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"My voice was quavering" - When Simone Biles recalled feeling 'miserable' on informing UCLA coach about decision to turn pro & forego NCAA eligibility
Simone Biles once revealed that she was terrified to inform the UCLA Gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field about her decision to turn professional. The American gymnast had committed to joining the program before becoming professional a year later in 2015.
Biles made her senior career debut at the 2013 American Classic and quickly rose to become one of the most dominating athletes in the sport. After winning two gold medals on her debut at the 2013 World Championships, she clinched eight gold medals in her next two appearances.
The 27-year-old signed the National Letter of Intent to join UCLA in 2014 before deciding to turn professional in mid-2015, shortly after earning her high school diploma. Biles was largely convinced by her family to turn pro, and when the time came to inform UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field, she felt terrified.
"For almost a week, I’d been putting off the call to let Coach Val know I wouldn’t be enrolling at UCLA after all. Maybe it was because telling Miss Val about turning pro meant I was truly closing the door on being a Bruin. She’d been so excited when I’d committed, and I hated to disappoint her now," the seven-time Olympic champion recalled in her 2016 memoir, 'Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance'
When the gymnast finally mustered up the courage to call Kondos Field, she felt her voice was quavering.
"Finally, I mustered up the courage and called Coach Val’s number. 'Hello, Miss Val, this is Simone.' My voice was quavering. 'I’m calling to say I’m going pro, so I won’t be able to compete for UCLA next year.' Long pause. 'Oh, Simone,' she finally said. 'I knew the minute I saw your name on my phone what you were going to say.' 'I’m sorry,' I mumbled, feeling miserable," Simone Biles added
The 27-year-old made her Olympic debut in the following year and won five medals, including four golds. She has made two more Olympic appearances since and won six more medals.
"It was because of the girls I was going to camp with" - Simone Biles reveals reason behind choosing elite gymnastics over college
Speaking during an appearance on Not Just Football with Cam Heyward's podcast in 2024, Simone Biles revealed that her junior gymnastics teammates used to travel to international events, which also impacted her decision to go pro instead of taking the college scholarship at UCLA.
"It was because of the girls I was going to camp with had been going to international assignments. I got a college scholarship, and I was like, the girls, I got this magazine one time, and they were in Italy, and I was like, I want to go to Italy, and my coach was like, Well, then you have to do elite gymnastics, and I was like, What's that? She was like, It's the next level, so I was like, Let's do that," Simone Biles said
The 27-year-old completed her college education in online distance mode at the University of People, pursuing a bachelor's degree with a major in business administration. She said her decision was influenced by her mother and brothers.
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