Strong recovery for Schaumburg's Shimon

Schaumburg sophomore Brooke Shimon wasn't up to lifting much after having her second surgery in seven months on her left elbow in September.

The sophomore had her first surgery on her right elbow in March.

But Shimon has come back and has helped to lift Schaumburg's gymnastics program to new heights this season.

Shimon has teamed up with senior Rose Sloan, sophomores Brianne Lingl and Caitlin Barrett and freshman Ashley Miller to lead the Saxons this season.

Shimon, Barrett and Miller were club members before joining the Saxons' squad and now the three form the foundation of an up-and-coming team.

"We've known each other for so long," said Shimon of her team that hit a season-high 141.25 in early January. "We're getting more and more experienced and stronger. If someone falls down, we're there to pick them up - they do the same for you."

Shimon wasn't picking up much after last season. As a freshman Shimon felt a tweak in her right arm during preseason. It was thought to be a stress fracture, so she stayed off it for a few days.

But the pain progressively got worse as the season wore on. Two weeks after concluding her season at the sectionals, Shimon was told that she might not be able to compete again.

A second opinion was sought out and Shimon was given hope, but would have to go through surgery and six months of rehab.

"It was the worst thing I could have ever heard," said Shimon of the first opinion. "The thing I love the most and I couldn't be able to do it again. It was a relief when I got the second opinion."

After the March surgery, Shimon and Schaumburg coach Jami Stilling plotted her comeback, which included rehab two days a week, working out with the football team three days a week, and also a bit of writing.

"We wracked our brains on how we were going to get through this," said Stilling of Shimon's comeback. "Her and I came up with the idea of writing a journal. She could write down all of her conditioning."

"The journal helped because there would be certain days I felt like I was done," added Shimon. "Then I'd look back and see the past four months and what I'd gone through. Then I knew I only had a little bit of time to go, and how much it was going to be worth it."

Shimon also worked out with the Saxons football squad directed by Jami's husband Mark Stilling.

But just when Shimon thought she was back, she needed to go in and have surgery on her left elbow in September.

"The good thing about the second one, it wasn't nearly as intense," said Jami Stilling.

But Shimon was still out of action for six weeks.

"She was very disappointed," said Miller of her teammate. "She was mad. She knew when she came back she would have to work 10 times harder in order to get back to where she wanted to be, but that motivation helped her."

But despite her two setbacks Shimon came back with a flurry by taking first on the beam with a 9.4 at the Rolling Meadows Invite in early December.

"I went up there thinking I was going to stick this routine," added Shimon. "I never imagined I would win, it's like 'Wow I can do it.'"

Shimon was back competing in the all-around by early January despite not being 100 percent healthy. The uneven bars presented the biggest challenge for the sophomore, but she has not hesitated to help the team.

"Most kids wouldn't have done it," Stilling said of the bars. "But she has put her pride aside because the team needed her score.

"She's not doing nearly the bar routine she can do because her muscle endurance is not there yet. But that's a tribute to her as a team player."

Her effort has not gone unnoticed by her teammates.

"The whole time she has been a trooper," added Barrett. "We just had to boost her confidence. After the surgery she was having a harder time with bars, we had to remind her she had two elbow surgeries - but she has come so far."

"She struggled on bars in the beginning," added Sloan, "But she is pushing through with her determination."

Determination is one thing Shimon is not lacking. Doctors estimated that she had only been using 40 percent of her arm strength last season, despite that fact Shimon just missed qualifying for state on the beam by .025 points.

This season Shimon is eyeing a state berth and the sophomore has looked solid on both the beam and floor.

"This year she has the attitude, 'I'm better than sitting at home for the state meet,'" said Stilling, "With the injuries, it added a little more fuel to her fire. Is it going to be a 100 percent year for her? No, but to see that and see what she is going through is even more amazing."

Shimon has had more than her fair share of adversity during her first two years, but it has not dampened the sophomore's outlook.

"There are days when every girl feels like you can't do anything," added Shimon. "I feel like I have less and less of those off days. If I start having one I think back to last year. It's like every day things become much easier and I'm adding new skills. I just want to continue to get better and better."