National hockey midfielder Gabriella Xavier is certainly one of Guyana’s most decorated female hockey players.
The 29-year-old, who was born and raised in Georgetown, has over a decade of national experience and well over 50 appearances for the Golden Arrowhead.
Xavier recently spoke with Stabroek Sport about the impact the sport has had on her life. Her intention, she says, is to leave women’s hockey in a much better place than she met it.
But before we get to her comments, let’s look at when hockey began to tug on her heartstrings. She initially picked up the hockey stick before she became a teenager and immediately fostered a bond with the game.
At that tender age, the former Stella Maris Primary school graduate was struck by the attention given to women’s hockey by coach Philip Fernandes, whom she said became a staple throughout her hockey career.
She simply couldn’t resist the temptation of being part of the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) sisterhood and held on to the hockey stick. Today, the sport has given her a collage of opportunities and memories.
Xavier came through the ranks and is a product of the highly-rated hockey programme at GCC. She formed part of the GCC Spartans Under -21 team which won the annual Magnolias Indoor Under – 21 tournament in Trinidad from 2008 – 2011 and she recalled: “those were some of the best days of hockey for me.”
She also flourished with the senior GCC side, winning a number of local tournaments – too many to mention – but most notable, the Diamond Mineral Water international indoor tournament.
After making her national debut during the 2010 CAC Games in Puerto Rico, the midfielder went on to make national appearances in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and at home during the 2017 CAC Games.
Even with such an impressive resume, Xavier says she still has unfinished business on the hockey pitch, one of which has a bit of history-making attached to it.
“I have two constant goals at the moment; I want to make it to an Indoor World Cup and secondly, to ensure Guyana ladies reach the Pan Am Games.”
Asked if she is satisfied with the way her career panned out, Xavier confessed that while she is gratified with the way things turned out, there is room for improvement, especially to achieve her goal in propelling Guyana to its first indoor World Cup.
“I think given where I am now to where I was when I first started, both mentally and physically, I am satisfied.
“However, with everything there is always room for improvement and I am quite sure that even after I decide to hang up my stick, giving back to both GCC and Guyana for field hockey will forever be on my agenda,” said the former Bishops’ High School student who has a degree in Finance from the Florida International University.
She shared some of her most cherished moments playing for Guyana and surprisingly, playing at home trumps them all.
“Playing in the Indoor Pan Am Cup for Guyana in 2017 and having my parents in the crowd. There is nothing like having your support system and doing what you love on the home floor.”
She also basked in the memories of copping silver at the Pan Am Challenge in Rio in 2010 and gold at the CAC Qualifiers in Jamaica in 2017. Her most noted individual award came at the end of 2017, capturing the MVP for the Diamond Mineral Tournament.
“It was one of the longest years for hockey and it ended beautifully after hard work on the floor,” she explained.
Aiding her personal and national achievements was the “amazing” camaraderie among national and club teammates, including her sister Alysa whom Gabriella said, is her most beloved teammate.
“No one pushes me to be the best version of myself like she (Alysa) does. Somehow whenever she is around, my energy is the greatest it can be and is always high,” she said.
Xavier, when asked what hockey means to her, said she has a love-hate relationship with the sport but welcomes every bit of hardship and success that comes her way. She acknowledged that she won’t be able to play the sport forever but noted that while she’s involved, appreciating the amazing game she loves will be her sole heart’s desire.
