Yazmin Loma-Romero has many titles: she’s a captain, a leader and, to no one’s surprise, MVP.

The Maspeth High School point guard joined the basketball team her freshman year. This past season, she led the team to a near-perfect record, losing only two games on their schedule. For the team captain, making buckets isn’t the most important thing — lifting up her teammates is.

“Just being captain and a point guard overall, you don’t really get that many shots up unless you do them yourself. So, it’s easier for me to actually help my teammates get more shots. They’re more open and they do it perfectly. They know their roles and even when they know that I am not getting that many points, they know that I helped them so much,” Loma-Romero said.

The team said this guidance is what has helped them succeed.

“One of the most amazing things about Yazmin is her leadership. She cares for others. Sometimes I think that she doesn’t always put herself as number one, which she’s worked through the last couple of years that I’ve been her coach and mentor,” Dalia Avivi, athletic director Maspeth High School, said. “She’s now focusing on being number one and giving back to her community and constantly just making sure everybody is doing better while she’s doing better as well.”

Giving back to her community is top of mind for Loma-Romero. As part of the National Honor Society, she has volunteered at food and clothing drives for those in need.

She’s also an avid painter and, as a member of the National Art Society, has created and published coloring books to send to children’s hospitals.

“We didn’t come from much, so I know that my community helps me so I can give back to them the most. I think it’s very important to give back, especially when you know you’re more privileged than others,” Loma-Romero said.

The straight-A student will attend City College in the fall where she plans to major in management administration. She has also committed to their basketball team — hoping to lead on the court once again.