Thursday, March 13, 1997
GYMNASTICS:
Freshman meets expectations with solid finishes, has adjusted to
hectic scheduleBy Lisa Quon
Daily Bruin Contributor
It takes a lot more than talent to make a great gymnast. As one
of today’s most demanding sports, gymnastics requires constant
practice, mental and physical preparation, and the will to try (and
try again).
For the better part of 20 years, freshman Lena Degteva has
devoted her life to these demands.
Degteva was born in the Ukraine in 1976. From the time she was a
baby, her mother took her to the gym and acted both as her coach
and mentor.
Degteva immigrated to Canada in 1990. There, she trained at
Gymnastics Mississuaga in Ontario with fellow Bruin gymnast Stella
Umeh under the guidance of her mother, Svetlana, and coach Alex
Bard.
Although Degteva attended a regular high school, she was often
away at competitions. Still, she considers herself to have had a
normal childhood.
"I might have missed out on a few things, but I’ve gained even
more as a gymnast," Degteva said. "Traveling prepares you for
life’s responsibilities."
However, the rigors of gymnastics eventually took its toll on
Degteva, who even thought of quitting. In fact, she stopped
training altogether for about a week when she was 15, but returned
to the sport quickly because, she explains, "something was
definitely missing."
The freshman went on to become a two-time senior all-around
champion in Canada in 1995 and 1996. She narrowly missed making the
1996 Canadian Olympic squad by two 10ths of a point at the Olympic
trials.
When the time came to start thinking about colleges, Degteva
found herself being recruited by many American universities because
in Canada colleges do not offer athletic scholarships to gymnasts.
UCLA was one of many colleges vying for Degteva’s talents.
Degteva also visited Louisiana and Michigan, but after her visit
to UCLA, she knew immediately that it was the school for her.
"As one of the top gymnasts in Canada, Lena was exposed because
she competed in many of the international competitions," UCLA
assistant coach Anthony Calderon said. "It felt great to sign her.
We were excited; a lot of schools really wanted her."
Moving from club gymnastics to collegiate gymnastics can often
be a difficult task but Degteva has made the transition well.
"The training now is not as intense, but it’s a lot more
mental," Degteva said. "Once you get older, you know all the moves;
it’s just a matter of telling your head to perform them
correctly."
Degteva has adjusted well to the hectic schedule of college
gymnastics. She is one of UCLA’s steadiest all-around performers,
and scored a career high 39.4 at the Magical Classic on Feb. 21 to
earn her a third place finish.
"Right from the start we expected her to be a tough competitor
and top all-arounder," head coach Valorie Kondos said. "She has
lived up to our expectations and more."
GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin
Coach Valorie Kondos says of Degteva, "She has lived up to our
expectations and more."SHAWN LAKSMI/Daily Bruin
A lifetime of practice has led to a promising college career for
freshman gymnast Lena Degteva.