Feb. 17, 2011

UCLA Gymnastics head coach Valorie Kondos Field will be answering your questions every Thursday over the course of the season. To submit questions for future Q&As, CLICK HERE.

This week's questions/answers:

Leo (Chicago): Have you seen Black Swan yet? What did you think of it? Would you ever use a classic piece like Swan Lake for a floor routine?
Miss Val: I have seen Black Swan, and yes, I would use a classic piece of music for FX music, although I probably would choreograph it with more contemporary movement.

Jonathan (Frederick, MD): How is Mizuki doing? I am so sad about her injury. She played such a vital role on the team. What a great leader.
Miss Val: She is doing really well. Still playing a vital role with our team. Her surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. Her attitude has been great.

Sophie (Philadelphia, PA): I saw the photo you tweeted for Cheng Fei and Zam! Can you tell us more about that? Did they talk? When was it? Did Zam learn some tips from her?
Miss Val: Zam went to China with her Region 5 teammates when she was young. Neither one of them could have known at that time that they would be the only two women in the world to compete that vault.

Melanie (Los Angeles): When is UCLA's link to pink meet this year? Also, was there a reason UCLA didn't wear pink leos at the OSU meet? They looked great at OSU!
Miss Val: We are not hosting a pink meet this year because we are hosting the Heart of a Champion meet. We will be hosting both meets next season. We didn't wear pink at OSU because I wasn't aware that it was their Breast Cancer Awareness meet.

Sophie (Bryn Mawr, PA): Are NCAA teams required to do community service? If so does your team do any activities for the community?
Miss Val: Yes, I believe all teams do community service work. Our team is involved with a lot of activities for youth that our athletic department coordinates. Their greatest experience so far has been visiting children in the cancer ward at the UCLA Hospital and working at Camp del Corazon, which is a non-profit camp for children with heart disease.

Sophie (Bryn Mawr, PA): Some teams have started playing selected music for each gymnast during their beam routines at home meets. What is your take on this trend?
Miss Val: Actually I think this is a great idea. When I first started coaching beam in the early `80's I would have our student-athletes sing a song during their beam dance-throughs. I wanted them to sing a song that they could easily hear in their heads even if they were in a meet with blaring floor music going on. So, I suggested they sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or the Alphabet song (same tune). We do not play specific beam music during our meets because I don't want our athletes to get used to something that they won't be able to have at Championships. I'm curious to know if athletes who have their beam music played at home compete differently when they are on the road.

Jenny (New York): Is there a way for fans to send fan mail to UCLA gymnasts?
Miss Val: Absolutely. You can send fan mail to UCLA Athletics 325 Westwood Plaza, LA, CA 90095

Finn (Philadelphia, PA): I've noticed a lot of teams started to do theme meets like Dads & Daughters, Short People (ha!) or LGBT appreciation. Any plans for a theme meet?
Miss Val: We have done a lot of theme meets in the past. I think the Short People meet is brilliant - way to go Marz. We do the Breast Cancer Awareness meet and this year the Heart of a Champion meet. We also host the John Wooden Challenge honoring academic and athlete excellence, where we invite all of the faculty and staff and their families to attend for free and recognize the academic honors of all the athletes competing. My favorite theme meet we used to have was Disco Fever. People used to go all out with their attire for that meet including the visiting coaches.

Penny (London):Watching the faces of the kids in the crowd at the IGI meet was amazing. They were mesmerized and so excited. Any plans for similar meets *abroad*? :)
Miss Val: I wish! The IGI meet is always a really fun meet.

Chris C. (Indianapolis): So glad to see Samantha in action! Since she competed (admirably!) on the uneven bars in Chicago,does that mean the torn labrum is no longer an issue? (I'm compiling a file on her for the sports massage class I'm in, including massage routines relative to her condition/injuries.) She's an amazing athlete!
Miss Val: Sam hasn't had any problem with her shoulders since she's been here (knocking on all the wood I can find right now). We have been stretching her shoulders diligently since September with the hopes of minimizing further issues.

Allyson (Tempe, AZ): What attributes, both in and out of the gym, do you look for in a gymnast who wants to walk on to the team?
Miss Val: Integrity. I know that's a simple answer, but I expect them to have integrity in every aspect of their life. If they do, they will be of great value to their teammates regardless if they compete or not.