HENRY MILLER | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
ALAMO — Isacc Gomez spent many years helping his daughters Kristi and Deserey Gomez learn volleyball.
“He introduced us to this amazing sport as a way for us to do something with our future,” Kristi said.
“He would tell us that this was our way out, our opportunity,” Deserey added.
He was right.
The sisters, both four-year starters for the PSJA Memorial Wolverines, signed Monday to continue their volleyball careers together at Laredo Community College.
Being close to home and their dad was a big factor, they said. Isacc Gomez was deported for illegally crossing the border and given 10 years before he can return to the United States. He didn’t have the opportunity to see his daughters play in high school. However, according to Azeneth Gomez, the sisters’ mom, that 10-year period is close to an end.
“We would play in Mexico, and he would be in the stands or coaching, and if we made a mistake, we would look up into the stands to see him,” Deserey Gomez said. “But when we started playing here, we would look up and then be like, ‘What are we looking for? He’s not here.’”
The signing was an emotional event as teammates, classmates, friends and family joined to celebrate at the PSJA Memorial library.
“They have done so much for this program. Literally taking it to another level,” said Angie Gonzales, who arrived as the head coach at PSJA Memorial a year before the duo started as freshman on the varsity squad. “Every young person couldn’t do wrong by following in their footsteps.”
The Gomez sisters’ interest in volleyball originated when they tried to join a game with some other girls but were shunned and told they didn’t know how to play. Their dad, however, wouldn’t let that stand and started buying balls. The family would play in their yard for hours. When they ran out of volleyballs, they would play pepper with heavier — and more painful — soccer balls.
“Even though he’s not present, he was the one who would always push them to do a lot,” Azeneth Gomez said. “We’ve always talked to them about, there are things in life you can’t control, but there are thing you can make changes in and make a difference. I’m so glad to see it impacted them. Results like this tell us, I guess, we did something right at some point.”
The girls fed off each other on the volleyball court and at home, as well, inspiring one another to continue to work. Their mom said she remembers several times waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning to find them doing homework in the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” she recalled asking. “‘Mom, this is due tomorrow, so I have to finish it.’ They are very responsible girls.”
“Honestly, this is a dream come true,” Kristi Gomez said. “I don’t know what I could do without my dad and my family. We get homesick really quick. I know that one day we will be more mature and grow up, but for right now, I prefer him being close, and we both have a chance now to be close to family. And, hopefully, he will see us play in Laredo one day.”