plans has been extremely manageable. Having already played in the NCAA as a student-athlete balancing school work and sports commitments, it’s a juggling act I’m already used to. If I have a ton of work due at a particular time, most coaches understand if you miss one practice as long as you speak to them beforehand and still put in the work. Travel-wise, my class schedule hasn’t allowed me to travel as much as I wanted during the semester, but breaks here are much longer so I take advantage during that time. I have visited 6 countries and plan on visiting 2-3 more while living in the UK.
UK universities have the entire month of April off for Easter Break. I took the opportunity to travel to 5 countries with my cousin and visit friends in a few of those countries. It was great! Another thing I got to do during the exam month was take a day trip to Stone Hedge. It was a 3 hours there and 3 hours back. We rented a car and took a study break because our exams were so spread out.
I’m confident competing and earning my master’s degree from the UK will be beneficial to my career goals especially because Loughborough University is the #1 ranked university in the world for sports-related subjects. I have no doubt that completing my master’s abroad and learning about new cultures and opportunities will help enhance my resume.
My future plans are to work as a kinesiologist with athletes. Currently, I’m open to jobs in Canada, the US, and the UK. I’m excited to see where life takes me and what doors will open after having done this experience.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to adapt to the UK and European life. I’ve learned how to embrace their lifestyle and I’m growing as a person because of it. How cool is that to be able to see and immerse yourself in a new culture for at least one year and take amazing memories with you for life?
My advice for anyone considering the TeamGLEAS Experience for themselves is DO IT! Take the leap and pursue this amazing opportunity. It is only one year. One year to play the sport you love again, get your master’s degree, AND travel the world. Could it get any better than that?
