BY TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
ALAMO — PSJA Memorial sophomore Derek Barrios started summer track about four years ago. He remembers watching the pole vaulters while he was running around the oval and thinking, “Whoa, I’d like to try that.”
So he did. And he was good at it. Then, he talked his sister Victoria, now a PSJA Memorial senior, into trying the event when she was a freshman.
“He said, ‘You know what, we should do this together,’” Victoria said. “So I did it my freshman year. I came out and did a jump. And it was so scary, but also so exciting. And then he came out to see me, and he said, ‘You got it, sis.’ And I said, ‘I know I got it.’”
Now, both of them have it.
Today’s 31-6A and 32-6A Area track meet at PSJA Stadium will mark the third straight area meet for Victoria, a 5-foot-1 senior who set a new district record with a 10-foot, 9-inch vault two weeks ago.
Sophomore Derek, the gold medalist at the Meet of Champions, will make his first appearance at the area level, and he brings a 14-0 vault to the playoff meet.
Victoria is favored to win gold and move on to the regional meet, although nothing is assured. Derek has a tougher road in front of him, but he is confident he can best his previous marks.
PSJA boys track coach Lee Roy Perez said the key for Derek will be keeping his emotions in check. He lacks big-meet experience in pressure situations, but he has the ability to post some strong vaults, Perez said.
PSJA girls track coach Freddy Colunga said Victoria’s work ethic is her strong suit. She’s a solid athlete who has demonstrated the maturity and skill to handle being a front-runner, he said. Colunga added that Victoria, who will attend UTRGV this fall, has the talent to do something special at today’s meet and then compete for a medal at regionals.
PSJA has fielded very competitive track teams and for years has sent many athletes to compete at the collegiate level. But a brother-sister pole vaulting duo is a new wrinkle to the program. Coaches said the Barrios siblings may not have advanced this far — or even tried pole vault — if not for their close and respectful relationship.
Victoria keeps an eye on her younger brother, and she said he does the same for her. But the senior added that her little brother can also be an instigator.
“He makes me get on roller-coasters, and I do not want to go on them,” Victoria said. “And he’ll say something like, ‘C’mon, it’s just like pole vault. That’s how high it is.’”
She added that they are very close not just because they are siblings, but because they are teammates.
“I feel as though when I make a mistake, he’s right there to tell me to do this or that. And when I jump, I’ll fix what he said,” Victoria said. “And I’m like, ‘Thanks, bro. You helped me out.’”
Derek said goading Victoria into pole vault didn’t take much effort. That, he said, was a sign of their strong relationship.
“We help each other out whenever we need each other, and we are always there for each other,” said Derek, who added that Victoria’s advice goes beyond the track. She gives him a hand with homework and even aided him in preparation for a recent job interview.
Today, they may be able to help each other advance to the regionals.