Her ambition, however, goes beyond hockey. While she dreams of playing professionally and earning a place with the Lakers and Team Kenya, personal encounters with injuries have strengthened her desire to pursue medicine and ensure athletes receive proper care when injuries occur.
In an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport in Morogoro, the National Games silver medallist revealed that two serious incidents played a major role in shaping her career choice.
The first came when she lost her front teeth after being struck by a hockey stick while playing the sport she loves.
Despite the setback, she received treatment, recovered, and returned to the pitch.
“I got an injury that pushed me and made me say I want to come and help. The first was when my teeth came out after I was hit by a stick, but I knew I needed to play. I got medication, recovered and came back,” she recalled.
A knee injury later presented an even bigger challenge and threatened to interrupt her progress in the sport.
Her understanding of basic injury management helped her navigate the setback and eventually return to action.
“Another time I was hit on the knee, and it was a serious injury. I found a way to manage it because I know some tactics about dealing with injuries. I managed it, then went back and continued playing,” she explained.
Those experiences have also made her more conscious of the injuries suffered by other players.
Watching young athletes pick up serious injuries, some at the beginning of their sporting journeys, has strengthened her belief that proper medical care can make a difference.
.jpg)
“I want to be a nurse because when people are on the field, they get injuries. I have that passion and humanity in me to attend to injured players. So while I am on the field, even if a player is injured, I know how to help them,” she added.
Away from the pitch, the Nyamira captain is equally determined to excel in the classroom.
She believes the discipline and patience required in hockey have helped her handle challenges at school and avoid unnecessary confrontations that could distract her from her studies.
The demands of training and playing have taught her perseverance, a quality she carries into the classroom.
“The first thing I have learnt is perseverance. You may find problems with other students, but when you go to the field and people are quarrelling, you relax and listen to them. When you go to the classroom, you can apply the same,” she said.
She also credits the routine at Nyamira Girls for helping her maintain a balance between academics and hockey.
The school timetable gives her dedicated periods for training and studying, allowing her to focus fully on each task when the time comes.
“In our school, there are scheduled times. We have time for the field and time for sitting in class and studying. When it is field time, I take my time and play. After that, exercise also helps me relax my mind. Once I have relaxed, I go to class and concentrate on my studies so that I can achieve my dreams,” she explained.
The young captain has found inspiration close to home through Alice Owiti, a national team player and one of her teachers at Nyamira Girls.
.jpg)
Owiti’s ability to combine education with a successful hockey career has shown Garcia that she does not have to choose between the classroom and the pitch.
After completing secondary school, the ambitious teenager hopes to continue her education at Strathmore University while pursuing her hockey dreams with the Lakers and Team Kenya.
For now, her focus remains on leading Nyamira Girls to a successful FEASSSA campaign.
