Mick McDermott

Bruno Espalha is a DGERT-certified training provider and founder of Sportrail, Bravia Sports' education partner. Over the past decade, Bruno has built Sportrail into a leading coach education and programme design company, training more than 3,500 professionals across Portugal, Spain, and increasingly the United States, combining online programmes, tailor-made in-person experiences at elite clubs, and strategic consulting for the football industry.

His work sits at the intersection of coach education, scouting methodology, and programme design, ensuring what's delivered holds up in the dressing room, not just in a slide deck. That experience, coaching courses, international tours, club visits, player recruitment and trials, makes him an invaluable asset to the Bravia Gap-Year programs.

With over 25 years in the world of sport, Karla McDermott brings a rare mix of elite athletic experience, collegiate operations expertise, and a genuine passion for developing young people to her role as Bravia Sports' Director of Player Care & Family Relations.

A Division 1 full-scholarship athlete at the University of Rhode Island, Karla went on to serve as Director of Operations for the volleyball program at Oregon State University, gaining first-hand insight into the structure, discipline, and support systems that high-performing collegiate athletes need to succeed. Her career has since spanned coaching staffs, coaching education, and international sport development work across Europe and the Middle East.

In recent years, Karla has focused on leveraging the power of sport, music, art, and education to help young people thrive, most recently as Director of Development and Outreach for an international education provider based in Portugal. That experience, paired with her own journey as an American living and working abroad, gives her a deep understanding of what it takes for young players and their families to navigate life in a new country with confidence.

At Bravia Sports, Karla is the first and most consistent point of contact for every player and family, guiding them from onboarding through day-to-day life in the program, making sure every player feels seen, supported, and set up to succeed, on the pitch and off it.