It happens every April.
Pranksters run rampant on the first day of the month, taxpayers line up outside post offices on the 15th, and Leyden junior Alexis Vilchez takes another big step forward in gymnastics.
Vilchez started competing in gymnastics when he was a freshman, but took to the sport right away. His background in taekwondo helped conquer his fears of falling, and it seemed like he got better every day.
By the end of freshman year, he was on varsity to stay. He earned the team’s No.4 spot last season and now he’s the top scorer.
Vilchez was the team’s leading all-arounder at Friday’s Anthony J. Canino Invite hosted by Hinsdale Central. He finished seventh with a score of 46.36, well ahead of the 41.1 he scored at the same meet last year.
Vilchez said he had no other choice but to get better.
“All the seniors graduated and that put more pressure on me and the pressure made me work harder,” Vilchez said. “I didn’t want to disappoint my teammates or coaches. They expect me to score high on every event.”
Vilchez didn’t disappoint at the Canino Invite with a steady effort. He finished second on still rings (8.8), eighth on pommel horse (6.9), ninth on vault (8.61) and 10th on both parallel bars (8.2) and horizontal bar (6.35). His only weakness was floor, where he landed 32nd (7.5).
Vilchez has been piling up new skills over the last year and he’s thrilled to see how much it’s paying off in his improved scores.
He picked up a peach swing in parallel bars, changed from a handspring to a handspring front in vault, while adding a cross in still rings. He’s also working on a double-back dismount in rings.
Vilchez took his training to another level so he could add these skills. He attended summer camps at Leyden and started practicing twice a week at Premier Gymnastics in Downers Grove.
“I’m pretty glad I did it,” Vilchez said. “They have coaches there and they helped me out a lot with my pommel horse. I also learned a lot of new skills on parallel bars and horizontal bar. I picked up a half-twist dismount in both and I think that gets me three-tenths more than what I used to get.”
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Following his progression, Vilchez is setting lofty goals for this season.
“My goal is to make it to state on all-around this year,” Vilchez said. “Last meet I got a 46.36 and I think I just need to get at least a 48. I was barely hitting 40’s this time last year so I believe I have a pretty good chance.”
The state cut last year for an all-around at-large berth was 42.9 at sectionals.
The Eagles finished third at the 10-team Canino Invite with a score of 131.56 and Vilchez’s teammates gave him a lot of the credit.
“He’s definitely a go-getter and steps up when nobody else will,” teammate Fabian Marquez said. “He pushes our team to do better and he’s a role model for us.”
Valentin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.