Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance: Advice and Inspiration from the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame Coach of 7 NCAA Championship Teams - Hardcover

Field, Valorie Kondos; Cooper, Steve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1546077146 ISBN 13: 9781546077145

Publisher: Center Street, 2018

Synopsis

How did a professional ballerina become one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history? Valorie Kondos Field has never even turned a cartwheel, but she has won six NCAA gymnastics championships as coach of the UCLA women's gymnastics team. In LIFE IS SHORT, DON'T WAIT TO DANCE, "Miss Val" shares her secrets to success, such as Drop the Act, Do You; Triumph Over Adversity; Life Is Not a Dress Rehearsal; Coach Wooden's Missing Brick; Guts Are Louder Than Whistles; and Confident Enough to Collaborate, which began when she realized she'd never win by mimicking other top coaches. She had to embrace and hone her own uniqueness. The results have been stunning for her and for the student athletes, including Olympians Simone Biles and Kyla Ross, who have thrived under her tutelage.

Curiosity, creativity, attention to detail, and unwavering care for the overall well-being of her athletes are the hallmarks of Miss Val's success, and they can be applied to business and life as well as to sports. As a breast cancer survivor, Miss Val, who says the year she was diagnosed was actually one of the best of her life, has learned that success is about choreographing your life and owning the choices you make.

Many of Miss Val's timeless philosophies were shaped by her mentor, legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden and she weaves stories of her time with him into this remarkable narrative of a 35-year career, that in 2016 was immortalized by being named the PAC-12 "Gymnastics Coach of the Century."

LIFE IS SHORT, DON'T WAIT TO DANCE is packed with brutally honest advice delivered in an inspirational tone Miss Val is known for, and will help readers live a more fulfilling and intentional life.

About this title

Review:

"She nurtures that kind of potential into so much excellence that even standing in a room with her and listening to her speak can bring you to a level you didn't even know you had in you."--Johnny Kim, International Cirque Artist

"Having a role model like Val early in my college career was really important to me because I saw the interaction she had with the women on her team and how winning was certainly important, but not the most important thing."--Jim Mora, UCLA football head coach

"She has this reputation within the gymnastics community of not only being a great gymnastics coach, but also a life coach, a mentor and a friend."--Judy Olian, Dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management

"It's really easy to give up when things are not going your way, or when things are challenging, or when you have adversity or struggle, but she always stays positive."--Nastia Liukin, Olympic Gold Medalist

"To watch her work with people who have won gold medals in the Olympics... it's one thing to be an exceptional athlete it's another thing to have this emotion bleed through your athleticism to take that sport to an entirely different level."--Brian Gott, Philanthropist/Producer

"Valorie Kondos Field's scope goes well beyond gymnastics... Miss Val is the life coach we all need in our corner, be it the boardroom or in the arena. I encourage all CEOs who want to tap into their fullest potential to become a student of Coach Val."--Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management

"Miss Val's not-as-you-would-expect approach to coaching has positioned her to ink 7 NCAA Championships. Her success has inspired many who have witnessed her gifts and genius as a coach, mentor and healer."--William D. Parham, Ph.D., ABPP, Director, Mental Health and Wellness Program for NBA Players Association

"After years of observation I can say with unbridled respect and full-throttled enthusiasm it is Miss Val's turn! She truly is one of the brightest beacons of light in the gymnastics world!"----Kathy Johnson Clarke, Sports Commentator, 1984 Olympic Medalist

"After meeting Miss Val, I have a new found love and passion for the sport. She creates champions while putting their health and well-being first and allowing each athlete's uniqueness to flourish. She is a coach, mentor, leader, and friend who saw the potential in me before I saw it in myself and helped me grow to be the person I am today."--Jordyn Wieber, World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist

"Miss Val is a force of nature. Her journey to the top is a riveting story. Her demand for personal excellence and her ability to create belief in her student athletes provides for a great read and success model for all."--Sue Enquist, Founder of ONE Softball, Former UCLA Head Softball Coach, 11-time National Champion

Book Description:

Highly acclaimed UCLA Women's gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field shares insights on how to use uniqueness and authenticity to achieve success.

About this edition

• Publisher: Center Street
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1546077146
• ISBN 13: 9781546077145
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240