Illini Gym Insider

Those of you who are gymnastics fans, and have been for years, aren't accustomed to seeing numbers on the back of gymnasts' uniforms. However, last year, as many around the NCAA noticed, our team became the first in the country to wear numbers on our uniforms. That's right, now you can recognize one of us just as easily as you could recognize number 23 playing for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990's.

Well, maybe nobody is up to that standard quite yet but it's possible that in the future a gymnast's number could be retired based on their achievements as a Fighting Illini. There have been numerous Illini in the past who have achieved tremendous things while sporting an Illini uniform, so the numbers are just another way of being able to honor those who achieve great things on the competition floor.

What is it that goes into choosing a number for each gymnast? For some on the team the number they wanted was taken so they had to settle for another, others chose one at random. However, for a few Illini the number they wear on their back during each competition represents something much more than you would expect.

For myself, I chose the number 5 because my dad wore the number when he played college hockey. For someone who has helped me get to where I am, it was an easy choice.

For two of our teams biggest contributors on pommel horse, their numbers were chosen based on the inspiration of a current and former professional athlete. Sophomore Matt Foster wears the number 35 in honor of the 2014 NBA MVP, Kevin Durant. "I look up to Durant as an athlete for his work ethic. It's my goal to achieve the level of respect from my teammates that he has garnered from his teammates and those in the NBA," said Foster.

Redshirt junior Jacob Tilsley chose the number 9 due to his admiration for Boston Red Sox legend, Ted Williams.

Others on the team chose their number due to the fact that they've already worn that number in a previous sport. Sophomore Taylor Smith continued his tradition of wearing the number 11 from when he was first given the number playing little league baseball.

The next athlete's reason for his number should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the team. Senior Mike Wilner earned the Capital One Academic All-District award in 2014 and consistently boasts one of the teams top GPAs each semester. The computer engineering major chose his number for a reason that maybe only others in the major might understand. "Mine is an engineering joke," said Wilner, "Zero always signifies the first thing in memory inside a computer."

As you can see, more often than not the number that each gymnast wears represents something about themselves. Redshirt junior C.J. Maestas is no exception to that pattern. Maestas is well on his way to cementing his place in Illinois history and having the chance to get his number retired in the future. "I chose the number 4 because family is everything to me," said Maestas. "Before each event I tell myself '4 the family.'"

Maestas has 3 younger siblings and expressed the fact that the number represents not only himself while competing, but also his siblings.

Only time will tell to see whether jersey numbers will catch on with the rest of the NCAA, but for now it gives fans at Huff Hall a chance to recognize each Illini a little bit more. Who knows, maybe someday in the future gymnasts will be choosing their number based on their favorite gymnast of the present.

Go Illini!

- Logan Bradley #5