Most teenagers are focused on their driving license, where their friends are headed after school, or that first part-time job.

Make no mistake, Emma Gentry is a lot like most teenagers her age, with a few exceptions — one of which is that she can now boast of a gold medal she recently won playing for the United States’ U18 Women’s hockey team.

The national team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime last week to claim the medal.

The world hockey showcase was played this year in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Gentry, who currently plays for the HoneyBaked U19 team in Detroit, is no stranger to hard work and hockey. Already, that combination has earned her a spot on the college hockey team at St. Cloud State College in Minnesota.

In a story with Sports Editor James Anderson this past summer, Gentry talked about her work ethic.

“I’ve put a ton of work into hockey and knowing that it pays off, I feel accomplished,” she said.

To rise to the level Gentry has in hockey takes commitment and sacrifice. It means living apart from family in places like Detroit and Lansing, where she has played high-level hockey away from her family in Alpena.

It means discipline, like doing the studying and making the grades in school that are needed to play at the collegiate level.

And, it means practice, practice, and then more practice to compete at the stage like she just did on the international level.

In the semi-final game against Russia, Gentry scored one of the U.S. goals.

A hometown girl makes it big!

All of Alpena was rooting for your Emma and you sure have made us all proud.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)