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Thursday, March 19, 1998

Gymnasts focus on staying healthy

WGYM: Second seed Bruins play host of post-season competition

By Christie DeBeau

Daily Bruin Contributor

The 1998 season has been difficult for the UCLA women's gymnastics team who have battled with injuries throughout the year. However, the Bruins (13-3) have managed to succeed despite their setbacks. UCLA is ranked sixth in the nation and will be the second seed in the NCAA Regional Competition in April.

This weekend marks the end of the regular season for the Bruins as they host the Pacific-10 Championships March 21 at 6 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion.

"I have always said the Pac-10 is nothing more than bragging rights," UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos said.

"But it is much more for us this year, we have had a lot of ups and downs, a lot of things we have had to overcome and the team has not really come together yet. I think that we need to do that at this meet for them to go into regionals and nationals feeling that confidence that they have felt the last four years."

Kondos is not necessarily looking for a win at the meet this year, rather her goal is to keep the gymnasts healthy and focused.

"We are putting everyone we got out on vault and floor, we do not have any reserves at all so we have to keep the team healthy," Kondos said." We will be competing everyone and I am sure you will see them rise to a new level at the Pac-10.

"I want to see that focus from the team. They have really shown a different focus this week in practice than they have all season. It is interesting to see them getting into this mental mode of the championship season I want to see that from every athlete on the floor at the Pac-10.

"In this sport if you are off by a sixteenth of an inch you are off the equipment so it's not a matter of we are going to go out and hit every routine, it's showing that commitment."

The Bruins have had their share of bragging rights at the Pac-10 Championships since the meet began 11 years ago. UCLA won last year's title, defeating Stanford, who placed second in the meet. Also, the Bruins enter the meet with the highest ranking in the Pac-10 conference, followed by No. 9 Arizona State.

The Bruins will see tough competition this weekend with six of the seven teams in the Pac-10 ranked in the top 25. Washington State is ranked 12th, Oregon State is 14th, Stanford is 18th and the University of Arizona is ranked 25th. In the history of the Pac-10 Championships, only two teams have won the team title.

UCLA has won the team title seven times and Oregon State has accomplished this impressive feat four times.

Since the first Pac-10 meet, the Bruins have set many records; they have the most individual event champions with 28 gymnasts, the best record for uneven bar champions at 8 and the most all-around champions with 7 gymnasts.

UCLA is tied for most victories on floor with Oregon State, both having 5 gymnasts who have won this event.