Whiz Kid: Dan Wilcox

It didn’t take long for Dan Wilcox to find his calling when it came to athletics.  His mother and father detected his passion for gymnastics at an early age.

“My parents realized I was doing little cartwheels when I was younger,” said Dan. “I was doing summersaults on soccer fields and baseball fields. They decided to put me in a gymnastics class when I was 6. From there, I just took off.”

Dan has found some larger venues to show off his gymnastics skills.  The student is competing in the National Junior Olympics in California after an impressive showing in the regional competition. The 14-year-old is a Level 9 gymnast who has been competing for eight years.  A Level 9 gymnast is allowed to choreograph his own routine.

The Regionals were a difficult challenge for Dan. The event was held in Landover, MD, and featured gymnasts from seven states. 

“It was actually pretty cool to see what the competition was like from different states in different areas,” Dan said.  “But it was hard going against them.”

It was even harder than most realized for Dan. Two months before the Regionals, he suffered a torn shoulder, which put his availability for the event in doubt.

“It happened in February,” said Dan. “I was competing at one of my competitions, and I noticed it when I got off my ring event. I had done a trick that had pulled my shoulder out and twisted it at the same time. They said I couldn’t perform for about two weeks, but the states were coming up.”

Dan went to a doctor and was allowed to work out at the gym.  He was ready to go when the Regionals came up one month later, and was able to make it to the next level. 

Now, he is facing even tougher competition than he went against in Landover.

“It’s a little nerve-racking right now,” Dan said. “But it’s actually such a great experience for me at a young age.  It’s really cool.”

Dan trains at Delaware Valley Gymnasts in Huntingdon Valley. Ed Riley, a man whom Dan credits for much of his gymnastics success, coaches him.

“He’s one of the greatest coaches that I’ve had in all of my years at gymnastics,” said Dan. “He’s a great guy, and he has that good feeling about him.  He’s a great coach with everything.”

Every gymnast who has the success Dan has enjoyed can’t help but think of the future. It is easy to dream of Olympic glory, and Dan could one day be on a Wheaties box.  However, Dan is also keeping his future in perspective.

“I do have the dream of going to the Olympics,” Dan said. “But it’s not something that’s easy to do. I’d still like to be doing (gymnastics) in college.”

Despite a hectic training schedule, Dan still manages to keep his class work in order at Upper Moreland Middle School. He dedicates his time after school to his studies and is encouraged by Riley to take care of his schoolwork before he heads to the gym. 

Rather than serve as a distraction, gymnastics has helped Dan get the most out of his studies and his academic abilities.

“Gymnastics has changed my life over the years,” said Dan. “It’s really affected how hard I work at school and how I keep up with everything.  School comes first, but gymnastics is such a great sport to be involved with.”