The simplest way to look at the athletic life of Fort Zumwalt West diver Marissa Green is as a metaphorical series of open and closed doors.
A promising gymnast, Green was forced to give up the sport three years ago when an injury forced her to five up the sport. Since then, she's discovered diving and a door has opened to a new world of possibilities.
"I had been doing gymnastics since I was 3," Green said. "Things went well until my back started hurting. I broke it in sixth grade. I was very disappointed, but I had talked to friends who were gymnasts that had also dived because the (mechanics) are similar."
The transition from gymnastics to diving has been beyond smooth. Competing at Zumwalt West and with her club team, STL Diving, Green has taken her new sport by storm. This season, she has posted the best six-dive total in the St. Louis area, scoring 299.55 points in a Dec. 12 meet against Francis Howell North. Only Pembroke Hill's Hannah Bortner has scored better in a single meet, and her 360.20-point effort came in an 11-dive meet.
Zumwalt West coach Jeri Labrot argues that Green's score is better -- if not higher. But she said the argument eventually will be settled in the pool.
"We don't dive (an 11-dive meet) until conference, and it will be interesting to see what she does there,” she said.
Green's go-to dive right now is the front two-and-one-half somersault dive from a pike position. It is a dive that comes with a 2.6 degree of difficulty, which is pretty heady stuff for a freshman.
"Diving takes a lot of guts, and it is really mental," Zumwalt diving coach Tom Lucido said. "Marissa has really put in a lot of work. She comes to the pool ready to work every day. When you do that, you produce really good results like Marissa has."
Labrot, who guided the Jaguars to a third-place finish at last year's state meet, said Green's edge is her mental toughness. She said the diver seems experienced beyond her years.
"I think (Zumwalt West assistant coach) Carey (Gough) put it best watching her get ready for a dive: She just does not look like a freshman," Labrot said. "She looks like a college diver. She is refined. She is together. She just exudes confidence, and you know every time she goes up there, it's going to be a beautiful dive."
Green broke the school record for a single-meet point total in one of her first high school meets.
"It's great," Green said about setting the record. "Coach (Labrot) and my mom told me that I did that after the meet. It is quite an honor."
While performing hasn't been a concern for Green, the freshman did worry about fitting it on a team loaded with older and more experienced athletes. Among her goals coming into the season were to be a good teammate and help the Jaguars continue their success.
Mission accomplished, Labrot said.
"The thing about her personality is that she's such an outgoing and warm person," the Zumwalt West coach said. "The girls on the team are excited to have her there, and they value her contributions."
The coach said the excitement should continue into the foreseeable future.
Labrot has high hopes for Green, and she said Green should continue to have high hopes for herself.
"I really think that Marissa contending for state this season is something we should be focused on based on what she has done already," Labrot said. "I also think that this is something (which should be a goal) for each of the next four years."
