Injury forces gymnast to retire, will stay on as assistant
By Eric Johnson
Sept. 24, 2005 9:00 p.m.
Sophomore Lindsey Vanden Eykel, commonly known as “L
Boogie” to her teammates and fans, retired from gymnastics
last week but will remain with the UCLA gymnastics team in other
capacities.
Vanden Eykel was forced to make the decision after a shoulder
condition she suffered before her arrival at UCLA worsened to
severe status. The shoulder had been bothering the bar and beam
specialist throughout her freshman season, though she was able to
compete almost unaffected.
After taking an extended break following the NCAA Championships
in the hope of allowing the shoulder to heal, Vanden Eykel was
forced to undergo surgery on Aug. 17 when the injury did not
subside.
Doctors repaired a torn labrum and found that her bone had been
worn away, making the repair more difficult than usual.
The question of whether to quit gymnastics was a difficult one
for Vanden Eykel, even if the answer was obvious.
“The bars and beam are risky events with any kind of
shoulder injury,” the two-time junior national uneven bars
champion said.
“I’ve already had five surgeries, and every time I
have been hurt it’s been serious. I didn’t want one
more. Basically it came down to choosing between three more years
of gymnastics or 80 more years of life for my shoulder.”
Vanden Eykel was a regular competitor for the Bruins, competing
in every meet and finishing with season-highs of 9.925 on uneven
bars, 9.85 on balance beam and 9.675 on floor exercise.
The abbreviation of her career stunts her plans to improve upon
her routines for higher scores.
“I was really looking forward to doing more for the team
this year so it was shocking,” Vanden Eykel. “It was
very emotional at first.”
Vanden Eykel will be an assistant coach this season, teaching
technique and body position to her teammates.
“Uneven bars is a beautiful event and if I could help my
teammates make it even more beautiful that would be great,”
Vanden Eykel said.
The energetic and animated sophomore will also help with team
management duties and team morale, a job well-suited to her playful
personality.
Assistant coach Chris Waller looks forward to seeing Vanden
Eykel in her new role.
“We always have people on the team who aren’t
competitors and they are instrumental because they bridge the gap
between the coaches and athletes,” Waller said.
“They aren’t the ones putting it on the line
physically, so they become a good ear to the team’s vibe.
I’ll expect that she’s going to be one of those
in-betweeners while also helping with morale,” he added.
