Carla Gómez: A Story of Resilience and Adaptation
Resisting withdrawal is, sometimes, being able to choose the moment to do so. And, until now, the Catalan based in A Guarda Carla Gómez did not choose to go to the stands and, Six months after his time at Mecalia Atlético Guardés was cut short, he returns to handball in the third category the Silver Honor Division, with the Oliveira & Faro Seaplast Cañiza elastic.
“Fabio Lima (coach), in the summer, tried several times to get me to go with them. I told him no, no handball, But two weeks ago Isma Lago (technical director) called me in case I could give them a hand and I said yes. Without further ado, I said: okay,” explains the pivot. She admits that it was “without thinking about it much.” And the desire to play was there, latent.
Adapting to Change
All of this after a few hard months because “I didn’t expect to have to leave it. I hoped to be at Guardés for one more season and I had already said that, if I didn’t continue, I wasn’t going to go to another team. Due to circumstances, the coaching staff and the board of directors did not count on me. Everything happens for a reason. At first, I took it badly, very badly. Little by little, I got used to the idea,” describes Carla Gómez.
Regarding his personal situation and the change of direction that his career took, he admits that “It cost me many tears. I cried a lot after the news of not continuing. Little by little, I began to watch some of Oscar’s games, who is my boyfriend, and he plays. For me, he could be without playing, but there is always something there and, when they called me from Cañiza, I said yes. At least, if these three months are my end as a player, I will remove the thorn inside me to finish well. And, if it comes to that, say: I’ll leave it here and it’s over. Not that they force me to do it.” A point of rebellion to choose the end of an already long career that, in the last six years, settled in the town of Baixo Miño.
Embracing New Beginnings
“Although it may not seem like it, I was born in Catalonia, but in a smaller town than A Guarda and I always preferred a town rather than a city to live. I didn’t know him well, but I soon adapted. The first season in Guardés was difficult for me because it always happens like this, but being such a small town, two days go by and people talk to you as if you were a lifelong person,” describes Carla Gómez.
In the case of Carla Gómez, another circumstance arose for her to stay in A Guarda. “Also, I fell in love with a Galician and, then, I want to stay here no matter what”, he clarifies. Therefore, his plans were to continue on the same team, but they changed against his will. However, he has already opened a new stage at Cañiza that has four months ahead of him and “I don’t know what I will do next. The Honor Division market is now, but I don’t know. If someone calls me, I don’t know. I have no plans, but my idea is to continue in Galicia, playing or not.” If you choose to leave permanently it will be of your own free will. I have a few months left to enjoy handball in the Silver Honor Division that is “different, the change is very big. I was used to playing with physically stronger and heavier people. Now they are smaller players, but I will have to adapt,” describes Carla Gómez. They call her to provide experience, defense in the center and “I am delighted to play again.”
Looking Towards the Future
And the Catalan woman is in that always complicated moment of changing from her sporting life to another different work activity. “On Saturday afternoons I didn’t know what to do. I never had them free. “I didn’t want to watch Division of Honor matches, but having free time I did start going to the pavilion to see Guardés,” admits. In her case, she is “studying oral hygiene remotely.” More training because in recent years she had already finished the middle cycle of nursing assistant. “I didn’t work, but I did do internships at San Xérome. It is necessary to do it because handball ends overnight and you have nothing. And in my case it was like that,” describes Carla Gómez. The future away from the track is close, although she wants to choose it.