Shoulder injury slows down Utah gymnast Maddy Stover, but she's finding plenty of ways to contribute to Red Rocks

One of the biggest cheers during the University of Utah’s Red Rocks preseason event was for a routine with the fewest amount of skills.

Utah senior Maddy Stover can’t compete on the floor this season, thanks to a shoulder that just won’t cooperate and keeps popping out of the joint. So she said her goodbyes during the December event by dancing and waving her way through what she could of her routine.

The crowd, well aware of her enduring injuries, gave Stover a 10.0-worthy ovation that was much appreciated.

“The last time I competed on the floor was when I was a sophomore and hurt myself, and I didn’t want that to be my last time,” Stover said. “I tried really hard to come back this year, even getting creative and doing tumbling without hands, but my shoulder still wasn’t feeling great, so I was glad I could at least do that in the preview and have some fun with it.”

The shoulder injury is limiting Stover to competing only on the balance beam, where she has excelled the last two seasons. She earned second-team regular-season all-American honors as a sophomore and hit every routine in 2017.

She has kept up her “give what I can” attitude to be an integral part of the Utes’ lineup. She has earned two 9.725s, 9.775 and 9.875 this season. The Utes have used her as the leadoff gymnast the last few meets, hoping her leadership can calm any nerves that might exist in the remainder of the lineup.

“Maddy was showing us even when she was a freshman that she was a leader,” Utah coach Megan Marsden said. “She has given her heart and soul into finding a way to help this team and is giving it all she can.”

In addition to the lingering shoulder problems, Stover also has rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that can make her joints painful.

Stover nevertheless continues to be one of the most upbeat gymnasts on the team and thrives as a motivator.

“When I first came here, I knew there was something special about her,” junior Kari Lee said. “She was someone who was comfortable in her own skin and knew what she could be for the team. Through everything she has shown, she is still strong and is someone you can look up to.”

Stover has adjusted her goals to be realistic, focusing on what she can do to make the team great rather than any individual glory. However, knowing her attitude, she would have played that role well regardless of individual success.

Stover often can be seen saying an encouraging word or offering advice to her teammates before they compete.

“She always says exactly what I need to hear,” junior MaKenna Merrell-Giles said. “She is so good at reading people. She can tell if I need to get snapped back into focus or if I’m too amped up or tight. She always says different things, but she knows what to say.”

In a perfect world, Stover would finish her career as a multi-event gymnast, but she’s making the best of her situation.

“One of the hardest things for me is not competing on the floor,” she said. “But I decided to work hard at being a leader.”