The Niles West girls’ varsity gymnastics team has been prepping all season for the 2022 regional meet. Last Thursday, West’s highest scoring/varsity gymnasts competed against nearby schools at regionals in hopes of qualifying for sectionals. This year, varsity gymnasts senior Melanie Brill and sophomore Stephanie Avram earned high enough scores to earn spots at sectionals, which will take place today, Feb. 8, at Mundelein High School.

“Regionals was very exciting. There was a huge crowd which made the meet more fun…With the short timeframe, we tried keeping practices light. Focusing on the skills that have the highest value or give them a little trouble. We foresee having an amazing meet tonight,” Head Coach Susan Arcus said.

Brill and Avram make a promising lineup, and are both looking forward to being able to showcase their advanced skills. At regionals, Avram was named Regional All Around Champ, placing first on bars, second on floor and third on beam—all impressive feats for the sophomore. Brill also did exceptionally well on bars, hitting her routine and allowing her to advance as an at large qualifier on bars and vault.

“Regionals went well, I had a couple mistakes that I have been working hard to fix to prep for sectionals. Prepping for regionals has been hard work and lots of commitment, but it was all worth it,” Brill said. Brill, who is one of the varsity captains, is looking forward to performing at her best and showing off what she’s been working hard on all season.

“It felt really great to make it to [sectionals] and represent the school, and it’s been really fun competing alongside so many other talented girls like my teammate Melanie,” Avram said. When prepping for regionals, Brill made sure that her teammates were mentally prepared as well as physically.

“Everyone worked hard in practice and I am proud of the effort they put in this season. I made sure they knew the environment regionals was going to be because it is much different than regular dual meets the team is used to. Everyone competed amazing [at regionals] and I am so proud of them,” Brill said.

Senior Marian Essa, who has trained with Brill in gymnastics for the last four years, similarly felt excitement for her fellow athletes.

“Watching my teammates compete this year was always a nice experience, seeing everyone improve every meet and become more confident in their skills was such an amazing thing. My teammates did not only all grow individually in their skill, but I also got to see our team come together and be so supportive of each other on and off the competition events,” Essa said.

The girls’ encouragement for one another has lifted them to new heights and created opportunities for younger gymnasts, such as Avram, to reach their fullest potential.

“I find that preparing for meets can be tricky sometimes. For me at least, I feel like taking things easy the week prior helps my body feel more rested and prepared. Most of the time, the skills I do are just muscle memory, so it’s all about going out there confident and having fun,” Avram said. While she doesn’t anticipate upgrading any of the skills in her routine for sectionals, Avram has been working towards perfecting the complex skills she’s already incorporated.

“For me it’s about improving small details, even though the want to be perfect is always there, I still feel great doing better on things I’d been struggling or wanting to improve on,” Avram said.

Best of luck to Brill and Avram as they compete their routines tonight and represent Niles West!