FIRTH – Valerie Gabel was on the bench when the Norris Lady Titans’ tipped off against Pius X in the class B girls basketball state championship game in 2015. It was at that point that she made a vow to herself that if she ever made it back to that point, that she’d make sure she was starting.
Two years later, she had her opportunity against South Sioux City. Gabel did not let it go to waste. The then-junior not only started, but scored the first basket of the game. The Lady Titans would fall to SSC in the game, but that first bucket is a memory Gabel will never forget.
It’s that competitive spirit that has defined Valerie Gabel’s life. Now, as she prepares to graduate from Norris High School, she will do so being the only 12-time letter winner in school history.
“I get it from my family. I have three older sisters and a younger brother, and we’re always competing over everything,” Gabel said. “I get a lot of it from my oldest sister, Abbie. She’s super competitive and always told me to be the best I can be and to not give up.”
In the spirit of competition, Gabel set a goal for herself at the beginning of high school: letter in three sports all four years. She faced immediate challenges with that goal, as Gabel decided to play golf instead of volleyball her freshman year. Gabel had never played golf before her freshman year at Norris, but she didn’t let deter her from becoming a three-time state qualifier in the sport. She had her best finish her senior year, finishing tied for 16th at the state meet.
“It was hard at first to figure out how to swing a club. Just knowing that I accomplished lettering in that sports means a lot to me, as a person,” Gabel said.
Her competitive drive also led her to change course in her senior year. After being on the track team for three years, Gabel decided she wanted a new challenge. She knew she could letter in track, but was looking for something new to do in her senior year. So, she decided to try out for the soccer team. She earned a spot as the team’s starting goalie and was a key part of the Lady Titans’ subdistrict championship team.
“I knew the girls needed a goalie, and I really love being in a team atmosphere. It was my last year, and I just wanted to have fun. It was the best decision for me because not only did I have a blast learning a whole new sport, but I also got to meet new people that I never thought I’d get to meet,” Gabel said.
Not only was Gabel successful on the field, but she also earned the respect of her peers off it. She was named one of the team captains for soccer this year despite the fact she hadn’t played organized soccer since she was in elementary school.
“I think that speaks to the type of person Valerie is,” Norris girls’ soccer coach Dylan Kendall said. “She’s one of the true competitors that I’ve coached across football, basketball or soccer. She made a lot of difference for us. Just her presence alone helped us win games and stay in games. As a captain, she definitely led by example.”
Gabel had an athletic career most dream of having, but the way she did it is an even greater accomplishment.
That’s because Gabel did all these things while being deaf in her right ear. It’s something Gabel has lived with her entire life. The senior never let it be an excuse in her pursuit of athletic success.
“It’s challenging when coaches are yelling out plays because I’m so focused on the game that I don’t hear things,” Gabel said. “I had to make sure I would be looking at the coach to see if they called a play or something or I would ask them extra questions to make sure I was doing everything right.”
Her father couldn’t be any prouder of the way her daughter has thrived despite not having any hearing on one ear.
“She’s always been trying to overcome and show people that this isn’t a disability for her,” John Gabel said. “Anybody can do three sports for four years if they hang around, but she wanted to letter in all of those. That’s the thing I’m most proud of.”
Her athletic career is over, but Gabel will be doing things bigger than sports in the future. She plans on studying elementary education with a minor in coaching at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Gabel has always had a passion for working with kids, and she wants to pursue that as a career.
“Seeing the kids having fun while learning just makes my day,” Gabel said.
This story was originally published in the May 17, 2018 edition of The Voice News. If you would like a subscription to The Voice News, visit http://www.voicenewsnebraska.com
By Austin Hough 
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