S3 Ep. 6: And The Crowd Is Loving It: Sophina DeJesus and Nia Dennis - podcast episode cover

S3 Ep. 6: And The Crowd Is Loving It: Sophina DeJesus and Nia Dennis

Mar 28, 202251 minSeason 3Ep. 6
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Episode description

This episode looks at how Black gymnasts came to create spaces of joy for themselves and how college programs benefited from that. After Olympic dreams are dashed because of injury, some elite gymnasts, like Sophina DeJesus and Nia Dennis, opt to compete at top-notch college programs. Sophina and Nia talk about their journeys at UCLA and how they created floor routines viewed by millions online. Valorie Kondos Field (“Miss Val”), UCLA’s famed retired head coach, describes the diversity at UCLA gymnastics as a happy accident. The gymnasts’ mothers, Maria DeJesus and Deetra Dennis share the different paths they took to protect their daughters while encouraging them to embrace their authentic selves. 

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S3 Ep. 6: And The Crowd Is Loving It: Sophina DeJesus and Nia Dennis | American Prodigy: Becoming Great podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast