In 2019, the first time Mackenzie Estep competed at nationals, she mistimed her vault and ended up performing only a timer. She scored a 5.650 and placed 55th in the all around. At her second nationals, in 2021, she fell on the first element of her first event, a wolf turn on beam. She finished 11th. The following year, she fell once again on the first element of her first event, this time her double layout on floor, finishing 12th.
By the time the third mishap happened, Estep—who had previously scored a career high of 38.875 and was one of the favorites to win the all-around title—felt that nationals were cursed. “I basically had this perception and belief that something was always going to go wrong at nationals,” she said. “It definitely rocked my confidence.”
Estep returned to the gym feeling defeated but when she started setting her goals for the next year, she decided she’d had enough of the streak of bad luck: it was time to take matters into her own hands.
The first thing she did was to select an empowering motto that would remind her that she alone had the power to shape her future. The motivational quote she chose was: “If you want it, take it.”
“I had to learn that the past does not define me. You can’t live in the past; you can’t dwell on it. You have to accept it and move on,” she explained. “I decided that falling at nationals did not have to be a recurring event. It was time to … write my own story.”
As it happens, all the best stories have obstacles to overcome. In Estep’s case, it was a wrist injury she sustained in October 2022 that limited her practice for three months.
At first the injury left her devastated, but she soon realized that it was a blessing in disguise. It gave her time to reflect on her goals for the upcoming season and to work on some weaknesses she wouldn’t have otherwise had time to focus on. Most importantly, it gave her a new perspective on the competitive season that was about to begin. “Going into the competition season, I had goals but no expectations because I was still in the process of getting my skills back,” Estep said. “I think the idea of having goals but no expectations took some of that unnecessary pressure off. I was able to transition my practice routines into my competition like I had never done before.”
With her coaches’ help, Estep spent a lot of time working on herself, both physically and mentally. Physically, she received treatment every week to ensure that her body was in its best possible shape and engaged in very “detailed-oriented” practices—she analyzed her gymnastics videos and polished the details of her routines. To help sharpen her mental game, she bought motivational books that she read every day, which helped boost her confidence in herself and her gymnastics abilities. “By the time nationals rolled around, I had an unshakable belief in myself and my skills,” she said. “My routines truly felt like second nature.”
At nationals in May, Estep was ready to put an end to the streak of bad luck that had been haunting her since 2019. She had a flawless performance, posting career highs on beam, floor, and the all around where she notched a 39.225. She also won three national titles, including the much desired all-around crown. “To go out there and put together the best meet of my life was a dream come true. I wanted it so bad, and to see all my hard work and dedication pay off in a huge way was just so surreal,” she explained. “Celebrating that win with my coaches, family, and best friend is something I will never forget. I was just filled with gratitude towards all the people who helped me accomplish this dream.”
With the curse broken and the national crown firmly on her head, Estep’s story was about to turn into a fairytale. In early June she was named the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2025, and a few days later she began receiving phone calls from the best colleges in the country. She initially selected six schools to visit, but after her fourth visit she made the difficult decision to cancel the last two. After official visits to Utah, Oklahoma, Florida and LSU—in this order—she knew that she wanted to call Norman home.
The decision was not easy. Estep knew that “Oklahoma was special” but until she took all four of her official visits, she remained undecided. While she felt “grateful and honored” for the attention and opportunities that she was given, she also found the recruiting process “stressful and draining,” and turning down schools proved particularly tough.
In the end, it was “all the intangible things” that made Oklahoma stand out. The coaching staff felt “incredible” and the team made her feel right at home. Additionally, she immediately bonded with the other recruits in the class of 2025 who committed to Oklahoma: Kamila Pawlak, Ella Murphy, and Blakely Roten. In regards to her future teammates, Estep said they “are all great gymnasts, but more importantly, they are even better people. I couldn’t be more excited to be on a team with them.”
Ultimately, it was the Sooners’ chemistry that made Estep make the decision to call Norman home. “Having a strong support system around you makes a huge difference,” she explained. “Having people that believe in you even when you may not believe in yourself gives you the courage to keep going, even on the bad days. I am incredibly fortunate to have this every day with my coaches, teammates, and family. So for me, finding a team that would give me that support and encouragement was key.”
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Article by Talitha Ilacqua
