Performance anxiety is real, and as professional sportspeople would tell you, not even the best of them can get over this. After all, anxiety does not indicate when it will strike you. And in the wake of the panic attacks, crippling fear grips you like anything. Such was also the case for one Utah gymnastics star. From a nervous breakdown between a meet to one during floor performance, she suffered so much. But just as she was losing it all to her nerves, something brewed inside her. She has just found a very interesting way to deal with her nerves.

The gymnast in question is none other than Ella Zirbes, probably the breakout star from the Red Rocks. But just a month ago, she was anything but this. In fact, during the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet on January 11th, her mind clicked suddenly, and she lost her balance in front of national television. But last week, just as she was doing her regular warm-ups, something struck her.

On February 27th, while speaking to The Salt Lake Tribune, the Sophomore said, “Obviously, I’ve had some performance anxiety this season, and it hasn’t come out the past couple meets,” she said. While she had tried her best, she was unable to completely come out of these panic attacks. So much so that she even had to stop in between one of her warmups.

To mirror this, she continued, “

But it started to come out during warm-up, so I kind of just had to stop what I was doing and just kind of ground myself, and if that means less warmups, that means less warmup. So I just go and sit down.” But Ella was never the one to give up, as one can see from her 2024 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Week award. But what was this unique solution? Well, don’t get too surprised, but it is homework.

Yes, you heard that right. Homework is Ella Zirbes’ answer to anxiety! But who suggested such a unique solution? As always, it was the coach who came to the rescue! The Utah head coach, Carly Dockendorf, must not have liked it at all when she saw anxiety in the eyes of her mentee. And thus, she decided that it was time for the Utah sophomore to do some homework!

“Carly makes an anatomy test for me to do,” Zirbes added. Not only that, but whenever the coach finds Ella feeling anxious, she starts quizzing the gymnast to distract and calm her down. And it seems that the head coach, Carly, has her reasons for using homework and quizzes to help Ella. In the same interview, the coach said, “I don’t know the quiz she did on her shoulder. I can’t even pronounce the words, but we [had] some good laughs. We are just trying to keep her mind light.” Isn’t it very innovative as well as very learning-oriented?

Definitely a yes, but according to the head coach, it’s much more than that! Carly Dockendorf further added, “It’s important to remind her that, even when she feels like that, she’s proven that she can still go out and have a great performance. I think that’s important for her to remember.” And for Ella Zirbes, it’s doing magic.

The sophomore said, “It calms my mind. It obviously works.” So, we can safely say that Carly and Ella are truly an amazing mentor-mentee duo! But while she did find a temporary solution, how did it impact her performance? Moreover, just how good has Ella been for the Red Rocks? Let’s just say she has been sensational.

Zirbes’s sensational performances for Utah amid anxiety

While Zirbes is still recovering completely from her issues, her performance on the mat isn’t giving any indication of that. She has been a total standout for the Red Rocks. Her reign of dominance started during the same Collegiate Quad where she had her fallout. In her match with Oklahoma, she had some remarkable performances, such as her 9.875 in vault and 9.750 on floor exercise.

With such scores, she ended up being #8 in the quad meet after session two. But while this meeting resulted in a loss for Utah, Zirbes and Red Rocks redeemed themselves in their match against Iowa State on 17th January with an emphatic 197.300-194.850 victory. Zirbes, yet again, stood out with her trademark vaults as she scored a 9.800.

She followed this steam to NCAA matches as well, with wins over #19 University of Arizona and #24 Arizona State. Continuing her red-hot form, she picked scores of 9.800, 9.950, and 9.975 in vault, uneven bars, and floor to be one of the MVPs of this win. But perhaps her biggest victory came against Denver on 21st February, where the Red Rocks became the Big 12 champions.

At the Huntsman Center, Zirbes took the centerpiece as the Minnesota native scored a 9.9 for the floor. Anyone who saw her wouldn’t even think that this shining star was actually trying her best to hold her nerves. But, well, what can you say? She’s a champ. In fact, she also recorded scores of 9.925 and 9,775 at the vault and bars, as well.

Brought in 2023 to make an immediate impact on Utah’s program, Zirbes remains a key player for the team’s 2025 campaign. The 19-year-old has been earning great scores for her team. Even as anxiety caught up to her again and again, she has continued her barrage of 9.9s, and it won’t be long before we might even see a perfect 10 from her. Well, with the current judging, perhaps not, but one can dream.

They would be wishing to go higher up as they gear up for their next opponents waiting in Washington. In such a scenario, Ella’s recovery and her confidence remain the focus of both the coach and the fans of the Red Rocks. The homework technique seems to be working on the athlete, as she has claimed that it calms her down. What do you think will Zirbes rise or will Zirbes fall?