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Note: With three NCAA titles in six years, UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos Field has positioned her Bruins as the premier program in collegiate gymnastics. Not only has she consistently recruited the top talent in the world, but she has produced the results. In the past seven years alone, Kondos Field has led UCLA to three NCAA titles and one runner-up finish, six Regional titles and four Pac-10 championships.

March 10, 2003

Our goal this past weekend at Michigan was to compete well enough to secure our #1 national ranking (This would hopefully ensure that we go to Washington for Regionals - the first round of nationals, which happens to be home for three of our seniors.) What we got out of this weekend was of far greater value ... a vivid display of our team's character.

I'm sure a lot of teams around the country are feeling rather depleted right now; our team is no exception. Between illnesses and injuries, our team hobbled from event to event and yet competed with the same amount of confidence they displayed at the beginning of the season when their bodies were in much better working order.

Unfortunately, in the middle of the meet, Alyssa Beckerman took a fall on floor and dislocated her knee. One of our freshmen, Kate Richardson, was amazed at how our team took control, gathered together, said a prayer for Alyssa, then refocused on finishing the meet. It truly was a meet where "mind over body" prevailed.

On the ride to dinner that night, Onnie Willis was talking about how she is mentally stronger than she ever dreamed possible - that through hard work she understands she has earned the right to feel confident ... even when her body vehemently challenges that feeling.

Once again, we were reminded that:

"Success" is not determined by a "Win".

"Success" as determined by personal challenge and growth is what really matters.

A "Win" on top of that feeling of success is certainly icing on the cake.

Until next week,

miss val