UCLA Gymnastics Encyclopedia

UCLA Gymnastics wasn't born with Miss Val. Far before they became a great attraction in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA gymnasts competed for their university, and it wasn't just women. The men's gymnastics program at UCLA was once one of the best in the nation, a multi-winner of the National Championship, and a pipeline for Team USA.

Glenn Berry, more known as a Berkeley man, was the founder of UCLA gymnastics, creating the men's team in 1924 and serving as a gymnast-coach while he was still a student. Berry eventually moved north to Cal, but his undergraduate project, building a team at the Southern Branch, survived. Cece Hollingsworth left his mark on the program, coaching for 21 seasons, and so did Bill Corwin, Bob Stichter, Ed Buchanon, and Ralph Borelli. The man who took UCLA men's gymnastics to a new level, however, was Art Shurlock. He coached the Bruins for 30 seasons, and while the memory of UCLA men's gymnastics has faded further into the distant past, it doesn't mean the good times didn't happen. Shurlock built a winner, one of the greatest programs in America.

Shurlock wasn't the only winner, however. Women's gymnastics was elevated to the status of NCAA-sponsorship in 1982, and the Bruins were ready. Jerry Tomlinson was the Father of UCLA Women's Gymnastics, but Miss Val was the Queen. Under the leadership of Valorie Kondos Field, the Bruins became one of the great success stories in college sports. They were champions, and they were entertaining.

In this book, you'll read about every season in UCLA gymnastics history, for both the men's and women's teams, and you'll learn about the great coaches, gymnasts, and seasons that built UCLA's great tradition.