Bruins choose Cal assistant McDonald as new head coach
On Tuesday morning, newly-hired UCLA gymnastics coach Janelle McDonald’s demeanor matched the bright Bruin blue of her T-shirt and its golden lettering.
Beaming, McDonald said she tries to impact those around her in a positive way, “whether that’s in the gym or the grocery store.”
UCLA officially announced McDonald’s hiring on Monday evening, and although she’s been in Westwood for about 48 hours, she’s already at work spreading her personal brand of positivity.
McDonald, who comes to UCLA after being an assistant coach Cal, had the opportunity to meet the team on Monday right before her hiring was announced. The next morning, she had her first practice with the gymnasts.
“I just loved their energy,” McDonald said. “I love their enthusiasm. Especially for 8 a.m. in the morning, they had a lot of a lot of great energy and there’s a lot of special strong young women on that team. I’m really excited to get to know them better.”
California won its first Pac-12 regular-season title in 2022 with McDonald as the uneven bars head coach. In 2021, Cal ranked first in the nation in the event and Maya Bordas won the program’s first NCAA individual title.
Meanwhile in Westwood, Jordan Chiles scored a perfect 10.0 in uneven bars in the 2022 season as the Bruins improved from a 48.300 team score at the start of the season to a 49.400 at the end of the season.
“I’m excited to start getting to know the girls in and out of the gym and work on their skills and try to make them strong,” McDonald said, “and hopefully contribute to the overall success of the program.”
McDonald also indicated that she wants to foster an inclusive environment. UCLA has hosted Black Excellence and Pride meets in recent years, but the 2022 season got off to a tumultuous start and unrest within the team led to the transfer of a gymnast, according to multiple reports.
Shortly after, the Bruins recorded their lowest score since 2015 in their season opener.
“I really think it starts with just building relationships with each individual,” McDonald said of building inclusivity. “Where they come from, who they are, the things that excite them, the things they struggle with.”
McDonald takes over for Chris Waller, who resigned as head coach in mid-April after three years in the position. Waller spent a total of 20 years on the coaching staff and in the last two seasons of his tenure, UCLA failed to qualify as a team for the NCAA championships.
McDonald said she hasn’t decided if she will make any changes to the coaching staff that’s currently in place.
The near future includes lots of phone calls with the assistant coaches, getting to know the gymnasts and house hunting, McDonald said, as she makes a home in Westwood, a place she’s visited only as a friendly opponent until this point.
“Even this year, I remember leaving Pauley saying everybody’s so nice,” she said. “I think that we always had a really good relationship with each other and definitely, definitely good vibes.”