A loud bang could be heard against the doors of the practice field at the Bergstrom Football Complex next to Jack Trice Stadium. A couple of minutes go by before the next deafening smack.

It’s been 20 minutes since the ISU softball team had concluded its practice. One player, though, could be seen out in the middle of the football field.

Doused in sweat from several hours of practice, senior Brittaney Gomez crouched down, skirted to the side and threw the ball with intensity toward the net target set up in front of the doors of the practice facility.

Gomez, who played center field for three years, is practicing for her transition to shortstop. 

“I think at first I hurt my shoulder from throwing from [the] outfield,” Gomez said. “An outfield throw [compared to an] infield throw is really different.”

Gomez has proven to be effective at the position switch. Last weekend, during the Cyclone Invitational, Gomez had eight putouts and assisted in 12 more outs in Iowa State’s five wins and one loss.

It didn’t take long for Gomez to get the hang of shortstop either. Gomez garnered All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Big 12 Defensive Team in 2015 and holds several team records on offense. She’s also Iowa State’s all-time leader in hits.

Gomez is looking to continue her success on the softball diamond this season.

“I want to be an All-American,” Gomez said. “I think it [would make] me feel like I finished off on a good note as long our team did good.”

ISU coach Stacy Gemeinhardt-Cesler said Gomez’s impact on the team transcends just her achievements on the field. 

“I’ve never been around someone like her,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said. “Every day she comes in completely focused. You can’t ask for better.”

Gomez also relies on her teammates and works with them to make each other better. Gomez, along with junior left-fielder Cathlin Bingham will stay after practice and work together on what they need to improve.

“I really like working with [Gomez] because we are very similar people,” Bingham said. “I’ll say, ‘Hey, do you want to stay after and we can work on some reps?’ and she’ll say, ‘Yeah,’ and we’ll do it for each other.”

Gemeinhardt-Cesler recognizes the working relationship between Gomez and Bingham in practice every day.

“I think they’re pretty serious at their sport and they are both exceptional workers,” Gemeinhardt-Cesler said.

A motherly figure among her players, Gemeinhardt-Cesler is there to help Gomez on and off the diamond. Gomez, who comes from New Braunfels, Texas, remembers her first visit to the ISU campus.

“It was [-18 degrees] outside. That was my first time seeing snow,” Gomez said.

Being such a drastic change and living far away from her family, Gomez has days when she misses home.

“I get home sick a lot,” Gomez said. “Being so far away, I miss so much of my siblings’ lives.”

Gomez comes from a baseball family in which her father, Ruben, her uncle and her grandfather all played baseball. From age 5 she played tee-ball.

Iowa State offered Gomez a scholarship after she won a state championship in class 4A in Texas her freshman year. Young and eager, Gomez took the offer right away. Despite living her dream, Gomez is disappointed that she never makes it back for her three younger siblings’ sporting events and programs.

Gomez takes pride in family tradition and uses it as a way to create an example for her siblings and teammates to look up to.

Gomez currently holds all-time records for the program with 220 hits, 128 runs and 86 stolen bases. She also holds single-season records for those categories. Gomez will continue to strengthen those records throughout the season.

But for Gomez, it’s a team effort to have success on the field.

“It’s good to break records individually, but I’d rather do more stuff as a team and help my teammates,” Gomez said.

Gomez sees something different in this year’s team compared with other ISU teams. She’s hopeful to reach regionals this year.

“This year we have a lot of speed,” Gomez said. “We are more in-depth in every position. We are more spread out. I think that helps us defensively and offensively. We have a lot more hitters that can contribute.”

Gomez knows she will be remembered for what she has done here at Iowa State, but to her, it’s not a big deal. She hopes her teammates and future players will follow her example.

“I don’t remember my numbers. I don’t know the records,” Gomez said. “I just want everyone to know that I worked hard to do what I did and I hope everybody does the same too.”