Gymnast Gets a ‘10’ for Career at UCLA

Senior Kate Richardson has accomplished nearly all of her goals during her gymnastics career at UCLA.

She’s a 10-time All-American who has been on two national championship teams, a winner of two individual NCAA titles and owner of nine perfect-10 scores.

“I’ve had a ton of great memories and some really good times,” said Richardson, who will compete in her final home meet today at Pauley Pavilion when UCLA plays host to Stanford and San Jose State at 2 p.m.

“I started preparing for this at last year’s senior meet, because I knew that it was going to be hard for me when my time came,” she said. “But I think I’ll be OK because I know that I’ve gotten everything I could out of [gymnastics] in my four years here.”

By the time Richardson enrolled at UCLA in the fall of 2002, she was considered one of Canada’s top gymnasts. At 16, Richardson competed for the Canadian Olympic team in 2000. She was the 2001 national champion for all-around, vault, uneven bars and balance beam, and she won the all-around and beam titles at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

But not many UCLA fans knew of Richardson when she joined Coach Valerie Kondos Field’s program, which was led by Fab Five seniors Malia Jones, Doni Thompson, Onnie Willis, Carly Raab and Kristin Parker.

“Every once in a while, you have someone who comes in to your program who is so different than everyone else on your team, where their personality shines so brightly that they really just make their mark on their own, and that’s Kate Richardson,” Kondos Field said.

“She came in from Canada and was virtually unknown in our country

Richardson, who in 2004 became the first gymnast to make an Olympic team while competing for UCLA, ranks second in the nation in the all-around and in the top 10 in vault, beam, floor exercise and bars.

“She has a quality with her gymnastics that you just can’t teach. She floats. She is so light and powerful,” Kondos Field said.

It’s Richardson’s toughness that helps make her a natural leader. One year after back surgery, Richardson won the NCAA beam title, was co-champion in bars, and finished third in the all-around in 2003.

Last year, Richardson competed for months with a damaged thumb ligament and still earned All-America honors on beam and floor.

Although UCLA is ranked No. 8 nationally, the Bruins are ready to make a serious run at another NCAA championship. But even if they fall short, it will not diminish any of the college experience for Richardson.

“I’m just trying to do some of the same things that the ‘Fab Five’ did for me,’ she said. “I learned a ton from them and just hopefully, I can pass that along to the freshmen here now. I’m just trying to do my part.”