Last May, Libertyville’s boys gymnastics team was on the bus, returning from the state meet at Hinsdale Central.
Coach Josh Cimo observed his team’s behavior. There was excitement about competing against the state’s best.
“They were saying how motivated they are to get back in the gym and see what needed to be done at that level,” Cimo said. “You could see the energy and atmosphere for the sport.”
That drive is bearing fruit in 2015.
Libertyville’s terrific 2014 had much to do with the stellar performance of Alex Pong. His graduation opened up event spots for other gymnasts this spring.
“[Pong] was a huge contributor,” senior captain Mark Pickar said. “But the potential on this team is so big, we’ve been able to fill the gap.”
Pickar is one of several gymnasts scoring solidly for the Wildcats. On Friday, Libertyville competed in the Robert Bohl Invitational at Mundelein. Eighteen teams participated in one of the deepest fields of any regular season meet. The Wildcats’ score of 134.85 was good for eighth place (Stevenson won with a 147.05).
Libertyville’s high placer was junior Adrian Metcalf. A 2014 state qualifier in the still rings and parallel bars, Metcalf placed 10th in the all-around Friday with 46.85 and sixth in the rings with an 8.4. Senior Ryan Flores, a 2014 state qualifier in the pommel horse, had his best showing in the horizontal bar, where he was 12th with a 6.6. Pickar’s top event was the pommel horse, where he scored 7.9 to finish 19th.
“They have improved, all three of them,” Cimo said. “Their ability level has drastically increased.”
Cimo said he sees fewer mistakes from Metcalf, Flores and Pickar. In a dual meet against Mundelein on March 26, the Wildcats totaled three falls.
“We are not making careless mistakes and now hitting routines,” Cimo said.
One reason for the Wildcats’ steady performance is the influence of Cimo.
A gymnast who competed in the 2004 USA National Championships for Arizona State in the Collegiate Club Division, Cimo speaks to the Wildcats in a voice they can understand.
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“He knows how to guide me through to make good routines so we can get the best amount of tricks with the most amount of points and least amount of deductions,” Pickar said. “[Cimo] guides you through so you know how to do it better. That comes from his background.”
While Cimo provides intelligence on routines, he asks captains Pickar and Flores to execute his ideas. Cimo said gymnasts learn as much by watching peers as they do listening to coaches.
“They take over practices and it takes the pressure off of me to motivate the guys and push the guys,” Cimo said. “[Pickar’s and Flores’] energy has rubbed off and they know they are capable of doing that.”
Last season yielded Libertyville’s first team state berth since 2007. Pickar said he, Flores and Cimo are the loudest voices in what they hope is a shift in the program’s culture.
That shift is toward expecting state berths every spring.
“The first day, we talked about, ‘Do we went this to be a building year or a make it a state year?’ ” Pickar said. “Because we tasted it last year, we honestly have more potential to do better.”
Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @prepspioneer