Return to competition
Gymnastics isn’t a case of mind over matter for Monica Marmolejo. It’s more a case of mind before matter.
The University High junior is a transfer from Antioch, Calif. – a city on the banks of the San Joachim River in Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area
“When I’m learning something new I like to get a mental picture of what I’m going to do,” Marmolejo explained. “Once I have that firmly fixed in my mind, I can move forward.
“It probably takes me a month to get a new movement down. I have to see it mentally and then I can do drills working up to the final move.”
Marmolejo has moved forward rapidly since joining the Titans’ gymnastics squad.
“I started gymnastics when I was about 3 years old and competed up through level 5, when I was in the eighth grade. Then I took a break. When I found out that U-Hi had a gymnastics team, I took it up again.”
University co-head coach Tracy Duncan was pleased to welcome a gymnast with some experience to join a team expected to challenge for Greater Spokane League supremacy.
“Monica is a very good gymnast and a very strong tumbler,” Duncan explained. “At the level where she used to compete, she didn’t have to do some of the elements that are required at this level, so she’s had some catching up to do.”
Catch up, Marmolejo has.
Already she competes in floor exercise, bars and balance beam.
“I think the floor exercise and the bars are my two strongest events,” she said. “My balance beam is getting better.”
Duncan expects her to compete in vault by the end of the season.
”(Co-head coach) Karen (Renner) took a look at her and said she’s a natural vaulter,” Duncan said. “They’ve been working on the vault. She still has some aspects to get into her head and visualize, but I fully expect her to be one of our varsity vaulters by the last couple meets of the regular season and when we get into districts.”
Marmolejo’s strength in tumbling gives her an advantage in the event – especially once she adds more required elements.
“She never had to do a double salto,” Duncan said. “We’ve been working on that with her and she’ll have that down soon, too.”
“I didn’t think I was going to come this far this fast,” Marmolejo said. “Learning new stuff in gymnastics is a lot of fun and it’s never boring. I like the challenge.”
Part of the challenge has been a successful reacquaintance with the beam.
“Before this year I would absolutely dread getting on the balance beam,” she admitted. “But my coach, Tracy, has me on it every day and I’ve gotten to a place where I really enjoy doing beam.”
Having two coaches who double as top-level judges has helped.
Duncan and Renner take all of their gymnasts through their individual routines, pointing out elements judges look for and explaining where judges make deductions.
“It helps them to understand their routine from a judge’s standpoint,” Duncan said. “A lot of times a gymnast will get a low score and not understand why.
“And we’ll have gymnasts say they don’t want to do a certain element. We’ll tell them ‘Okay, if you don’t want to do this one, choose one. Here’s the rule book and here’s what you need to have in your routine.’ “
That approach is perfect for Marmolejo.
“Judges look for certain things, and to be honest, during a competition those things never cross the gymnasts mind,” she said. “Knowing what the judges are looking for really makes a difference. You understand how they score a routine and what it takes to get a better score.
“Understanding all that has helped me so much. I can tell the difference from the way my old coaches taught.”
The coaching pair have taught each of their charges judging shorthand so they can score each other.
“I think they all could one day be judges on their own,” Duncan laughed. “Actually, I’d like nothing better.”