January 4, 1999

In a sport so inherently individual, it's odd to hear UCLA head gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos speak of teamwork and commitment as the keys to winning the NCAA Championship.

But she speaks from experience. She has seen teams with extremely talented individuals not win the championship while other teams with less talent did mainly because of a greater team commitment. Her Bruin squad won the NCAA title in 1997 by working together and sharing the common goal of winning the school's first title.

After finishing a disappointing fifth at Nationals last year, the 1999 Bruins are not about to let that happen again. Each member of the Bruin squad is deeply commited to working together to take back the title.

"They're working together as a team. They met very early on and committed to what their goal was," said Kondos. "Without any reservation, their goal this year is to win the national championship. They realize that if they work daily to achieve their goal and do their best, the worst that will happen will be that they will end the season with no regrets, regardless of where they finish."

While UCLA has great talent - its 1999 squad includes six returning All- Americans and five former national team members - Kondos feels that it will be the team's togetherness and inner strength that will be most valuable in its quest.

"The biggest strength this team has is its desire," she emphasizes. "They want to do well; they want to finish the season with no regrets. Every one of them came back in better shape than they were at the end of last season, and each of them has an inner strength that you can feel when you're working with them in the gym."

A different kind of strength - one of a physical nature - will be important as well. Keeping her team healthy is Kondos' No. 1 goal. Five of her six freshmen which comprise perhaps the strongest freshman class in the nation enter the season rehabbing knee injuries or nursing chronic injuries.

"We have some seasoned elite athletes who have been training at that level for a long time," Kondos notes. "You cannot train at the highest level of competition without taking a lot of hits to the body. What we need to do is get them healthier and keep them healthy. If we're able to do that, then we'll probably be the strongest contender for the national championship."

Another key to the season will be UCLA's group of veterans, led by senior Kiralee Hayashi. The five-time All-American was elected team co-captain for the second consecutive year and has, according to Kondos, "matured into a real leader." Hayashi has improved in each of her three years and last season placed fifth in the all-around at the NCAAs. She also earned first-team All-American honors on bars and second-team honors on vault and beam. She was UCLA's most consistent performer last year who matched or bested career highs in all events.

Last year's team MVP Susie Erickson returns in great shape for her final season. Kondos calls the second-team balance beam All-American "probably one of the strongest individuals and competitors at the national level. She is one of the strongest yet quietest individuals I've ever known. Her inner strength is amazing. Her ability to compete at the highest pressure meets is what we're going to need from her." Erickson, arguably the nation's top leadoff performer on beam, could possibly go all-around this year.

Seven years removed from competing at the 1992 Olympics, senior Luisa Portocarrero is nearly as excited about the 1999 season as she was about the Olympics. "Luisa is as fired up as you can be about the season," said Kondos. "She came back in great shape with a goal in mind for herself as well as for the team - to end the season with no regrets." Kondos herself is excited about Portocarrero's new beam series. In addition to her already breath-taking moves on beam, the 1996 first-team All-American will be trying a back handspring/back handspring/layout/split jump/back handspring straddle down. Portocarrero will be focusing this year on just bars and beam after injuring her foot last season on vault.

Senior Lisa Hiley took the summer off to concentrate on engineering school and came back with a renewed focus on gymnastics. The Bruins hope to be able to use her on vault, where Hiley does a pike front half, worth a 10.0. Hiley's top score last season was a 9.775. She should also see action on bars, where her career high is 9.875.

Leading UCLA's junior class is team co-captain and 1998 NCAA Bars Champion Heidi Moneymaker. The three-time All-American is known as UCLA's strongest athlete and a great team leader. Moneymaker will be working on new skills as well, including a layout front full on vault and a double layout on floor. Most appreciative about Moneymaker is her attitude. "It's great to see someone who works so hard in the gym show that it can be fun too," said Kondos.

Another hard worker and team leader is junior Lena Degteva. The four-time All- American and reigning Pac-10 vault champion is also working on new skills, including a double layout on floor. "Lena is really working into a team leader," said Kondos. "She's taking a lot of responsibility with motivating her teammates and turning difficult situations into a positive. It's really exciting to see her step up."

Former U.S. National Team member Mohini Bhardwaj, UCLA's only sophomore, is expected to return to all-around competition this year. Last February, Bhardwaj suffered a sprained ankle which kept her out of competition for a month and kept her off the floor exercise. She healed enough, however, to earn first-team All- American honors on vault and bars. Says Kondos, "Mohini has matured a lot. She never trained a lot growing up, but now she comes in every day and works hard. She's in as great a shape as she was when she placed fifth on vault at the 1997 World Championships right before she came here. She knows what's expected of her and is extremely excited about assuming leadership roles. She has proven to be a tremendous asset to our team."

UCLA's biggest freshman class in history is expected to make a big impact if it can remain healthy. Amy Young and Stephanie Johnson each had ACL surgeries a year ago, while Valerie Velasco strained her ACL this past summer. Young, a member of the 1997 U.S. National Team, re-tore her ACL in November and will be lost for the season. Alison Stoner has a stress fracture on her shin, and Kaitie Dyson has various other injuries. But each of the freshmen are intent on battling through the injuries and contributing.

Leading UCLA's freshmen will be graceful Alison Stoner. Says Kondos, "She does some of the most beautiful gymnastics in the country because of her body line. She looks like a ballet dancer doing gymnastics. She is one of the most exciting and talented freshmen in the country." Stoner will contribute most on bars, beam and floor.

Kaitie Dyson will lend her international experience to the Bruins. The former U.S. national team member has exciting skills on beam and floor and will give the Bruins intensity and leadership qualities that are rare in a freshman. "Kaitie is the greatest ambassador and team player UCLA could have," raves Kondos. "She will do anything it takes and beyond to get the job done."

UCLA has always had a strong tradition of producing great walk-ons such as UCLA's first-ever 10.0 scorer Amy Thorne. This year's walk-ons Valerie Velasco, Stephanie Johnson and Lindsey Dong are expected to follow in that tradition. Says Bruin assistant coach Randy Lane, "We take pride in selecting key athletes to be part of our team as walk-ons. We feel that these three athletes will contribute in a great way in the future."

Valerie Velasco is an extremely talented gymnast who Kondos feels has not reached her peak yet. Velasco, the Level 10 State bars and floor champion in 1995, is rehabbing a strained ACL and will compete on bars, beam and floor when she returns to competition.

Nineteen-ninety-seven AAU national vault champion Stephanie Johnson is a powerful gymnast who is recovering from ACL surgery from November of 1998. She is expected to compete on vault, beam and floor.

UCLA's lone healthy freshman is Lindsey Dong, whom the Bruins coaches admire for her work ethic. "She has the greatest attitude and one of the best work-ethics we've ever seen here at UCLA," said Lane. She should see action on vault, beam and floor.

Kondos has been impressed with the freshmen's quick assimilation to the team. "It's interesting to see six freshmen who have taken on a responsibility of being a part of this team without any coaxing or without any discussion," she said. "These freshmen are so close to each other and to their other teammates as well."

UCLA's schedule is an exciting one. The Bruins will travel to Michigan and Penn State for the first time in each of these gymnasts' careers. The annual UCLA Invitational Feb. 20 will include 1998 NCAA runner-up Florida, as well as Arizona and Cal State Fullerton. Other meets include a Feb. 5 meeting with Pac- 10 champion Stanford on the road, followed by a Feb. 12 meet at 1997 NCAA runner-up Arizona State.

UCLA's most highly anticipated matchup comes in its home opener Jan. 10 against Georgia. Said Kondos, "We're excited about opening at home against the national champions. And I think it's rather interesting that two years ago, we hosted Georgia in our home opener and won the national championship that year. Last year, they hosted us in their home opener, and they won the national championship. So, guess what . it's back home."