100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport: Valorie Kondos Field

Aditya Devavrat 03:54 07/03/2019
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  • Valorie Kondos Field

    100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport >> Coaches

    Valorie Kondos Field, USA

    Gymnastics

    Valorie Kondos Field was already a legend of American gymnastics after 25 years as UCLA’s head coach, leading the Bruins to seven national collegiate championships. But her stature has only grown during one of the biggest scandals in sporting history, the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal that has rocked US gymnastics in the last few years. Many of those who came out as survivor’s of Nassar’s abuse have been coached by “Miss Val”, as Kondos Field is affectionately known. That was no doubt one of the factors motivating her when she became the driving force behind last year’s moving tribute to the survivors when her UCLA team faced Oklahoma. Both sides wore t-shirts bearing the message “Together We Rise”. “That meet transcended sport. I believe that meet was one of the most impactful gymnastics meets that’s ever been,” Kondos Field said afterwards. Her fierce support of the survivors, and outspoken criticism of USA Gymnastics in the wake of the scandal, has made her an inspirational figure for gymnasts across the country. She may be retiring from coaching this year, but her legacy is only growing.

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  • – Kondos Field worked as a professional dancer, training with the Sacramento Ballet and Washington DC Ballet.

    – She’s also been a choreographer for Disneyland and SeaWorld.

    – UCLA had won 0 national gymnastics titles before Kondos Field became head coach.

    Did you know…

    Kondos Field has forged a legendary career as a gymnastics coach despite never having been a competitive gymnast herself.

    “They will go down in history with as much impact as the survivors have because the survivors are making the change, and [they] are the ones keeping the foundation strong and saying, ‘USA Gymnastics – American gymnastics – is not going to fall on our watch. We are still going to represent like we always have.’ And they’re doing it beautifully.” – Valorie Kondos Field

    Twitter: @OfficialMissVal

    Instagram: missvalkondos

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