Rolling Meadows' Kirk measures up

Less than four inches.

That was the difference between gold and silver for Ty Kirk in the triple jump at the Class AA boys state track and field meet.

But there could have been a much different ending instead of a second straight runnerup finish for Kirk. One with a sickening feeling as Kirk was diagnosed with mononucleosis right before the Mid-Suburban League meet.

"The doctor at first said I wouldn't be able to do it," Kirk said of competing in the sectional meet to qualify for state. "I was freaking out and I was really sad."

Kirk was glad the day of the sectional to get cleared to compete. After all, it's what Kirk did season after season in his four years at Meadows.

The New Mexico-bound wide receiver capped his football career with Daily Herald All-Area honors. He was the basketball team's No. 2 scorer this season.

And there are a lot of years where his triple jump of 48-0¾ would have won the title.

It was quite a year for Kirk. One that led to his selection as the Daily Herald's 2007-08 Cook County Male Athlete of the Year.

One where he wouldn't have traded the busy schedule for a season of relaxation.

"I thought about not playing basketball my junior year," Kirk said. "But I had played since third grade. It's my first love and I just couldn't give it up.

"You have to have patience and manage your time well. That's what you have to do when you're on a varsity sport because you come home late every night, eat dinner, do your homework and do it all over again.

"I enjoyed doing it where some people might not have."

What helps is a Meadows tradition of coaches -- in this case Doug Millsaps in football, Kevin Katovich in basketball and Jim Voyles in track -- sharing athletes to maximize their talent pools.

It wasn't easy as Kirk had to squeeze in what turned out to be his lone football recruiting visit to New Mexico during basketball season. But it wasn't as difficult as it might be at other schools.

"All of our coaches encourage us to go out for different sports," Kirk said. "You always stay in shape and I like having a coach always pushing us to do other sports."

Kirk also has plans of continuing in track and field at New Mexico. He played baseball through his freshman year but realized he wasn't destined for much success there.

Not that his middle school track record was filled with impressive marks.

"It actually surprised me because I wasn't that great in middle school," Kirk said of his track success.

Kirk said he was behind Prospect standout hurdler and three-sport athlete Pat Ziegenfuss and Meadows three-sport standout Ben Sabal and basketball and baseball star Kyle Gaedele.

But he quickly leaped past most of his competitors and qualified for state as a sophomore. He went 47-1¾ as a junior to finish behind one of the best efforts in state history by Bolingbrook's Troy Doris (50-9).

Overcoming mono to finish second this year was an unforgettable moment. So was playing with lifelong friends such as Gaedele, Sabal, Trevor Fritz and Stan Pheteau.

"It was weird this year and it hit me when basketball was over," Kirk said. "I thought, 'I'm never going to play sports with them again.'"

But Kirk made sure he took every chance to play with them at Meadows.