International goals: Two field hockey players travel overseas to call CMU their new home


img_4106_copy
Brianna Hughes | Staff Photographer New Zealand sophomore Harriet Aburn fights for the ball during the game against Iowa in the Field Hockey Complex on Oct. 11.

Two foreign exchange students flew across the world so they could join Central Michigan’s field hockey family.

Sophomore backer Harriet Aburn transferred in 2014 from Wellington, New Zealand and junior midfielder Maude Stalars transferred in 2013 from Brussels, Belgium, finding their new home in the little city of Mount Pleasant.

“I chose CMU because I really enjoyed what Earl Marais, the field hockey assistant coach, had to say about field hockey and I agreed with his ideas,” Aburn said. “I also wanted to go somewhere that was like a small town because I’m from a small country, so I didn’t want to go to a big city.”

Besides playing field hockey, Aburn lettered in cricket all four years during high school while also coaching beginning field hockey teams.

Adjusting to a new country and schooling system wasn’t easy for the two. Stalars, who scored the game-winning goal in her team’s first victory of the year Friday, came from a French and Dutch speaking country, making the transition tougher.

“I thought it would be quite similar to what it was like in Belgium, but it was way more different than I thought,” Stalars said. “It was hard adjusting to the language and I really had a culture shock because people dress differently, speak differently than what I studied, the schooling system (is) different, it (is) quite different.”

Aside from the differences, CMU became a second home for Aburn and Stalars.

“When I came here, everyone was so welcoming,” Stalars said. “They just say hi, even if they don’t know you. It was really a pleasant surprise.”

Most importantly, they found a new family of teammates who they could rely on to guide them through their transition.

“I really enjoy the team because everyone is so welcoming and so focused during practice,” Aburn said. “I just enjoy that everyone loves field hockey as much as I do. Off the field, we bond a lot as a team and everyone here has different personalities and we’re never bored. It is comforting to have a team that will always be there for you.”

Aburn and Stalars found CMU is the perfect fit for them to grow as individuals and players. With their experiences living in different countries, they are also able to share their knowledge and perspective about their home country with others.

“Maude and Harriet are so beneficial to our team because they grew up playing hockey,” Head Coach Molly Pelowski said. “They have a greater perspective and maturity. They bring depth and flavor to the team sharing their knowledge of the game. They both are hard workers and really love the game.”

As individuals, they are quite different on and off the field.

“We call Maude our hockey head, she is definitely aggressive and physical on the field,” Pelowski said. “She understands the game and is very skilled. Harriet on the other hand is very shy and introverted, but has great knowledge of the game and great team dynamics. Both of them add different personalities to the team.”

Share: