Glenbrook North’s Casey Mutchnik got his first taste of the high-stakes sectional environment last week, yet the freshman didn’t seem fazed by it.
In fact, he seemed to enjoy himself.
Mutchnik, for example, talked and laughed with a teammate before he competed on pommel horse at the Mundelein Sectional on Thursday, May 5. Moments later, Mutchnik earned an 8.15 in that event — a score that days later would earn him an at-large berth to the state gymnastics meet on Saturday, May 14.
“The team atmosphere is great and the meets are a lot more chill than club (gymnastics),” Mutchnik said. “A lot less pressure to nail your routines, even though I like to nail them anyway.”
Spartans senior Jack McGreal also earned an at-large berth to the state meet. He qualified on vault with a score of 8.65.
Mutchnik spent about four or five years as a club gymnast, he estimated, but he stepped away from the sport for two years prior to joining the Spartans this season. He did so because he was burned out from the pressures of the club environment and an injury.
Glenbrook North coach Ryan Dul has taken precautions with Mutchnik this season to try to protect Mutchnik’s left Achilles tendon. He said he developed tendinitis while he was a club gymnast. Dul held Mutchnik out of floor exercise early in the season and he took it very easy on vault to try to avoid re-injury.
Mutchnik regained all of the skills he had prior to stepping away from the sport, except for on floor exercise. Although Mutchnik said his left Achilles tendon feels great heading into the state meet, he was still a little hampered by it on floor this season.
Still, Mutchnik competed in the all-around at the Central Suburban League meet and at the sectional. He helped Glenbrook North record a season-high team score (130.55) at the sectional despite the most difficult scoring conditions the Spartans experienced this season.
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That Mutchnik ended his freshman season as an all-arounder is a testament to the strong foundation he built as a club gymnast.
“He’s got great potential,” Dul said. “You can tell he’s got a great gymnastics background. … This year was just kind of feeling out what he’s got and getting that strength back. Now, it’s just building on top of that foundation so that we can continue to get him down to state in the future on more events. And then into finals.”
Mutchnik has the potential to make the state finals in a year or two, Dul added.
He also figures to grow into a team leader. However, Mutchnik deferred to the Spartans’ captains this season when it came to leadership.
“In practice, all the captains are really hard-working and they’re motivational before meets,” Mutchnik said. “They’re really good leaders and good role models.”
Mutchnik added: “I wasn’t completely sure (I’d return to gymnastics this year), but I ended up deciding to. I thought it would be really fun. And it was.”
McGreal, Jacob Elias and Rick Ahn serve as team captains.
They’ve been a positive influence on Mutchnik, Dul said.
“Here, I think (Mutchnik) kind of fell back in love and started having fun in the sport because of that team unity, because of the team bonding, because of the family feel,” Dul said.
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @VanDrilSports