Senior Derezinski paves the way
Chris McCarty
Follow that routine up with a night class a couple nights a week, and after hitting the books, senior Maria Derezinski can call it a night.
The life of a heptathlete.
“It’s very time-consuming,” Derezinski said. “You have to stay mentally there, and physically as well, all season. You get used to it, but it gets hard sometimes.”
It’s that dedication and ability to sustain work ethic that will likely take Derezinski to her first outdoor national competition May 28 at Louisiana State. She has already provisionally qualified for the meet.
Wednesday and Thursday at the Drake Relays in Iowa, Derezinski hopes to improve on the score she posted at the University of Texas on April 2 and further solidify her place at nationals.
But as a freshman coming from Oakridge High School in Muskegon four years ago, Derezinski couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever be good enough to reach her goals.
“Coming in as a freshman I knew the heptathlon was what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know it would be this hard,” Derezinski said. “It was a lot coming from a small Class C school, winning everything and suddenly in college I’m the fourth hurdler. We had time trials and I was last on the team. After that, I called my mom, crying about quitting track, and I thought I couldn’t do it.”
Derezinski stuck around for Head Coach Kathleen Raske and the women’s track and field team and has grown into a national-caliber athlete and a vocal leader.
“Maria came in very shy and had a hard time getting in front of a group and talking without getting upset,” Raske said. “She thought she was going to be no good, but she worked hard, gained more confidence and became a prominent leader for us. And now here she is, as an outstanding and strong leader. It’s been very fun for me, as a coach, to see.”
Derezinski also has provided an example for younger teammates that the team can do great things with hard work and dedication.
“(Having her here) helps a lot because she guides me through everything,” said heptathlete Jackie Bozin, a sophomore. “I’ve seen her work hard and do it and come out on top and that proves to me that I can do it as well.”
This demonstration of excellence was instrumental in leading Central to its first MAC Championship in track and field in the history of the school. The team won the indoor title at Bowling Green on Feb. 23.
Because the indoor season was without a heptathlon, Derezinski concentrated on the high jump and qualified for indoor nationals in Fayetteville, Ark. She finished 16th at the meet, but feels the experience she gained will help her at LSU next month.
“I won’t be distracted at all by the competition and the limelight this time. I’ll feel more comfortable and more like I belong there. I’d say I was a little overwhelmed (at indoor nationals),” Derezinski said.
The team is among the favorites to win the outdoor MAC title. The entire championship indoor team also is competing this spring and have been aided by the addition of senior thrower Melissa Brousseau, whose indoor eligibility had run out before this year.
“To win indoor and outdoor MAC would just be great. I also personally want to be sure to get to nationals. And if I do that, it will only help the team,” Derezinski said.
Raske pointed toward Derezinski’s attitude as the kind of individual that makes up a championship team.
“She’s a total team player. She’ll do really well at anything that I ask and she’s a very caring person who always has the team ahead of her individual goals,” Raske said.
Derezinski’s time management has been key to her success off the track as well. The aspiring high school art teacher carries a 3.76 GPA and was twice named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week during the indoor season.
“She’s just a great person. She’s very well-rounded and just a really sweet person to have around,” Bozin said.
Derezinski hopes to overcome her dislike for the 800m race, which is the last of the heptathlon’s seven legs and have a good showing at nationals. She wants to join senior high jumper and roommate Suzy Bozin as an All-American, which would require a top eight finish at nationals.
“I would just love to be an All-American,” Derezinski said. “But with all the hard work and hours that I’ve put in, just getting there is half the battle.”
