Just one month into her freshman season, Pella Broms stood in the weight room with her new team, adjusting to college life at the UNK. Then, in a single moment during a workout, everything changed.
“We were doing box jumps and then you could hear something in my knee,” Broms said.
A torn ACL sidelined her for six months, forcing her to step away from competition almost as quickly as she had arrived. What could have been a defining setback instead became a turning point.
Broms did not always see golf as a serious pursuit. Growing up in Sweden, she described it as something she did “during summer with my friends and family.” Although she began playing at four years old, her early focus was on hockey and skiing.
That began to shift at age 15 when she started exploring high school options. After being accepted into one of Sweden’s top golf schools, where she lived and trained in a boarding-style environment, Broms began to view the sport differently and take advantage of the opportunity.
Her mindset continued to evolve through those around her. Watching a peer make the national team and later seeing a former schoolmate win on the European Tour showed her what was possible and helped her realize she could pursue golf at a high level.
That belief led her to UNK, where Loper golf coach Shawn Rodehorst quickly noticed her ability.
“She has one of our highest golfing IQs,” Rodehorst said. “She can problem solve out on the course pretty well.”
During her recovery, Broms said she learned to separate her identity from the sport.
“Not putting how I value myself into golf, that really helped me,” Broms said. “I’m a golfer, but I’m also my own person.”
Rodehorst said that mindset reflects her approach to everything she does. Once she commits to something, he said, “she is going to do it,” pointing to her focus during rehabilitation
Even while sidelined, Broms remained connected to her team. As the only freshman and an international student, she relied heavily on that support system and said it “would have been so hard” without it.
She described the team culture as one built on trust and connection.
“We always put our team first,” Broms said. “It takes a whole village.”
Whether through team dinners or time spent together off the course, the bond is formed naturally.
“It’s not something our coach is forcing; it’s because we actually enjoy each other’s company,” Broms said.
When Broms returned to competition in Arizona, her goal was simple, finish the round.
“I was just hoping that I was going to be able to actually play all the holes,” Broms said.
After a difficult start that included a ball landing in a palm tree, she regrouped and delivered a strong second round. Broms tied for second with a 147 (76-71). She said she was “really proud” of how she responded.
She continued that momentum at Firekeeper Golf Course, placing third with a 5-over 221 (74-73-74), further establishing herself as a key contributor for the Lopers.
Now back on the course, Broms carries a different perspective. Her experience with injury reshaped how she approaches both golf and life. Success is no longer just about performance. It is about resilience, growth and appreciating every opportunity to compete.
