We had the good fortune of connecting with Valorie Kondos Field and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Valorie, how do you define success?
There is a difference between Winning and Success. Winning is finite, it’s a specific goal, it often includes bragging rights. It is also dependent on other people and how they measure your success. Success, on the other hand, is 100% determined by you. You set the goals to be achieved not just by the end result but by your daily growth into the person you are inspired to become. You can be extremely Successful and not Win, and you can Win without achieving Success in the personal growth you aspire to. As the great John Wooden said … “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result in knowing that you became the best that you are capable of becoming.” I find it’s much healthier to set daily goals in determining what 1% better in every area of my looks like and strive to achieve daily excellence vs focusing on the “Win.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was the head coach for the UCLA women’s gymnastics team for 29 years, and had tremendous success. The most fun fact is that I’ve never done gymnastics. I grew up in the world of ballet and was a professional dancer before I got to UCLA in 1982 as their assistant coach in charge of dance and choreography. I was offered the head coaching job in 1989, which to me felt absurd because I knew nothing about what the job would entail. but as the athletic director who hired me said, “I trust that you’ll figure it out.” That’s exactly what I did. I made a lot of mistakes. I asked 100 questions a day and eventually, I figured out how to develop our student athletes into champions in life that would forge ahead and make our world a better place. Our classroom was the gym and in the process we started winning on the competition floor. However, I never talked about winning. Partly because I grew up on stage where there was no “winning” and also it felt like imposter syndrome when I would try to talk like a stereotypical coach. Instead we always focused on making sure that we finished our season with no regrets – that was 100% in our control. We would dissect what it would take to feel Success with no regrets at the end of every day. If we could chalk up more “successful” days than not during our season, then ultimately at the end of our season, we would feel extremely successful, regardless of where we finished on the podium.

An element that I am proud that I brought to our training and competitions isn’t something that is often associated with athletics – that element is JOY. I had a wonderful conversation with Kobe Bryant about the importance of infusing JOY in every part of the process of achieving greatness. Joy comes from the pride that one feels in knowing you’ve persevered through the <i>hard – </i>that pride and joy is something no one and no score can take away. I remember standing in the wings preparing to enter the stage and feeling calm, confident and enthusiastic; never fear or anxiety because I had fully prepared for the moment. That was my goal in preparing our athletes to compete. Their “wings” were standing before the judge getting ready to salute and then perform their routines with calm, confidence and enthusiasm.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
After being born and raised in California and spending 37 years at UCLA, I now live in beautiful NW Arkansas. The first thing I do with our guests is go for a walk. There are over 300 miles of immaculate walking, running and biking trails in and around the cities out here. After our walk we would go to Sassafras winery. They serve fabulous pizza but the best part is the ambiance – there are multi tiered patios that remind me of Napa Valley. After that, we’d go see a performance at the Walton Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville, I am a theatre snob and the productions that come through Fayetteville are INCREDIBLE! And get this… parking is only $5. 😉

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of my UCLA Bruins sisters, Coach Sue Enquist – former player, assistant coach and head coach for UCLA softball. We are extreme opposites in style but come from one heart, purpose and goal – to empower the future generations with the knowledge, wisdom and courage to forge their own paths of greatness that ultimately leads to a life of Sustained Excellence.

Website: Officialmissval.com

Instagram: @missvalkondos

Linkedin: Valorie Kondos Field

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