美国国家公共电台 NPR UCLA Coach Helps Star Gymnast Find Her Way Back To A Sport She Loves（在线收听）

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

All right, you may have seen it by now. There's this viral video of a 21-year-old UCLA gymnast earning a perfect 10 while performing this crazy difficult floor routine.

(SOUNDBITE OF TINA TURNER SONG, "PROUD MARY")

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Cheering).

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

She does flips that just seem impossible. She sticks every landing. She dances effortlessly and bounces across the floor.

GREENE: Her name is Katelyn Ohashi, and effortless is really the word. She's out there and just looks joyful, like she's having fun.

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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Cheering).

VALORIE KONDOS FIELD: Honestly, when you see her, it's like - the happiness that you get when you see a puppy, that's Katelyn Ohashi.

GREENE: Valorie Kondos Field or Coach Val, as she is called, is the head coach of the UCLA gymnastics team.

KONDOS FIELD: She just exudes goodness and love and joy.

INSKEEP: Katelyn Ohashi has devoted her life to gymnastics. Before joining UCLA, she was a teenaged Olympic hopeful who seemed destined to earn a spot on Team USA.

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UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR #1: This is unbelievable.

UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR #2: Watch this - full.

UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR #1: Beautiful.

UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR #2: And just tremendous exercise from Katelyn.

GREENE: But the elite level came at a price - not just the injuries but the body-shaming, the cut-throat competition that left her questioning her self-worth. Katelyn wanted out.

INSKEEP: And she introduced herself to Coach Val, said she was looking for a new start - this time at the college-level.

KONDOS FIELD: And I remember asking her - Katelyn, when was the last time that you just loved gymnastics? And she had just won the American Cup, so she was the greatest gymnast in the world. And she said, I lost my love for the sport when I was 11. She was miserable.

INSKEEP: Coach Val tried to help her find a different way.

KONDOS FIELD: I realized that I had to earn her trust that I cared about her more as a human being than as an athlete and I cared about her in spite of her gymnastics.

INSKEEP: It shows in that video. During her entire floor routine performance, Katelyn Ohashi is smiling.

GREENE: And this is all especially meaningful for Coach Val because, after nearly 30 years as head coach for UCLA Gymnastics, this will be her final season - and what a way to go out.

KONDOS FIELD: And so many people have said that as well, that Katelyn Ohashi is really what we need right now.

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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Cheering).