Bruins strive for healthy weekend

The time to prepare is over. The competition is coming, whether
the injury-riddled Bruins feel comfortable with their progression
or not.

The 13th-ranked Bruins kick off their 2006 Pac-10 schedule this
weekend with a pair of meets against Washington today and Oregon
State on Sunday.

Coming off their disappointing loss to No. 6 Utah, the Bruins
hope to bounce back and get the season started right.

“When we last competed (against Utah) we did good
gymnastics, but we couldn’t find our feet. Our goal this
weekend is to hit routines and compete confidently,” coach
Valorie Kondos Field said.

With the roster already thin because of injury, the team will
have to do without yet another member. Freshman Maranda Smith, who
competed in three events against Utah, will have to sit out a
couple weeks with a stress reaction in her shin.

However, there may be some good news. The team hopes to have
sophomore All-American Jordan Schwikert return soon from a shoulder
injury.

“It’ll be great to have Jordan back. She’s had
a lot of fire the last few weeks, and it’s awesome to have
that enthusiasm and experience out on the floor,” senior Kate
Richardson said.

Health will be crucial to the team as they compete in
back-to-back meets for the first time this season. The Bruins, who
head to Washington on Friday to take on the Huskies, will be back
at home for their second meet against Oregon State on Sunday.

“In weekends like this, it’s all about gymnastics.
They really need to take care of their bodies and put their school
and their gymnastics as their top priorities above all else,”
Kondos Field said.

But the Bruins are optimistic. At the Hawaiian Classic on Jan.
3, UCLA won a six-team meet that featured both of this coming
weekend’s opponents. So the Bruins have an idea of what to
expect from their rivals this weekend. Oregon State finished second
at the meet.

The meet with Oregon State will take on even greater meaning
because of the relationship between the coaches on both sides.
Oregon State’s coach Tanya Chaplin graduated from UCLA in
1990. Chaplin was an All-American gymnast for the Bruins and held
six school records.

UCLA assistant coach Chris Waller and Oregon State assistant
coach Michael Chaplin were teammates on the 1987 UCLA team that won
the national championship.

“Competing against Oregon State is always a bit more fun.
Our coaches have an added rivalry going about who will do better,
so we look forward to that,” Kondos Field said.

With a long season ahead, the Bruins hope to start off on the
right foot this weekend.

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