National championships are special. They are rare. They are
something to be recognized and cherished.
That’s because, when you really think about it, it’s
pretty amazing to be able to say that you are the best team in the
country. It’s more amazing still to go out and prove it in
such incredible fashion.
But that’s exactly what the UCLA women’s gymnastics
team did Friday night.
The Bruins took to the floor of Pauley Pavilion and left no
doubt as to who truly deserves to be called the best. They hit
routine after routine, and when all was said and done, held the
highest score ever tallied at an NCAA championship.
“We all believed in our hearts that we would hit all our
events,” senior Jeanette Antolin said. “We worked
really hard, and we deserve this national championship."
The poise, talent and grace shown by these athletes on
collegiate gymnastics’ grandest stage was truly something
special. But a national title is not the result of one lucky meet.
It’s the result of months and months of dedication.
The hard work for this championship undoubtedly began shortly
after winning last season’s championship. And the road this
year wasn’t an easy one.
UCLA wasn’t exactly a dominant team for much of the
season. Though the Bruins displayed flashes of brilliance, the
regular season was marred by uncharacteristic losses to teams like
Arizona and Washington. Heading into the championships, questions
surrounded the Bruins’ ability to be strong mentally and nail
their routines.
But the results Thursday and Friday confirmed to everyone else
what the team already knew. Any questions people might have had
were met with resounding answers, as the Bruins ran away from their
competition when it mattered most.
“We may have lost meets early on, but we put our egos
aside,” coach Valorie Kondos Field said. “We trained
hard and we eventually came out on top.”
That feeling is something special, something these fine athletes
will most likely never forget.
“To win another national championship at home, it means
the world to me,” senior Jamie Dantzscher said.
It’s also something that probably means the world to many
fans.
No, Pauley was not filled to capacity Friday night. It
wasn’t even close. But I’m sure the people who were
there didn’t really care, because they sat witness to what
was arguably one of the best performances in collegiate gymnastics
history.
And when it was over, they didn’t want to leave. The scene
was so atypical for a Los Angeles crowd. There was no mass exodus
to Lot 6. There was only a standing ovation ““ and a long one
at that ““ of knowledgeable fans showing their appreciation
for an exceptional performance.
At one point, a couple of fans unveiled a banner that read,
“Drive for Five,” making reference to the Bruins’
quest for a fifth national title. The sign already had emblazoned
onto it the years of the previous national titles, but there seemed
to be a large white spot where the 2004 title should be
recognized.
Then someone ripped off the white spot, and there it was:
“2004 National Champions.” It had been made prior to
the meet; the sign was just waiting to be unveiled. And the Bruins,
like true champions, didn’t disappoint.
“I knew we were good, but I didn’t know we were this
good,” Kondos Field said.
Well, they were really, really good, and as I left Pauley on
Friday night, I started thinking about what I had just seen. I had
seen my first national championship in person, and it was really
special.
Championships are cool because all UCLA students can share in
them. Sure, many of us weren’t the ones in that gym day in
and day out, but that’s not the point. The point is that
UCLA, as an institution, won its 91st NCAA championship Friday
night.
And it’s special.
E-mail Regan at dregan@media.ucla.edu.