What is your name and grade? My name is Lucas Jimenez and I am currently a sophomore.
Where were you born and zodiac sign? I was born in a hospital in Chicago, and I’m a Taurus.
Do you have a favorite artist? Timi Yuro, she has such a powerful voice and I really resonate with the messages in her songs.
What is your favorite food? Crispy Pasta, basically fried pig trotters. It is a Filipino dish that is so good when made right.
What are your favorite hobbies? Wrestling, gymnastics, figure skating, thrifting, going to the gym, singing, playing ukulele and guitar, etc. I’ve also been getting into calisthenics recently and it’s actually been so fun.
What made you join wrestling? AJ Lee from WWE, the fact that I needed to do a winter sport to feel fulfilled my freshman year, and just the need to feel more active and fit. Eventually, I grew to love the sport, and all the people, coaches, and teammates that support me along the way. Especially the culture of the sport, cheering at the top of your lungs for teammates, practicing as hard as you can so you can wrestle as good and as hard as you can, and just that feeling when you have 10 seconds left in a match but you need to hit that takedown to win.
How do you prepare for a wrestling match? Usually, I get really nervous before a match, so I like to repeat self affirmations in my head (like “you can body them”), I listen to music, especially rap like songs from Nicki Minaj and Flo Milli or RnB like songs from SZA or Cleo Sol.
What is something you feel is interesting about yourself? I have a twin sister that looks exactly like me except as a girl, and shorter.
Why did you join gymnastics and what made you stay? I joined gymnastics because Suni Lee had just won the all-around at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Also, I really liked watching Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas doing gymnastics. I wanted to be like them, so I joined.
What are some goals you have for the gymnastics season? Honestly, I want to make it to the “state” series, even though it isn’t sanctioned by IHSA anymore. I’ve gotten so much better since my freshman year, but mainly because I’ve been doing a lot of off season. So, although IHSA doesn’t officially recognize the sport anymore, I will strive to be the best.
What have you achieved since coming to Niles North? 5 visits to my dean, a 4.2 GPA, and a backflip.
Do you have a favorite memory? If it pertains to school, I think it was the time that I finally got giants. Giants is a skill on men’s high bar and women’s uneven bars in gymnastics where you basically whip your body around the bar in a straight position, and it usually takes a really long time to learn, usually a few years. I got this skill at Niles West during the girls gymnastics practices. I was so proud of myself because after a bunch of hard work I had finally got them, and me and my coaches were so happy. I soon got a double backflip dismount off of the bars after that. I hope to get better and better each practice and meet.
