Gymnastics vaults into weekend meet against Oregon State aiming for higher goals
Freshman Norah Flatley recorded a career-high 9.900 on balance beam in the Bruins’ meet against Stanford on Sunday. UCLA gymnastics will next head to Oregon State on Saturday. (Liz Ketcham/Assistant Photo editor)
By Riley Segal
Feb. 1, 2019 12:40 a.m.
Valorie Kondos Field has a new goal for the Bruins.
“I haven’t shared it with the team yet,” the coach said. “I want to (hit) a meet where we get one 10 on every event. It can happen this weekend.”
No. 3 UCLA gymnastics (3-0, 2-0 Pac-12) will take on No. 20 Oregon State (1-1, 1-1) in Corvallis, Oregon, on Saturday. Oregon State is coming off of a 196.100-point victory against No.12 Washington (1-2, 1-1) – a score 1.125 points below UCLA’s season low.
“I shared (the goal) with (junior Madison) Kocian,” Kondos Field said. “When I shared it, she thought I was telling her she needed to get one 10 on every event, and I said, ‘Not just you! The whole team. Spread them out!’”
The closest UCLA has come to the goal was when it notched 10s on both floor and uneven bars at the Collegiate Challenge on Jan. 12.
The following meet, the only 10 was scored on uneven bars by Kocian.
Despite not yet scoring a 10 in the other two events, the Bruins are not far off. Junior Kyla Ross posted a 9.975 on vault against Nebraska, while senior Katelyn Ohashi twice scored a 9.975 on balance beam both at the Collegiate Challenge and at Stanford.
Freshman Norah Flatley – who scored a 9.825 and 9.900 on uneven bars and balance beam, respectively, in the Stanford meet – said the team’s work in practice should translate into how the Bruins will compete this weekend.
“We just want to do what we do in training,” Flatley said. “(We should) not change anything, not let the scores we get affect us. Just do what we do and stay normal.”
According to Kondos Field, part of taking training into competition is eliminating minor errors in all areas.
“We need to not make little mistakes,” Kondos Field said. “The mistakes we’re making are on their dance because they’re letting their core get loose, and it’s silly to have half a 10th or a 10th deduction on dance.”
Freshman Sekai Wright pinpointed another area that she feels needs improvement.
“Dialing in our landings need the most work,” Wright said.
Wright garnered a 9.875 on vault against the Cardinal.
As UCLA chases its goals, Flatley said the meet against Oregon State will provide another opportunity to grow.
“Overall, we’re getting stronger in competition, getting more comfortable with the format and getting used to traveling,” Flatley said. “Every weekend is a new start and I just love to see what we do every time. It’s exciting.”
