The process is almost identical to a real competition day, but instead of having four judges, head coach Kathie Klages, who also is a nationally rated gymnastics official, said she scores the team’s routines.

The new practice pattern gave MSU a win this past weekend against Iowa, 194.150-193.750.

“It’s a test to see if they can handle the pressure of being judged, going one at a time and not all together practicing like a regular practice,” Klages said.

The coaches select the lineup for the day, including the girls competing. After they perform, the list of gymnasts competing might change according to how well each of them does.

Klages said she is tough on the girls during mock meets.

“The person in exhibition will go in the meet if one of the girls in the lineup do something very wrong,” she said.

The athletes have a timed warmup session in every event before they compete in it, Klages said, instead of a regular meet where they warm up everything, go to change then go back and touch — or get another feel before competing — on the events.

Sophomore Lisa Burt said the competition can get tough in some of the events.

“The events with a lot of competition motivate and drive us to push harder and get better,” Burt said. “It’s really helpful. It gives you the pressure that you need to hit that routine.”

For freshman Elena Lagoski, being put under pressure and being judged helped a lot, because the team is more consistent now.

“Wanting to be in the lineup pushes us, and I like being nervous here so I know what to expect at a competition,” she said.

Constantly competing with her peers helped Burt develop a mindset to figure out what will prepare and make her better in each event, she said, like focusing more.

Lagoski said she is realizing how much better she got from the beginning of the season.

“I came in concentrated (on) being consistent,” Lagoski said. “Competition season here is way better than club (gymnastics), because we’re competing as a team.”

Never fond of feeling pressure, Lagoski said thinking of the mock meet and an actual meet the same way is helpful.

She said doing the same things at both helps her improve how she competes.

“If I can get the competition mindset here, I can have it at the competition. I think of it as an actual meet and I get just as nervous as I would at a meet,” she said.

Klages said the girls are improving and more concentrated, a benefit of running through the practice meets.

“At a meet situation, they only have that one opportunity,” Klages said. “We’re getting closer to getting into meet mode, but nothing will make them feel like meets do.”

Although there is an existing competition within the team, the girls support each other and thrive to see each of their individual routines be perfect.

“What I like the most is seeing what everyone can do at their fullest potential and experiencing everyone’s triumphs,” Burt said.

Klages said she isn’t sure if the mock meets will be a weekly routine.

She said the policy will be there to decide the lineup whenever they need to do so.

The Spartans are set to take on No. 14 Minnesota at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Minneapolis, Minn.