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SALT LAKE CITY — “It’s not as bad as you would think.”
Of course that’s what Utah gymnastics’ star MyKayla Skinner says when asked about being put in one of the team’s most pressured spots of the lineup — the anchor.
Coaches have placed the junior in the last spot of every event lineup for most of the past two seasons. What’s expected of Skinner in the anchor spot is that she’ll hit every routine and get Utah’s highest score, which she’s done for nearly all her collegiate career.
The idea is that scores build throughout the lineup. Whoever acts as the leadoff is expected to create a baseline for the scores. By the time the judges have seen the five gymnasts in the lineup before Skinner, there’s a possibility she can earn a perfect 10 as scores rise.
The plan has worked. Dubbed “Winner Skinner,” she’s one of the winningest gymnasts in Utah and Pac-12 history. Skinner holds the program record for all-around wins in a season (12 in 2017) and is second in career all-around wins (25, 2017-present). Her current 92 total career wins ranks fourth in program history.
What drives Skinner’s success is her mindset. She absolutely thrives off pressure situations, and Utah co-head coach Megan Marsden will be the first to tell you so.
“I don’t think she really wants to be out there unless there’s pressure,” Marsden said.
In Marsden's 35 years with the program, she said she’s never worked with a gymnast who’s handled pressure like Skinner.
“It’s almost like she needs that in her blood to be out there doing her thing,” she said.
Marsden has a point. Skinner enjoys the expectations everyone has for her. When her teammates receive low-balling scores, a fire ignites inside of her and she fuels off it.
“I enjoy it, especially when I’m seeing scores that aren’t always fair,” Skinner said. “I get that energy and motivation when it’s my turn. I think, ‘I’m going to show you we’re better.'"
It works for her. Skinner has yet to fall in competition — even in practice it’s said that Skinner has fallen just twice in her entire collegiate training. She’s hit all 129 of her career routines to date. It’s the longest streak of consecutive hit routines in school history. When she is off, it’s a slight wobble or a small hop on her landings.
Her most visible mistake came in her freshman season when her foot slipped, and she nearly fell off the beam after a back tuck. As Skinner knows how, she caught her balance with wind-milling arms and improvised with a creative save that looked like a dance move.
“When you work with her day to day, you begin to say, ‘Wow. She doesn’t fall,’” Marsden said. “Her mistakes are so minute that that’s out of the realm.”
Skinner tries not to think about her incredible streak. When her family and friends bring it up, she jokingly tells them not to jinx it. In competition, her mind is far away from thinking about her achievement and is solely focused on one routine at a time.
“I think about the event that I’m on and once it’s done, I erase it. It’s done, next event,” Skinner said.
The approach has helped Skinner not let emotions get to her. If she doesn’t get as good of a score or if Utah is behind its competitor, she doesn’t dwell on it.
“Blocking it out and moving on to the next really helps me get into my zone to be able to focus and hit the routine that I’ve been doing in practice every day,” Skinner said.
If she were to overthink the pressure and happen to fall in competition, Skinner isn’t worried as “a fall is a fall and it happens.” Until then, she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to compete when the team relies on her most.
“Not a lot of people get that opportunity, so it’s cool that I’ve been able to handle the pressure, calm my nerves and get the job done no matter where I am in the lineup.”
