Interview with Lisa Spini, coach of Mykayla Skinner

Can you start by talking about how Mykayla's season went overall? What were some of the ups and downs she faced throughout the year? 
We are all, of course, very happy with how MyKayla's season went. Being a member of the gold medal World Championship and Pan Am team is a dream come true for any gymnast. She did well in Jesolo, her 1st meet this season, winning the gold on vault and floor, and helping Team USA win the Team gold. Then we wound back down to prepare for Classics and Championships, with the goal to make the Pan Am and or World Team. She had a slow start at the Classic, but then got a little better in each following competition, culminating with the Pan Am team, all-around, vault and floor golds and of course Team USA's and her own amazing performance at World's.

How would you sum up Mykayla's experience at the World Championships this year? Do you feel she accomplished everything she set out to do? 
I can imagine that the only better feeling than winning the team gold at World Championships would be to win it at the Olympics! MyKayla and I both felt like the years of hard work and tough times had finally paid off. Yes, we accomplished what we set out to do, which was help the USA earn a team medal and win an individual medal, if possible. Not medaling on floor after doing such a great routine in floor finals was very hard on her, but the positive feedback that she received from all over the world and knowing that she had done her best really helped her through that.

Since coming home from the World Championships do you feel that Mykayla has more confidence? How has this effected her training, if at all? 
Worlds was a great confidence booster. Winning team gold, vault bronze, fourth on floor and sixth all-around in prelims, really helped her realize that she is currently among the best gymnasts in the world! In training, it has helped because not only is she more confident, but she is more focused on her form and flexibility--she realizes that's what she needs.

Photo belongs to Silvia Vatterroni

Has Mykayla been working any new upgrades in the gym that you can share?
We have been working a Cheng with an extra full twist on vault--so round-off 1/2 on, 2 1/2 off. She is doing it on mats in the pit, but still a little lower than competition height. We've also been working triple twisting Yurchenkos in the pit. On bars, she is training a new shaposh to pak combo, double double dismount and wyler 1/2. On beam she is training a punch front to jumps, tour jete 1/2, double turn and full in dismount. On floor she is hoping to put a 1 1/2 step out to triple in for her second pass and full in at the end. We are also playing with a tucked triple twisting double on the rod floor.

Which vault can fans expect to see in competition first? Both have been highly anticipated! 
I think that MyKayla will compete the Cheng with the added full turn before the triple twisting yurchenko because she is further along on it at this time. It should also have a higher start value than the triple twisting yurchenko because it's adding a full turn to a Cheng and the triple yurchenko is adding a 1/2 turn to an Amanar.

Mykayla is known for throwing lots of difficult skills in practice. Is she the one who comes up with the idea of trying a new skill or do you usually bring it up?
 MyKayla has always loved difficult skills. When she was younger, I used it as a reward for doing what I wanted her to do first- basics, flexibility, drills. Now that she is older, she still enjoys them and also appreciates that the time she spends on flexibility, basics and drills will help her be better at the skills she wants to do. Sometimes she comes up with the idea for a skill and sometimes I watch men's gymnastics and power tumbling for ideas for skills and how to teach them since there aren't women doing them yet.

What has been your biggest challenge with coaching Mykayla? 
MyKayla loves the big skills. Getting her to focus on form and flexibility has always been the challenge. In this past season, I saw her change quite a bit in that area--she was much more willing to work in those areas. After being at Worlds, and seeing the best gymnasts from all over the world, she is even more focused on improving her execution. Much of her execution errors are due to her lack of flexibility, but her tightness also makes her very quick and quickness and air-sense are two of her best attributes. She will never be a flexible gymnast, but her flexibility has definitely improved.

How do you keep Mykayla motivated day in and day out? Does she ever have days where she doesn't want to come to practice or wants to quit? 
I used to keep MyKayla motivated with skills, but now, she can see the big picture a little clearer and that motivates her. I just help her time it all out--we need to be doing this by this date, and then this by this date, etc., so that we can be ready for competitions and not be burned out or injured. Gymnasts of this level do need to have quite a bit of self-motivation. They have to love the process as much as the result, or they won't last long. I think every gymnast probably wants to quit at one time or another and MyKayla is no exception. The gymnasts that realize that it's just a phase or a response to something negative that happened to them and work through it are the ones that make it in the end.

With so many talented gymnasts moving into the senior ranks and lots of returning Olympians, how do you think Mykayla will fare this upcoming season?
As far as MyKayla's ability to compete with the new seniors and the returning Olympians, only time will tell. The results from Worlds and Pan Ams prove that she can compete with the best. Whatever gymnasts are healthy, have the skills, fitness level and the mental toughness at the right moment will fare the best.

Thus far, what has been your favorite coaching memory? 
 I would have to say that winning the team title at World Championships is my favorite memory! It was so amazing--the gymnasts, the coaches and the moment! The girls and coaches all got along so well. We all worked as one for that result and when it finally happened, it was the most awesome feeling! I don't think I would change anything. In my 35 years of coaching gymnastics, I have worked with gymnasts of every level and every ability. I've loved almost every second of it--from pre-schoolers to World Champions!

Photo belongs to Aimee Boorman

Do you have any mentors or people you try and model your coaching style after? 
One of my first and best mentors was Roe Kreutzer, who was the 1984 Olympic coach and worked for USA Gymnastics for many years. I worked for her at The Arizona Twisters, one of the USA's first elite programs, for 15 years before opening Desert Lights. She is a wonderful coach and person and without her, I could never have coached at this level. My husband, John Spini, who was the coach at Arizona State University for 34 years, taught me so much about spotting, tumbling and bars. Of course, I am with some of the best coaches in the world every month at National Team Camp. Everyone there has something to offer. It's like being at the best coaching clinic in the world!

Finally what your goals in the future, both for Mykayla and for your future coaching career?
MyKayla has signed with Utah, but has deferred college for her first year to train for the 2016 Olympics. For the immediate future, we are looking ahead to the upcoming elite season, trying to get in a few upgrades, while improving flexibility and form, and of course, staying healthy is probably one of the most important things! If a chance at another World's or even the Olympics presents itself, that would be amazing, but we're just taking one thing at a time right now. As far as the future for me, I have a gym full of talented gymnasts and coaching all of them, as well as MyKayla, is still my passion. 

Photo belongs to Christy Linder

Thank you for your time Lisa. We wish you and Mykayla all the best!