Sophomore Fabiola Yanez-Gomez is the only girl on Gretna’s club hockey team. It sets her apart from her teammates, but, in the same way that the team has hopes for a successful season, she has big dreams for herself and her future in the sport.
“Being the only girl on a team can sometimes feel very challenging and alone because it feels like I have to do more to prove myself capable of doing things, and I don’t really have anyone that I relate to,” Fabiola Yanez-Gomez said. “But the best feeling is playing and proving that I can do things well.”
She started playing hockey 10 years ago when she was only five years old. Previously, Gomez played on an all-girls team but switched over to the Gretna team after the 2024 season.
“My school gave out a paper to try hockey for free,” Yanez-Gomez said, “and I really wanted to do it, so I convinced my parents to let me do it.”
She has been extremely dedicated to the sport ever since. Even though she is the only girl on the ice, she is a key player.
“I’d say [my role on the team] would be pretty important because I play defense, and defense is a really big part of the team. And I think I like to motivate people too to feel good about themselves,” Yanez-Gomez said.
As for how she gets along with the other players, she said she believes the relationships forged with teammates are crucial.
According to Yanez-Gomez, team bonds are built on and off the ice.
“It’s 50/50. On the ice, talking to them and helping them out if they need help and making jokes too,” Yanez-Gomez said. “And then off the ice, hanging out with them, like team building and stuff like that.”
Her older brother, senior Andres Yanez-Gomez, is also on the team. He said that having his sister on the team “feels weird,” but he is glad that some girls dare to play against all boys. Having a brother and sister duo on the ice can be an advantage.
“We will understand each other a little more and can be ahead of the game,” Andres Yanez-Gomez said.
Hockey is a tough sport, as much physically as it is mentally. During close games, that pressure can be especially hard. Even though it’s difficult sometimes to keep playing, she perseveres.
“I take a breather because it can be really easy to panic when you have the puck and making bad plays,” Fabiola Yanez-Gomez said. “So I just take a breather and remind myself to play good.”
