Illinois Athletes Making the Most of Their Upgrade Season

The summer is where athletes make some of their biggest upgrades, and gymnasts across Illinois are taking full advantage of the opportunity to grow. From adding new skills to refining routines and building confidence, these athletes are putting in the work now to prepare for a strong upcoming season. Here are some Illinois gymnasts making the most of their offseason.    Anna Reed is building on an impressive first Level 10 season and continues to expand an already exciting skill set across all four events. After showcasing her explosive power on vault and floor throughout the year, Reed has been hard at work adding significant upgrades, including a Jaeger and a cast handstand half into her distinctive Ezhova on bars, a cat leap-Barani and round off-double full dismount on beam, a front handspring-front pike half on vault, and a trio of big tumbling passes, double tuck, double pike, and double front, on floor. Her willingness to pursue difficulty across the board, paired with her natural power, makes Reed an athlete whose trajectory continues to trend upward as she prepares for her sophomore Level 10 season.     Brooklyn Whitlow is carrying strong momentum into the new season after an impressive Level 10 campaign, highlighted by qualifying to Nationals on floor as an All-Star. Following a breakout year, Whitlow has continued to elevate her gymnastics with upgrades across every event, including a Yurchenko full on vault, a blind change to Jaeger and double layout dismount on bars, an aerial on beam, and both a double back and double pike on floor. Her continued commitment to increasing difficulty, combined with the confidence she gained during a successful first Level 10 season, makes her an athlete to keep a close eye on this year.     Ellie Mayer already brings an impressive skill set to competition, particularly on beam where her standing tuck full showcases her confidence, power, and ability to perform unique high-level skills. She is continuing to build on that foundation with several exciting upgrades across the events. On floor, Mayer is training a piked full-in, adding another challenging tumbling element to her routine. Her beam upgrades include a side somi and round off-2.5 dismount, while she is also developing advanced bar combinations with a Maloney-Stalder handstand-Pak connection and stalder full pirouette. With her combination of originality, difficulty, and continued progression, Mayer is an athlete whose routines have the potential to stand out even more this season.     Mina Sidler has spent the offseason sharpening her current routines while steadily adding new difficulty across all four events. On beam, her back handspring-layout stepout floats effortlessly through the flight phase, complemented by an aerial, Barani, and aerial-back tuck dismount. She is also building her bars routine with a Tkatchev, bail to handstand, and toe-on front pike half dismount, while her Yurchenko full gives her a powerful option on vault. On floor, Sidler performs a front Rudi and front layout-full, adding even more variety to an already well-rounded skill set. Her combination of refinement and purposeful upgrades makes her an athlete with plenty of potential to continue making strides.     Evelyn Jehl is continuing to build on her strong foundation with an impressive slate of upgrades across all four events. On vault, she is training a Yurchenko 1.5, adding another level of difficulty to an already promising event. Her floor work features several high-level possibilities, including an Arabian double front, triple full, front double full-front tuck, and 2.5-front pike. She is also developing a piked Jaeger and Maloney on bars, while her beam training includes a front aerial-back handspring-layout stepout. With upgrades ranging from major tumbling difficulty to new release and connection work, Jehl is showing the kind of all-around progression that could make her a particularly exciting athlete to watch this season.     Amelia Kotowsky is using the offseason to add significant difficulty to her routines, with upgrades that could make a noticeable impact when she returns to competition. On floor, she is training both a double Arabian and front double full, giving her multiple high-level tumbling options and showcasing her ability to generate power through challenging skills. On beam, she is working a Gainer full dismount, adding another exciting layer of difficulty to the end of her routine. These upgrades demonstrate Kotowsky's willingness to push her gymnastics and continue expanding her potential across the events.     Jillian Luif is entering the season with an exciting mix of power and difficulty across all four events. On vault, she is training a Yurchenko 1.5, adding another dynamic option to her repertoire. Her beam work continues to stand out with the addition of a front toss, along with a strong back handspring-layout stepout and front tuck. On floor, Luif brings impressive tumbling potential with a double layout, while her bars routine features upgrades such as a double layout dismount and Pak-toe handstand combination. With major skills developing across multiple events, Luif is an athlete whose continued growth and versatility make her one to watch this season.    Illinois' Class of 2028 is showing no shortage of potential as these gymnasts continue to add upgrades and elevate their routines. With exciting skills on the horizon, these athletes are ones to watch this season.

The summer is where athletes make some of their biggest upgrades, and gymnasts across Illinois are taking full advantage of the opportunity to grow. From adding new skills to refining routines and building confidence, these athletes are putting in the work now to prepare for a strong upcoming season. Here are some Illinois gymnasts making the most of their offseason.