Poms

Jessica Zirkle Bio Continued...

“I believe that the success and growth of the team comes from hard work, accountability, and teamwork,” Zirkle said.

Before arriving at Good Counsel, Zirkle spent two years (2018–20) as an assistant coach at West Virginia University, where she also danced from 2014–18. As a Mountaineer, she was named Rookie of the Year as a freshman and served as team captain as a senior. She competed at the annual NDA Collegiate National Championship and was a three-time NDA All-American. She also helped lead fundraising efforts, built relationships with sponsors, and designed team gear.

"I'm excited to help the Falcons grow and reach their potential," said Zirkle, who began dancing at a grandmother's urging at age 4. "For the girls who want to perform after high school, I look forward to providing them with the tools to continue dancing."

A native of Pittsburgh, Zirkle began dancing at age four and trained in various styles, including jazz, pom, hip-hop, acrobatics, ballet, and tap. She danced competitively for Ultimate Dance Complex, placing in the Top 10 at every competition and earning high-score honors. From 2015 to the present, she has worked as an NDA instructor each summer, teaching and judging high school and collegiate dance teams across the country.

Zirkle graduated from West Virginia in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology, earning Dean’s List and President’s List recognition for academic achievement. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education in applied behavior analysis from California University of Pennsylvania and hopes to work with autistic children. She lives in Baltimore.

"Jessica brings passion and a wealth of technical knowledge to our pom program," Athletic Director Steve Howes said. "She impresses me with her leadership, positivity, and dedication to our young women. I'm excited about the team dynamic she's creating."