The Glenbard West gymnastics team is gearing up for another year, coming off a successful season where the Hilltoppers were undefeated in the West Suburban-Silver Conference and took the regional title. The team had its first meet of the season at Hinsdale South, placing third overall.
Coach Juan Fuentes said the goal of his squad is to “continue to maintain the high standard of excellence that we have developed over the last two decades.”
“Our biggest strength is our tradition,” said Coach Fuentes. “West has been one of the elite gymnastics programs over the last 20 years because of the tradition of hard work and consistency in the program. We have a belief and a mindset that we will reach our full potential through those characteristics.”
The team is led by returning state qualifier junior Leah Chapski, along with seniors Annika Bhagwakar and Lilly McCarthy; juniors Grace Flint and Talia Haq; sophomore Mackenzie Mason; and freshmen Maddie Ford and Caelyn Berger. The team lives by a slogan: “Good is the enemy of great. Always strive to be great.”
The Hilltoppers lost several seniors and state qualifiers to graduation, but Fuentes is pleased with the talented group of newcomers who have shone they are ready to step up.
“We have special athletes up and down the line-up,” Fuentes said. “Senior Annika Bhagwakar provides consistency and a solid beam routine to anchor the beam lineup. Senior Lilly McCarthy is a first year gymnast on the team but brings a wealth of club gymnastics experience with her. Look for her to really make an impact on balance beam and floor exercise.”
Fuentes was the boys’ gymnastics coach at Glenbard East from 1997 to 2002, and the Glenbard West girls’ gymnastics coach since 2000. He is the longest tenured head coach at the school and has an impressive 118-45 record with 11 conference titles, 14 regional championships, four sectional titles, nine state qualifying teams and back-to-back state titles in 2018 and 2019.
He uses a blended coaching philosophy of ones he has been coached by, including Steve Kafka and Bruce Beirsdorf, but also is inspired by professional coaches like Phil Jackson, Mark Wetmore and Nick Saban.
The team had its first meet on Nov. 22 at Hinsdale South and placed third. Coming up is the Glenbard West Hilltopper Invite on Saturday, Dec. 2. This is the standout meet of the year.
“This meet brings the top teams in the state together for a state meet preview,” said Coach Fuentes. “The state championship team has come out of this meet since its inception in 2017.”
