York’s Boys Gymnastics Team is getting fired up to jump into their 2017 competitions. This enthusiasm is apparent, as they have been preparing to have a successful and fulfilling season.

“I’m extremely excited to be back in my home gym,” said York alumni Nick Criel, the team’s new coach. “My expectations for this season are that it will be as fun as it is productive.”

The boys have started preparation with mandatory open gyms. During this time the team conditions, practices their events and works on their foundational skills for each event.

“Gymnastics is 30 percent physical and 70 percent mental,” said Senior Jason Juarez, a member of the team. “Preparing beforehand helps us get the best balance between the two.”

According to the team, obtaining the physical endurance, strength, and skill is not even half of the preparation for their season.

“Once you obtain a skill, the only thing stopping you is mental blocks,” said Juarez. “Knocking those mental walls down is what really makes a gymnast great.”

The team’s ultimate goal is to win the state meet, and according to the program’s records, this is a possibility. York has one of the most acclaimed boys gymnastics programs in Illinois. According to the team’s website, the program has captured three State Championships, five second-place finishes, and five third place finishes brandishing a grand total of 13 State trophies as well as 23 Top Ten finishes.

There is definitely not a lack of determination among this year’s team. The team’s veterans say that they use each other to work toward their common goal and become close-knit while doing so.

“My teammates and I are like a family,” said D’Angelo Williams, senior and member of the team. “As a family we want to make it to state and bring back another trophy for York to put gymnastics at the forefront of York sports like it used to be.”