"There are too many athletes who don't even consider becoming mothers."

Vilanova i la GeltrúMotherhood for elite athletes was once a taboo subject, one that many postponed until retirement, but more and more players are choosing to combine their sporting careers with motherhood. One of the latest examples is Gala Mestres, the captain of Baxi Ferrol. "I became pregnant at the end of August and I'm currently on paid maternity leave. I feel great. It's been a good pregnancy, with the usual ups and downs that everyone knows, but everything is going very well," she summarizes.

The response from the Galician club in the Liga Femenina Endesa was very mature. "Their reaction was excellent. I first told the coach, and he took it very well. Lino López always prioritizes people over athletes. He was very happy for me. We weren't quite sure how to proceed, but everything happened very naturally. The truth is, everyone reacted very well," she boasts. The 2024 collective bargaining agreement is great news for the players, who now have greater financial protection. "We've made progress, we've taken big steps. Having paid leave allows me to continue receiving 100% of my salary. Furthermore, thanks to the agreement, my contract was automatically extended for a year. This provides a certain level of stability. Before, many players were let go or suffered unpleasant situations," she recalls.

Baxi Ferrol reached the Eurocup final last season, and when she decided to put her career on hold, Mestres was at a high point in her professional career. "I had no doubts when making the decision because the biological clock is real. I started researching the best options for getting pregnant, both professionally and financially. I wasn't afraid to take a year off from basketball for something like this, and the decision was pretty firm," says the player from Vilanova.

"The first few days I was quite nervous, since I played two games knowing I was pregnant. At six weeks I had to make it public because the media started asking why I wasn't playing," explains Mestres, who remains very active. "I still go to the gym, lift weights, and swim... I've learned to do different things with my body, although there are many things I can't do now. It's a different way of working with your body, listening to it more. I do miss basketball, to be honest," she admits.

"I want to keep playing"

"I would really like to continue playing basketball after becoming a mother. My main goal is to keep playing at the highest level for as long as I can. I know that balancing family life with being an athlete will be difficult, but I'm determined to do it. It's a new challenge, and I'm really looking forward to it. My partner and my family will be a huge help."

Mestres's case can serve as an inspiration for other athletes. "I think there are few athletes who become mothers while still active. Most wait until their athletic careers are over. Female athletes also want to be mothers, and it's rarely discussed. Many of my teammates don't even consider it. I think it should be talked about more, and we should also have role models. We have the right to be mothers. Our identity isn't solely based on being basketball players or athletes; we are also people, and it should be considered normal and accepted that, as athletes, we also want to be mothers," Mestres emphasizes.