Tanner Skidmore doesn’t carry himself like someone who once questioned if he belonged. On the dirt between second and third at Perkins-Tryon High School, he moves with quiet certainty, the kind built through repetition, doubt, and a decision to push through both.
His journey didn’t begin with confidence. As a freshman, the idea of varsity felt distant, almost out of reach. But instead of letting that uncertainty settle in, Tanner turned it into fuel, extra reps, longer practices, and a mindset that refused to stall.
“The accomplishment I am most proud of is making varsity as a sophomore… I proved to myself I was capable of accomplishing anything if I set my mind to it.”
That belief didn’t just shape his game; it reshaped how he approaches failure. Baseball, more than most sports, forces players to confront setbacks constantly. For Tanner, that became a lesson in mindset rather than mechanics.
“In baseball, if you feel like quitting or giving up, you will continue to fail… You will fail until you flip the switch in your head and change your mindset.”
That mental toughness shows up in how he leads, too. He’s drawn inspiration from players like Christian Garner, who let their performance speak instead of their voice, and from his grandfather, whose life of service and faith left a lasting blueprint.
“My G-pa… His heart, fight, and faith push me every day to be the best version of myself and to build others up.”
Off the field, relationships matter just as much. Teachers like Mrs. Black made an impact not through assignments, but by seeing him as more than just a student, something Tanner carries into how he treats others.
At the center of it all is purpose. For Tanner, representing Perkins-Tryon goes beyond wins and losses. It’s about reflecting something bigger every time he steps on the field.
“My favorite part about representing my High School… is I get to represent and show off Jesus to others.”
His approach is simple, grounded in advice that keeps him moving forward.
“Don’t live in the past.”
For Tanner Skidmore, that’s not just advice, it’s how he plays, lives, and keeps building what comes next.
