2008 Woodie Awards
UCLA's fab 5 strive to add a 4th national title to winning record
Eli Karon--Daily Bruin (U. California-Los Angeles)
Issue date: 4/16/03 Section: Sports
(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES - Five years ago, head coach Valorie Kondos Field invited the top five high school gymnasts in the country to visit UCLA to fill the five open scholarships on the gymnastics team.
Five years later, the group known nationwide as the Fab Five has changed the face of UCLA gymnastics.
As freshmen, Onnie Willis, Kristin Parker, Carly Raab, Malia Jones and Doni Thompson found themselves under the tutelage of all-time UCLA greats Lena Degteva and Heidi Moneymaker.
"They came in at a very instrumental time in UCLA gymnastics history," Kondos Field said. "And as all great freshmen do, they were very eager to follow these great leaders that we had as seniors."
In their first year, the Fab Five found themselves in the NCAA championship meet, trying to capture UCLA's second national title. As the meet was drawing to a climax, the Fab Five were in need of a stabilizing influence.
"I said, 'Ladies, next year we have four Olympians coming in. We're going to win the national championship next year. But you want to be able to win it in a year when they can't say you won it because of the Olympians.'"
Without missing a beat, a freshman Parker looked her coach straight in the eye and replied, "You're darn right we're going to win it without the Olympians."
With the tall task of winning a national championship on their backs, the team went to the balance beam, often considered a gymnast's worst nightmare.
In defiance of any stereotypes about freshmen crumbling in the clutch, they coolly hit all their routines to claim the second women's gymnastics national championship in UCLA history.
The following year in the national championship, UCLA got off to a modest start. Once again, the beam was staring the team in the face. Not only was the beam the final event, but UCLA had to average a 9.9 to win.
This time, another member of the Fab Five stepped up.
"Come on guys, let's go get it done," Thompson said. "This is what we've trained for, now let's go get the job done."
Five years later, the group known nationwide as the Fab Five has changed the face of UCLA gymnastics.
As freshmen, Onnie Willis, Kristin Parker, Carly Raab, Malia Jones and Doni Thompson found themselves under the tutelage of all-time UCLA greats Lena Degteva and Heidi Moneymaker.
"They came in at a very instrumental time in UCLA gymnastics history," Kondos Field said. "And as all great freshmen do, they were very eager to follow these great leaders that we had as seniors."
In their first year, the Fab Five found themselves in the NCAA championship meet, trying to capture UCLA's second national title. As the meet was drawing to a climax, the Fab Five were in need of a stabilizing influence.
"I said, 'Ladies, next year we have four Olympians coming in. We're going to win the national championship next year. But you want to be able to win it in a year when they can't say you won it because of the Olympians.'"
Without missing a beat, a freshman Parker looked her coach straight in the eye and replied, "You're darn right we're going to win it without the Olympians."
With the tall task of winning a national championship on their backs, the team went to the balance beam, often considered a gymnast's worst nightmare.
In defiance of any stereotypes about freshmen crumbling in the clutch, they coolly hit all their routines to claim the second women's gymnastics national championship in UCLA history.
The following year in the national championship, UCLA got off to a modest start. Once again, the beam was staring the team in the face. Not only was the beam the final event, but UCLA had to average a 9.9 to win.
This time, another member of the Fab Five stepped up.
"Come on guys, let's go get it done," Thompson said. "This is what we've trained for, now let's go get the job done."