Rucker has been underperforming in recent weeks, but with the help of his team, he’s starting to get back on track.
(Rick Egan | Salt Lake Tribune) Jadyn Rucker reacts after a vault during the gymnastics competition between the Utah Redrocks and Oregon State University on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. .
Jadyn Rucker always exudes confidence. When you watch her put on a serious look on her vault or sprint to her tricks on her floor exercise, she usually has a bright smile on her landing.
But that natural confidence hasn’t been on display lately for the Utah Redrocks fifth-year player.
Physically, Rucker is 100% healthy. However, the same cannot be said about her mental health.
“I think I’ve been through a lot outside of the gym,” Rucker said. “It was kind of hard to figure out how to handle that and gymnastics at the same time.”
In last month’s match against Arizona State, she scored a 9.250 on vault and a 9.025 on floor. The following week, he ran a 9.125 on the floor against Oregon State.
That’s when Rucker went to his coach, Carly Dockendorf, and asked for help. “From your perspective, what can I do better?” she asked.
“In life, we’re all not always satisfied with who we are as humans,” Dockendorf says. “We all have things we have to overcome, areas we have to grow in, and challenges that we all go through. She’s going through that exact period in her life, and that’s what gymnastics and It will show up in any sport.”
Rucker made some changes to his practice routine. Utah gymnasts typically don’t practice both vault and floor on the same day. This is because these events are taxing on the body. But in addition to working on vault, she decided to incorporate basic floor training and drills.
Mentally, Rucker said she’s relying on those close to her as she works to get back into a better head space. She is also considering consulting one of the sports psychologists offered by the university.
Rucker said she can be “pretty stubborn” when it comes to discussing her mental health with third parties.
“We’ve done that in the past,” Rucker said. “If you don’t make the most of it, it won’t necessarily be effective. Sometimes you just don’t feel comfortable opening up about your life to someone you don’t know.”
Rucker said it took him a long time to admit he was suffering and acknowledged he was still not completely well.
“It was a long process to figure it out,” Rucker said. “I don’t get it yet. In full transparency, I’m having a pretty hard time. But it’s something that everyone goes through in life. Unfortunately, in my case it just happens to be right now. There is.”
This process is already paying off. Against Washington on February 10, Rucker had a rebounding performance of 9.875 on vault and 9.825 on floor. She said she approached the competition with a different and “free” mindset.
He scored a 9.825 on vault against UCLA on Monday. Rucker did not appear on the floor in Utah’s road win over the Bruins, 197.250-196.975.
What was so impactful for Rucker was that Dockendorf repeatedly expressed his support for her “even when I put gymnastics on the table,” a message she said she would “treasure forever.” she said.
“If you’re going to fall, you’re going to fall, and that’s OK,” Rucker said. “Carly still loves me. She still believes in me. And so do her girls.”
Utah vs. UCLA match results
final score
Utah: 197.250
University of California, Los Angeles: 196.975
top score
Storehouse
• Amelie Morgan, 9.900
• Ashley Glynn, 9.850
•Jaedyn Rucker, 9.825
• Makenna Smith, 9.825
bar
• Smith, 9.900
• Morgan, 9.875
• Grace McCallum, 9.850
beam
• Maile O’Keeffe, 9.975
• Abby Paulson, 9.925
• McCallum, 9.875
floor
• McCallum, 9.925
• Paulson, 9.900
• Jalen Gilstrap, 9.900
• O’Keefe, 9.900
