Humble approach works for Fernandez
Vallejo junior claimed first at weekend's Napa Classic
By SIMON JUDE SAMANO/Times-Herald sports writer
Article Launched: 01/15/2008 07:09:49 AM PST
Mary Jane Fernandez
It may be hard to believe, considering she's such a dominant force on the mat, but Vallejo High wrestler Mary Jane Fernandez never visualizes herself winning.
Instead, she convinces herself that she has low self-esteem.
"I tell myself that a lot," Fernandez said, "because if I put myself in a negative tone it feels like it'll be positive in a couple minutes. I know, it's really weird."
Apaches coach Carl Lastrella could only imagine the possibilities if Fernandez was the type of girl who could see herself winning each time.
Mary Jane Fernandez
• School: Vallejo
• Year: Junior
• Sport: Wrestling
• Achievements:
Won match at Wednesday dual meet; then took first place over the weekend in the 98-pound class at 40-team Napa Valley Classic.
"If she visualizes herself and expects to win, she could be even more dominating," Lastrella said. "We're going to have to improve on the mental aspect of it. And that's the thing, she could be even more dominating."
Maybe so. But if you listen to Fernandez elaborate on her mental approach, you find that what she calls "low self-esteem" is, in reality, high humility. Fernandez, who posts an 18-3 record overall (13-0 against girls), doesn't want to make the mistake of getting ahead of herself. And in a strange way, she's driven by fear.
"I don't want to sound like 'Oh, I'm going to win. Yeah I know I'm going to win.' Because in the end I might lose," said Fernandez, who took claimed the 98-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic over the weekend. "I just don't want to think cocky of myself. I just want to think 'OK, I'm going to do my best.' If I don't then I need to work harder than that."
One might call Fernandez a humble perfectionist.
"I don't like giving myself compliments," Fernandez said. "I'd rather point out what I did bad or what I could do better."
With the CIF Northern California Regional beginning on Friday, now is definitely time for Fernandez to be at her best as she tries to repeat as champion. But it won't be easy.
It looks like she'll have to deal with a hip injury, which she suffered during a match in Napa. Fernandez said on Monday that she twisted her hip during the match and that it "pops in and out now." Lastrella said, either way, Fernandez is still the girl to beat.
"I think she's still the top gun. We just got to push through it now," Lastrella said. "Sometimes girls will let little nagging injuries bother them, and I say 'Hey, you just got to deal with it.' Even with the injury I still think she's the top gun."
Of course, the chances are good that Fernandez will have to defeat her friend and foe, Hogan's Christine Alcantara, once again if she is to win the title. Fernandez beat her for the second time this season - third time dating back to last year's regional title match - in Napa.
After beating Alcantara 4-3 earlier this season, Fernandez defeated her 6-1 in the championship match over the weekend. And the weird thing was that Fernandez expressed satisfaction with her performance.
"I was pretty proud of myself beating her 6-1," Fernandez said.
The self-praise stops there, though. Because Fernandez said she's clearly focused on the tasks at hand - regionals, and then state. Especially state, which she took third at last year despite suffering from the flu.
"That's my main goal," Fernandez said, "is to win state and regionals again."
Other nominees:
• Alex Cowling, St. Pat's girls basketball - Averaged 16 points (21 and 11, respectively) in wins over Piedmont and John Swett. • Ashley Daniels, Hogan girls basketball - Scored 24 points in 62-27 win over Benicia and scored 21 points in 63-37 loss to Vanden. • Jennifer Fernandez, Vallejo wrestling - Captured the 108-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic. • Monica Gonzalez, Hogan wrestling - Claimed the 154-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic with all three of her victories coming by way of first-round pin fall. • Lee McCain, Vallejo boys basketball - Scored 24 points in 67-62 win over Vanden; scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds in 83-39 win over Bethel. • E-mail Simon Samano at [email protected] or call 553-6837.
By SIMON JUDE SAMANO/Times-Herald sports writer
Article Launched: 01/15/2008 07:09:49 AM PST
Mary Jane Fernandez
It may be hard to believe, considering she's such a dominant force on the mat, but Vallejo High wrestler Mary Jane Fernandez never visualizes herself winning.
Instead, she convinces herself that she has low self-esteem.
"I tell myself that a lot," Fernandez said, "because if I put myself in a negative tone it feels like it'll be positive in a couple minutes. I know, it's really weird."
Apaches coach Carl Lastrella could only imagine the possibilities if Fernandez was the type of girl who could see herself winning each time.
Mary Jane Fernandez
• School: Vallejo
• Year: Junior
• Sport: Wrestling
• Achievements:
Won match at Wednesday dual meet; then took first place over the weekend in the 98-pound class at 40-team Napa Valley Classic.
"If she visualizes herself and expects to win, she could be even more dominating," Lastrella said. "We're going to have to improve on the mental aspect of it. And that's the thing, she could be even more dominating."
Maybe so. But if you listen to Fernandez elaborate on her mental approach, you find that what she calls "low self-esteem" is, in reality, high humility. Fernandez, who posts an 18-3 record overall (13-0 against girls), doesn't want to make the mistake of getting ahead of herself. And in a strange way, she's driven by fear.
"I don't want to sound like 'Oh, I'm going to win. Yeah I know I'm going to win.' Because in the end I might lose," said Fernandez, who took claimed the 98-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic over the weekend. "I just don't want to think cocky of myself. I just want to think 'OK, I'm going to do my best.' If I don't then I need to work harder than that."
One might call Fernandez a humble perfectionist.
"I don't like giving myself compliments," Fernandez said. "I'd rather point out what I did bad or what I could do better."
With the CIF Northern California Regional beginning on Friday, now is definitely time for Fernandez to be at her best as she tries to repeat as champion. But it won't be easy.
It looks like she'll have to deal with a hip injury, which she suffered during a match in Napa. Fernandez said on Monday that she twisted her hip during the match and that it "pops in and out now." Lastrella said, either way, Fernandez is still the girl to beat.
"I think she's still the top gun. We just got to push through it now," Lastrella said. "Sometimes girls will let little nagging injuries bother them, and I say 'Hey, you just got to deal with it.' Even with the injury I still think she's the top gun."
Of course, the chances are good that Fernandez will have to defeat her friend and foe, Hogan's Christine Alcantara, once again if she is to win the title. Fernandez beat her for the second time this season - third time dating back to last year's regional title match - in Napa.
After beating Alcantara 4-3 earlier this season, Fernandez defeated her 6-1 in the championship match over the weekend. And the weird thing was that Fernandez expressed satisfaction with her performance.
"I was pretty proud of myself beating her 6-1," Fernandez said.
The self-praise stops there, though. Because Fernandez said she's clearly focused on the tasks at hand - regionals, and then state. Especially state, which she took third at last year despite suffering from the flu.
"That's my main goal," Fernandez said, "is to win state and regionals again."
Other nominees:
• Alex Cowling, St. Pat's girls basketball - Averaged 16 points (21 and 11, respectively) in wins over Piedmont and John Swett. • Ashley Daniels, Hogan girls basketball - Scored 24 points in 62-27 win over Benicia and scored 21 points in 63-37 loss to Vanden. • Jennifer Fernandez, Vallejo wrestling - Captured the 108-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic. • Monica Gonzalez, Hogan wrestling - Claimed the 154-pound title at the Napa Valley Classic with all three of her victories coming by way of first-round pin fall. • Lee McCain, Vallejo boys basketball - Scored 24 points in 67-62 win over Vanden; scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds in 83-39 win over Bethel. • E-mail Simon Samano at [email protected] or call 553-6837.
