When Valerie Jirak graduated from Star Valley High School, her name was plastered across the school records. Many of them still remain two years later, a national championship in the heptathlon that helped her earn a scholarship to Duke University. Jirak spoke about the various levels of success she has earned and enjoyed in Durham, North Carolina.
“Duke has been incredible to me,” she told SVI. “The people there are amazing and I’m very fortunate to go there. In terms of track the past two years, my two seasons have been very successful but in two very different manners.”
Jirak explained that her freshman season was full of personal records (PRs) and the type of success you’d hope to have in her many disciplines.
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“I was fortunate to have things go as well as it did,” she said. “The outdoor season I placed fifth at the ACC’s and I also PR’d by about 300 points. I got to compete at the Junior National Championship and was the runner-up for the world team but it was canceled due to civil unrest in the area. I was 26th in the NCAA and missed out by the top 24 by just a few points.”
Her sophomore season was a very different type of success in her words
“I was battling allergies really bad,” she explained. “They couldn’t figure it out so I was on an inhaler and they determined I was experiencing vocal chord dysfunction which means it closes down and makes it hard to breathe. I had to go through training to re-learn how to breath but once I learned how to manage it, it helped me in my 800 [meter]. There is not a wall anymore!”
Jirak also explained that in addition to her breathing challenges, her workouts also came with a few more challenges in her sophomore campaign.
“Additionally I have this thing called visual snow syndrome where my eyes would get worse as I worked out,” she explained. “I thought my body is falling apart, this is crazy! By spring I felt I was ready and then I had an ankle injury. But through all that I gained so much mental strength. By the time it came to compete for the outdoor ACC championships I was so much stronger than I’ve ever been. And even though I didn’t score all the points I wanted to score, the fact that I was able to compete and do as well as I did was a very successful season. So two very successful seasons but in very different ways.”
Jirak answered that videos from Father Mike Schmidt were helpful.
“I’m very faith-based so it resonated really well for me,” she said. “I want to be great at what I do but I remember when this was all starting I called my mom and I said that I love challenges and I’m very grateful for this past season.”
The Events
As a heptathlete, Jirak competes in the 100 meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put and the 200 meter dash on one day and then the long jump, javelin and 800 meter on the second day. For Jirak, an event like the javelin is not even sanctioned in Wyoming but she has worked to improve in all the various disciplines.
“Coming out of high school, shot put and jav were by far my worst events,” she explained. “I’m not a thrower, I’m not really built for that. My javelin in high school for reference was about 100 feet and 30 feet in the shot put. My freshman year I was up to 130 feet in the javelin and 36 feet in the shot put. I’m proud of that. My favorite events now are probably the 200 and the 800. They are events you get to compete against someone else on the track.”
Adjustments to School Life
One might think that the biggest adjustment for a college athlete is the field of play. But for Jirak she felt it was the classroom.
“Getting there my freshman year was a wow moment,” she said. “But I think the first time I realized I was there was after my first midterms where I was like, ‘yup I’m at Duke!’ So that’s also been something I’m proud of. I used to not like to talk about grades but now I’m like; I did that!
“I would say that in my freshman year I was more athlete-student than student-athlete. But now this past semester I had straight A’s which I’m very proud of. I had to figure out what I want to do with my life. Right now I’m studying neuroscience and psychology which gives me some paths to choose when I’m ready.”
The world of NIL (Name Image Likeness)
As the NIL discussion continues to shape modern college athletics, Jirak is exposed to it as well.
“I’m very fortunate with the NIL field,” she said. “There are organizations that are working toward connecting us with those opportunities. For myself, I’ve been fortunate to be a brand ambassador for Celsius. I’m not a big social media person per say but I need to get more comfortable with it. I do get free drinks so I don’t complain. “
Competing Overseas in the future
After graduation, Jirak was asked about perhaps joining the European circuit where track and field is a much bigger fan draw than in the United States in many ways.
“I have some teammates that have talked about it and Heptathlon is so intense to get good at seven events,” she noted. “I think by the time I graduate and God-willing I’m still in track I think the timeline I’m on would put me with the U23 and I’d be at the trials in 2028 and if I have a successful year and choose to continue I’d love to do that.”
