A new state champion has been added to Geneva’s list of honored high schoolers: “Home of Reese Lackey 2026 Gymnastics Floor Exercise.”

The new sign was presented at the April 6 Geneva City Council meeting, in recognition of Lackey’s 9.6 score in the IHSA state finals.

Lackey said she believed she would attend the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater but was still considering Valley State University in Michigan. She said she will major in kinesiology – but she’s not sure if she will continue to compete.

“The door is not completely shut,” Lackey said in conversation with Mayor Kevin Burns. “I’m not thinking that I’m going to compete on the team there, but I want to study kinesiology because I want to be a physical therapist. So I’ll still be in that like realm a little bit.”

Kinesiology involves designing and implementing exercise programs to improve physical fitness, enhance performance and aid in the rehabilitation of injuries.

“And there’s only been two women in Geneva High School’s history in gymnastics that have won a state title,” Burns said. “Miss Ginsberg and you.”

Claire Ginsberg won the IHSA all-around state title in 2014, as a freshman.

“Throughout all your interviews, you always say that the floor routine is your favorite because – and I’m paraphrasing now – it reflects and shows your personality," the mayor said. “Now explain for all of us, what is your personality that we see during your competitions, when you’re on the floor?”

Lackey said everybody has “different music and different choreography. It’s so personal to every gymnast, but mine specifically, I feel like it’s – like I mentioned before – I get very, very nervous until the music starts. And then it ... feels powerful. And it feels like flowy.”

“Flowy is a good word,” Burns said.

The music is the instrumental version of “Run Boy Run” by Woodkid.

Lackey described her nervousness at a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.

“With all your experience, all your success, those nerves are still there?” Burns said.

“Yes. I think they help me a little bit,” Lackey said. “Half of them are welcomed, half of them are not. I think that they definitely help with adrenaline ... but oh, man.”

Burns if she had a ritual, but Lackey said it’s the team itself.

“I’ve always had, like, a really great group of girls to surround myself with, so I definitely try to be with them as much as I can,” Lackey said. “I don’t want to be on my own at all.”

Burns asked when she wrapped up her routine and was saluted, did she think she had done well?

“I felt like I did a good routine,” Lackey said. “It’s the judges’ call. It was exciting seeing the score. But I still had so many people to go after me, so I was nervous.”

Lackey has been a gymnast since she was 2.

“Yes. It’s a long time,” Lackey said. “When I was heading into high school, I didn’t know if I wanted to do high school [gymnastics] or stay in club gymnastics or do it at all. I’m very thankful that I did do high school gymnastics, but it was a decision to make, for sure. I mean, like, it felt hard, but I’m very thankful that I didn’t stop.”

The city is awaiting Lackey’s decision as to where the sign acknowledging her title would be placed.