Casting his
own shadow
Junior shotputter ready
to emerge as one of the
nation's top throwers
By Tim Costner
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
At 6 feet, 2 inches and 250 pounds, UCLA's Mark Parlin casts a rather large shadow. But it's not quite as large as the one that he's been standing in for the past three years.
While Parlin has quietly earned All-American honors in the shotput in his first three years, UCLA's John Godina has been the one who has won the championships.
Next year, that burden will fall upon Parlin's shoulders.
The junior currently ranks fifth in the shot, with four seniors ahead of him. And the way Parlin has been throwing these past few weeks, he could overtake one of those seniors at the NCAA Championships. Parlin's mark of 61-4 1/4 is just 11 inches behind the nation's third-ranked thrower.
"He could be a 63 or 64-footer in the next two weeks," throwing coach Art Venegas said. "I think the way he has been throwing, he should place no less than third at the NCAA. As you know, a lot of things can happen. He can't have any letdowns in the next two weeks."
A third-place finish at the NCAAs would definitely give Parlin the inside edge for a national title next season, but Parlin has placed his focus on just finishing well this season. He'll worry about titles when the time comes.
"I'm just going to do what I'm ready to do," Parlin said. "But I'm definitely looking forward to next year. I just have to be prepared to do what I have to do. Right now I'm just focusing on getting through this year and helping the team win the nationals. That's all I'm concerned about right now."
So far, Parlin has made great strides in meeting that goal. After a 1994 season that was hampered by minor injuries, Parlin has come around this year in both strength and technique.
"It's a nice opportunity for him to set it up this year to make it right for next year," Venegas said. "He's been looking good ever since we left for Philadelphia two weeks ago. He's ready for the breakthrough meet. It's just a matter of him getting it just right."
Parlin feels that has already started to happen.
"This year the strength and the technique are all working together as one," he said. "Next year it's just going to have to move up a little more. I was in the same situation in high school."
At Esperanza High School, Parlin captured the state title in 1991 and had the second-best prep throw in the nation. His football coach was the one who had given Parlin his start in the shotput.
"My high school coach was also my football coach," Parlin said. "Every year, he takes almost all of the freshman football players and sees how they throw. Then he takes the ones who he thinks will be good and makes them throw for the track team. I said, 'Why not try it? It's another challenge.'"
Parlin had not only impressed his high school coach, but he has also impressed Venegas with his natural abilities. And Venegas has seen a lot of throwers come and go.
"I think he's one of the most gifted throwers who I've seen," Venegas. "With all of the throwers who I've trained and I've seen that's quite a statement. This guy is really, really good. Now he's learning to do the detailed hard work that Godina and the top throwers do. When he was younger, he was a low-key type of thrower. This year he realized that he has to live the event."
And if Parlin continues to do that, he should have no trouble stepping outside of the shadows next year.
* * *
Parlin, along with Godina and Jonathan Ogden, will throw in the Modesto Invitational this weekend the last meet before the Pac-10s on May 19-20 in Tucson, Ariz. The NCAA Championships in Knoxville, Tenn., are just two weeks away.