For many national teams, the path to growth and success in international hockey starts at home, in their own country, and then progresses to the continental level. The Women's Challenge held in Bermuda gave five teams the chance to secure the one available spot for the 2025 Pan American Cup. Only one team succeeded: Mexico.
The final was fitting for a tournament with high stakes. In regulation time, Las Lobas (The Wolves), as they've been nicknamed for a few years, tied 2-2 with Paraguay and went to shootouts. The prize was tantalizingly close, but it was a matter of patience. Finally, the Mexican team triumphed 4-2 in the penalty shootout, securing the gold medal and a return to the competition that serves as a qualifier for the World Cup (Mexico missed this tournament in 2022).
One of the key figures and leaders of the squad is captain Maribel Acosta Robles, or "May" as her friends call her. The 29-year-old defender has been wearing the green, white, and red jersey for over a decade and scored the two goals during the match that allowed her country to dream big.
“It’s time for us to keep climbing up and making sure Las Lobas are recognized in the world of hockey. Last year, we made history with our gold medal in the Central American Games, and we still have a long way to go. The goal has always been clear: we need to be in the top competitions in the Americas to keep progressing and pursuing our path to the World Cup. This title, more than just the qualification, shows the unity of the team. Despite the adversities we've faced, together we reached this point, and together we won,” explained Acosta Robles, who specializes in short corners.
The team’s mystique, which has led them to significant achievements, goes back a few years. One of the key contributors is their head coach, San Yusen. “Since the coach took the helm of the women’s team, he started working with a team of psychologists to help the squad find its essence and create a unified code, which would give us a sense of belonging,” said May, who wears the captain's armband.
She added, “Many ideas came up, and among them, the coach already had the concept of the pack and wolves. In the end, we all identified with the pack, and that’s where being ‘Las Lobas’ came from. So, we've been the Wolves since 2022/23, and we created the ‘Lobas Code,’ where we developed principles that the pack must follow.”
As long as they stay united, with the same goals in mind, results will come. In fact, they've already begun… the first was on July 6 of last year when they lifted the Central American Games trophy. Now, they've once again stood on the top podium in the Challenge, where, along with the title, they earned the chance to play against the best teams in the continent at the Pan American Cup in Uruguay in July 2025. This team is leaving its first marks…
