Marroquin steadys self, Lumberjacks (published March 4, 1997)

By John Baker

Lumberjack Staff

Terry Marroquin likes to talk to herself.

"I always talk to myself - I always say something," said the HSU shortstop. "I think before a play is going to made, 'Where am I going to go if (the ball) comes to me this way.'"

Even at the plate, Marroquin said, she continues her one-person conversations.

"I talk to myself all the time," she said. "I'll mumble - you can see my mouth moving. Sometimes I talk to myself when I'm, like, walking down the hall. I have my own conversations."

She has a lot to talk about. The 18-year-old jazz music fan is one reason the Lumberjacks were 6-1 going into this weekend's games at the CSU Stanislaus tournament. Marroquin is batting an even .500 with seven RBIs, is 5-5 in the stolen base department and leads the team with 20 assists.

"She's as an outstanding a shortstop, defensively, that we've had at HSU," softball coach Frank Cheek said. "The thing I like about her is her consistency. She's not flashy, so goes out the and makes the play and she's smart. We're pleased to have her and we're going to have her for three more years."

Marroquin grew up in Culver City, began playing organized softball when she was 14 and was a three-time all-league selection at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica. She was also a two-time all-CIF selection and was named to the all-state team. In addition, she lettered in basketball and spurned offers from east coast schools to attend HSU.

"I wanted to stay closer to home and HSU is known for a great softball program," she said. "Coach Cheek is well known. (But) I really came to get an education."

Cheek learned about Marroquin from Crossroads coach Tom Grey, whose cousin attended HSU. Cheek made it a point to actively recruit Marroquin.

"I went down and saw her play in Mission Viejo," he said. "I made a special trip to see her and talk to her - we even flew her up here. She was just too good to be true."

Coming to the North Coast after living in the sprawl of the Los Angeles area forced Marroquin to make adjustments.

"It's definitely different from back home, but I think I've adjusted to it and I like it very much," she said. "Softball takes a lot of my time and school (does) as well. I came here more for education."

The fact that softball has taken up a lot of her time in recent years has been a great positive, according to Marroquin.

"It gives me something to do," she said. "It keeps me from getting into trouble."

Unfortunately, Marroquin has found herself in trouble more than once.

Marroquin's grandmother was declared her legal guardian after her parents' divorced. Her mother had been declared an "unfit" parent and Marroquin's visits to her father generally consisted of raiding his beer supply after he had gotten drunk. She began to develop an alcohol problem. Finally, Marroquin said, she'd seen all-too-many fights, arguments and shootings, and worried that she might be next. But when she transferred to Crossroads, things changed.

"Before Crossroads, all I thought about was when is the next party," she said. "My whole week was just a waiting period for Friday and Saturday nights."

Marroquin said Crossroads challenged her. She buckled down in school , worked harder in softball and set a goal to become the first in her family to go to college - a goal she accomplished with her admission to HSU last fall.

"I hope that Crossroads will be there for other kids with backgrounds like mine," she said. "Working hard is not easy," she learned, but "it feels great when you succeed."

Cheek feels Marroquin wanted to attend a university where she would continue to be both challenged and supported.

"I feel she wanted to go to a school where the coach would make sure she graduated and assist her in making important decisions," said Cheek. "She's very loyal to her past coach. That's the kind of person she is."

Marroquin said she follows the Golden Rule, "do unto to others as you would like done to yourself." That affects her loyalty.

"When I gain respect for other people, that's when I become loyal," she said.

Marroquin is now a kinesiology major, but is leaving her future options open and considering child development as an alternate major. Ultimately she is looking for a job where she can "help others."

"I like people," she said.

Marroquin can talk to herself all she wants as far as Cheek is concerned. She lets her play speak for her.

"She's a silent leader -- she communicates well on the field," Cheek said. "She lets her actions do her talking. If she makes a mistake she feels very upset about it."

The Lumberjacks are a young team this year - in one recent contest at San Francisco State, the entire defense was made up of freshman, except for the sophomore centerfielder. HSU scored 16 runs in that game. Cheek said the best on the diamond is yet to come as Marroquin gets older.

"Your game always gets better," he said. "You become more polished, you make greater plays, get greater range. Hitting-wise, you get more selective at the plate.

"By the time she's a senior, she going to worth her weight in gold. She's very valuable to us now, we depend on her."

As for Terry Marroquin, she has learned to depend on herself.