The torn meniscus Jasmine Dirks suffered in her left knee two years ago made a difficult decision much easier.
Dirks was a club gymnast at Viking Gymnastics in Niles when she suffered the injury.
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“I was debating whether or not I wanted to quit [gymnastics],” said Dirks, who’s now a freshman at Niles West. “When I got hurt, that’s when I decided to take a break.”
Dirks didn’t do gymnastics for two years. She joined the Niles West girls gymnastics team this season, however, and her background has paid off. Dirks and junior Haley Aichholzer have been the Wolves’ top gymnasts this season. They’re leaders on a young squad that finished third out of 12 teams with 98.275 points at the Niles North Invite on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Dirks took second in the all-around (34.125) at the Niles North Invite, where teams had three gymnasts compete on each event instead of five. And all three scores, instead of the top four, counted. Dirks had team-best scores on vault (8.775, ninth), uneven bars (8.55, second), balance beam (8.30, fifth) and floor exercise (8.50, tied for seventh).
“She’s our anchor,” Niles West coach Sue Arcus said. “[Dirks] is a great kid. She’s got a ton of talent. Doing high school [gymnastics] is definitely new for her. Her body is not used to this six-days-a-week, two-meets-a-week pounding, so it’s going to take her body a little bit of time to get used to it. But she’s definitely got the skills.”
Dirks has developed new tricks and combinations this year. That includes a back tuck on beam, a more difficult release move on uneven bars and a Yurchenko on vault.
“Everything has been new,” Arcus said. “She’s had to learn all different jumps, which they don’t really focus on a lot in club. … She has to have completely different combinations and connections than she had there. She’s really had to take the basics that she knew, and now learn how to combine them all.”
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @VanDrilSports