Every month our team get together to select one of our FirstPoint USA sport scholarship clients as our Athlete of the Month.
This month we have nominated field hockey player, and future Ohio State University student athlete Emma Royce! Congratulations Emma!
Ohio State University is a former FirstPoint USA University of the Month, and boasts some great prospects for talented young athletes looking to pursue their education with their sporting career simultaneously.
We contacted Emma to find out some more information about Emma's background and her reasons for choosing the American sports scholarship route;
What is your sporting background?
I have been playing Field Hockey for ten years now. I have always played at Surbiton Hockey Club and for the last eight years I have played for my school, Kingston Grammar. I have won four titles for school and club, two at an U14 level and two at an U18 level. I am part of the Ladies first team at my club that has recently been promoted to the Premier League and were runners up in the Women's National Cup Final.
What made you apply to FirstPoint USA?
From a young age I wanted to go to the US for University! Although it is possible to make contact with coaches as an individual, I knew FirstPoint USA would give me the exposure necessary to secure a place and to help with the applications as it can be an overwhelming process.
Were you happy with the offers you received? What made you choose Ohio State University?
I was happy with the offers I received - I had no idea that so many coaches would make contact! I chose Ohio State University because it is not only a great place to play top hockey but it also has a great academic reputation.
What advice would you have for anyone who is considering joining the scholarship program?
I would say - DO IT! It's really important to have people backing you and considering the things which are most important to you. I would also say, be patient....FirstPoint USA will do their job and the offers will come, but like all things you have to let your name, footage and skill reputation circulate before you sign the dotted line.
Would you recommend FirstPoint USA to others?
I would recommend FirstPoint USA to others. FirstPoint USA runs in a professional and efficient manner and is also very personal. It is not a faceless company, FirstPoint USA looks after the individual.
Over the years we have sent many talented young athletes to Ohio State University to pursue their academic and athletic ambitions. Our very own Hall of Famer, Aisling Coyle achieved great success in her time as a Buckeye.
Check out Aislings profile on our Hall of Fame Blog to find out more about her achievements.
Aisling also provided us with an interview to discuss what life was like for her as a Buckeye:
We are sure that Emma has the potential to be as successful if she works as hard as Aisling!
Check out what Emma's personal Sports Consultant, Nicola Pitticas had to say about her:
"I first met Emma down at the Sussex Hockey School Finals Day last year and was impressed with her attitude and ability. Emma had a strong ambition of pursuing a sports scholarship in the USA so sought the help of FirstPoint USA.Her Dad, Jon had a wealth of knowledge about the scholarship process which made our initial conversations a lot easier. He was very honest about Emma's ability and you could tell straight away that at some stage Dad Jon was not only her biggest fan, but also her coach.Emma plays at a very high level both at school and at club so she was an exciting prospect for our program. Emma was able to back up that sporting ability with good grades in the classroom. Her SAT score exceeded expectations which meant that she had a number of options on the table. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Emma and her Dad. All that remains is for me to say Best of Luck in your Freshman Year at Ohio State University! It will be tough but I believe you have the ability, and more importantly, the attitude to do really well for the squad!Go Buckeyes!"
We would like to thank Emma for taking the time to answer our questions about her experiences with our scholarship program, and we would like to wish her every success for her time at Ohio State University.
