Thursday, 4/24/97 1997 NCAA Champions Kondos earns kudos for
leading team to multiple titles, honors
By Lisa Quon Daily Bruin Contributor For seven years, head coach
Valorie Kondos has played an integral role in the success of the
women’s gymnastics program. As one of the top collegiate gymnastics
coaches in the nation, her guidance has led the team to five
consecutive NCAA West Regional titles and many high-place finishes
at the NCAA National Championships. This year, Kondos has helped
her team win the national title, only a year after UCLA’s
impressive second-place showing when the Bruins established a new
school record score of 197.475. In her 14 years as a head or
assistant coach, Kondos has guided 22 athletes to 64 All-American
honors (not including this year). Although she coaches the gymnasts
in every event, the floor exercise is her specialty. In fact,
Kondos got her start in gymnastics by playing the piano for
floor-exercise music back when only one instrument could provide
floor music. Afterward she became a dance coach and learned the
fundamentals of gymnastics under Minnesota head coach Jim
Stephenson. Her efforts and contributions to the world of
gymnastics were recognized in 1995 when Kondos was named Pac-10
Coach of the Year. In the last two years, Kondos has been named
Coach of the Year by the National Association of College Gymnastics
Coaches. Perhaps it is her philosophy which helps inspire her team
to victory. The philosophy is to train and compete to do one’s
best, and not to worry about winning or losing. If an athlete shows
the effort, Kondos says, the winning will come naturally. Interview
with Valorie Kondos