Trailblazer: Van Dyk’s landmark freshman campaign paves way for Nevada High female athletes

Friday, March 1, 2019
Lotus Van Dyk, then in eighth-grade, proudly displays her championship hardware earned at the 2018 Adidas Nationals.
Submitted photo

A momentous season on the mat has not yet completely sunk in for Lotus Van Dyk.

Van Dyk, a star wrestler at Nevada High School, is fresh off a history-making season as the school’s first-ever female wrestler in the girls-only division.

And, oh, what a season it was for the freshman grappler. Van Dyk rolled out to a 16-2 record, and runner-up finish at the district tournament, earning a trip to the inaugural girls’ Class 1 State Tournament in Columbia. There, Van Dyk won three of her five matches en route to a sixth-place finish.

After winning her first match at state via pin in the 136-poind division, Van Dyk succumbed in the quarterfinals to eventual, undefeated state champion Esther Han. Han, of Holt, pinned 25 of her 26 opponents — with Van Dyk as the lone competitor she was unable to pin.

“I have girls in youth practice that I get to go coach tonight,” began Van Dyk, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail. “And it makes me feel really happy, because I get to help pave the way for them. All of this makes me feel like I have accomplished something that will help out girls for years to come. I feel like a lot of people are starting to know about this, and starting to know who I am.”

Origin story

Van Dyk’s origin (grappler) story dates back five years, when she was inspired by her then 8-year-old brother, Blaze, to wrestle competitively. Van Dyk, a year older than Blaze, was an avid fan of his as he competed with Tiger Pit wrestling, a local club team.

Nevada High freshman Lotus Van Dyk is all smiles after emerging with a victory at the heavily attended NHS Assembly meet in late January at Wynn Gymnasium. Photo courtesy of Sheena Brooks | Special to the Daily Mail
Photo courtesy of Sheena Brooks | Special to the Daily Mail

“I wanted to try something new,” said Van Dyk, of her start in the sport. “My mom (Keri) has been my biggest inspiration, because through the years she has supported me. And even though people would say negative things about me, she would tell me ‘not to worry about it’ — and to ‘keep going.’”

During her first year of competitive wrestling Van Dyk competed exclusively against boys, and against a boy-girl mix the following years. According to Van Dyk many people doubted her abilities during her early years on the mat.

“Girls shouldn’t wrestle, you need to be more girly-like, you’re going to quit soon, you’re not tough enough,” recounted Van Dyk, of some of the shade thrown her way.

The odds were also stacked against Van Dyk in other ways, as she feels she was treated unfairly by the officials during her first couple of seasons.

“With the refs, they’d call false things on me, like false (opponent) pins,” she said.

“Once more girls started wrestling, you could tell the (refs) had to accept it, but they didn’t want to,” noted Van Dyk. “And you sometimes still see it today, with some of the refs. But most of the refs really like the girls.”

Through it all Van Dyk was able to conquer the adversity, compiling a 19-4 overall record.

“It made me want to fight harder to prove that (I belonged),” she sad.

Van Dyk said wrestling against boys molded her into the competitor she is today.

“It was a lot easier to wrestle girls, because wrestling the guys you have to work harder,” explained the 5-foot-1 Van Dyk. “Because they’re a lot stronger, or taller than you (in my case). And I pushed myself against them, to break past my limits and keep going.”

Nevada’s Lotus Van Dyk gets the drop on her opponent during a regular-season match.
Photo courtesy of Sheena Brooks | Special to the Daily Mail

As for Blaze, he elected to drop out of the sport altogether after having absorbed too many head-to-head losses against his older sister (at competitive meets).

Van Dyk said she is considering a move down to the 131-pound weight class next season. A defensive-oriented grappler, Van Dyk’s only losses this season came to the top four wresters in the state.

“I make sure that I have the little things correct,” said Van Dyk, who gives up a considerable height-advantage to most opponents. “Most of the girls wrestling at 136 have half-a-foot to a foot of height on me.”

Van Dyk credited Nevada High head coach David Hawks for her continued development on the mat this past season. She was also thrilled that Hawks elected to travel with her to the district tournament in Nixa, while the NHS boys’ squad was in another area of the state competing.

“He didn’t have to go to districts with me, and he didn’t have to take me to all the other (girls’) tournaments,” concluded Van Dyk. “He’s been a big influence.”

Van Dyk narrowly missed out on a podium finish at the state tournament, falling one victory shy. With three years of prep eligibility remaining, she plans on making multiple return trips to the marquee event.

Lotus Van Dyk locks up her opponent.
Photo courtesy of Sheena Brooks | Special to the Daily Mail

“I know I can push myself a lot harder,” she said, as her aim is to become more offensive oriented.

Van Dyk said it took some getting used to, but she was eventually able to form a lasting camaraderie with many of her teammates.

“The first week of the season Spencer (Hawkins) said that he thought it was strange, and that I was most likely going to leave the team,” recalled Van Dyk, of her 195-pound senior teammate. “And he said (later) that he was glad I stayed. With the guys, they’re family. I really love them , they’re so supportive of me. Over at districts I got lots of (text) messages from them. ‘You’re doing great, congratulations.’ And they’re always checking up on me, with how I’m doing when I’m wrestling elsewhere and they can’t watch me.”

Prior to this season Van Dyk had achieved major success on the mat, winning the 14-and-under division at the 2018 Adidas Nationals in Independence, Missouri. The feat earned her the title of 136-pound All-American National Champion.

Van Dyk said she loves the big stage, which included the recently completed Missouri Class 1 girl’ state championships (Feb. 14-16) at Mizzou Arena.

“I love the huge crowds, because it makes me more confident,” she said. “I don’t get too amped up or excited, but it just feels like home.”

Van Dyk, who is also on the Nevada High cheer team, has received an invitation to compete with Team Missouri at the prestigious Fargo (youth wrestling ) Nationals, slated for July in North Dakota.

“It’s the biggest nationals in the world for youth wrestling,” said Van Dyk, the Joplin Globe’s freshly minted prep youth athlete of the week. “It’s invitation only, and it’s the best-of-the-best.”

Said third-year head coach Hawks: “Coaching Lotus was not unlike coaching the guys — she was part of our wrestling program. Although there is now girls’ wrestling, she was held to the same standards as everyone on the boys’ team. She fit in, and was just like all the other members. I thought she matured a lot throughout the season. The wrestling season is a long season, and for freshman it can be especially challenging, giving up much of your Christmas break for practice. She was consistently at those practices wanting to get better.”

Hawks is appreciative of Van Dyk’s pioneering efforts for the NHS wrestling program.

“I think that the success Lotus had this year will ultimately help the program,” he said. “I really hope that we can build a whole girls’ team, and compete for trophies at tournaments. In talking with Lotus, she thinks there may a couple more girls coming out next year.”

Hawks discussed Van Dyk’s greatest attributes on the mat.

“Lotus’ number one strength is her ability to continue to wrestle, no matter the score in a match. We saw it several times throughout the year, where she would be losing, sometimes by as many as nine points, and end up pinning her opponent.”

Hawks said that in order for Van Dyk to reach her full potential she would need to first get stronger.

“Lotus needs to work on her strength during the off-season,” he said. “We have talked with her about improving her strength, and that will help her avoid being down big in some of those matches like we saw this year. I know she has plans to continue to wrestle during the summer, and travel with the Missouri (girls) National Team.”

Summed up Hawks: “My favorite memory from coaching Lotus this year was at the district tournament in Nixa. She was wresting in the semifinals against a girl from Versailles. If she wins the match she becomes a state-qualifier. She was down by eight points in the first period, but she never gave up. She was able to reverse the girl, and put her on her back. Once Lotus got her on her back, she was able to secure the pin and become our first-ever (girls) state-qualifier.”

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