Wheeling's Burke takes last swing at state meet

Amy Burke packs a pretty mean punch for the Wheeling girls gymnastics team - and the Wildcats senior isn't too bad with her left body hook, either.

Burke has been a knockout for the Wildcats after spending her first two years competing at the club level in gymnastics. She capped her junior year by taking third in the all-around with a first on the floor at the Hersey regional

Burke also moonlighted on the Wildcat Boxing club participating in Wheeling's Fight Night last June.

"It definitely helps me on bars," said Burke of her boxing training. "It helps with upper body strength and it also gives me endurance."

Burke is hoping that training pays off this postseason, starting with the Mid-Suburban League meet Friday at Schaumburg, starting at 6 p.m.

Last year Burke took third in the all-around (36.40) at the MSL meet plus second on floor exercise (9.3), sixth on vault (9.45), and eighth on beam (8.825).

But that is what you can expect from the senior who has had major impact for the Wildcats since joining the team last year.

Burke seemed destined to be a gymnast since climbing a up a 21/2-story ladder when she was 18 months old. Years of club training led her to become a level 9 performer.

The senior has lifted the Wildcats program with her skills, which have shown with her career-best marks on the vault (9.65), bars (9.15), beam (9.1), and floor (9.5) and made quite an impression for first-year Wheeling coach Bridget Erickson.

"The first meet that we competed, I think I had that 'wow' moment," said Erickson, who took over the program from Stephanie Fike this season. "I'd seen her practice, but to see her compete and show that competitive side - She's got a little fire inside her, and I love that."

The Wheeling senior has also made quite an impression on her teammates and become a role mode for the Wildcats' younger gymnasts.

"She's not like one of those cocky gymnasts that know she's good and just shows it off," said senior Jana Tornquist of Burke's transition to the Wildcat squad. "She encourages us and challenges us to do our best."

"She's definitely a role model," said sophomore Colleen Creech. "She always works hard and never lowers her standards. She has helped me with my form and making up my routines."

And Burke is not just an all-around gymnast. After spending almost 30 hours a week in club gymnastics her first two years, Burke has transitioned well into becoming an all-around student at Wheeling.

Besides carrying a course load which includes AP classes, the senior is the editor-in-chief of the yearbook, a member of the state qualifying Step Dance club, and she also set a school record in the pole vault (9-3) for the Wildcats' track team.

But that's been kind of the norm for the Burke family. Amy's oldest brother Mike, a 2003 Wheeling grad, won the District 214 Howard Lester Award for the top student/athlete, becoming the only Wildcat student to ever earn 12 varsity letters

Amy's brother Ben, a 2005 Wheeling grad, earned the District 214 Richard Calisch Award, for top Fine and Performing Art student; while sister Kristin, a 2006 Wheeling grad, was named to the Daily Herald All-Academic team and was also all-conference in water polo.

Amy has continued the tradition of excellence.

"Getting away from club allowed her more opportunities to be involved and represent her high school," said Mike Burke, Amy's father and English teacher at Wheeling. "That's always been big in our family, getting involved."

Now Burke would like to be involved in one more event at the high school level - the state gymnastics meet.

Last year Burke just missed qualifying for the state meet in the vault by .025 points, which has motivated the senior this season.

"I could tell she was nervous," said Wheeling assistant coach Bob Esposito of the sectional pressure. "It was her first big meet and the club kids she knew were there - they were rooting for her, and she was rooting for them. She wanted to show good."

"I was so distracted by everyone else competing and looking up for other peoples scores," said Burke of the hit-or-miss nature of the sectionals. "It was a tense environment and it kind of broke me down."

Wheeling has not had a state medalist in gymnastics since 1991, when Wendy Lahucik took finished second in the all-around (37.73), adding a state title on the beam (9.7), a second-place medal on the floor (9.75), and a third-place medal on the vault (9.65).

But Burke is hoping to change that this year and has used the regular season, which included a first-place medal in the all-around at the Palatine Invite, to prepare for the postseason.

"It's been a building process through the regular season, working on certain skills," said Burke, who has a legitimate shot for a state medal on the beam and vault. "Now I have to say 'OK, skill by skill through my routine, what do I have to do?' "

Burke has one more round in gymnastics and is looking for the knockout.

"I come in every morning and write down what I can do extra, trying to make use of my down time," said Burke. "I want to leave it all out there."

It's fair to say Burke has done a pretty good job of that already.