By Adam Karon
Daily Bruin Staff
ATHENS, GA. “”mdash; Hank Forsyth’s buddies in London,
England have been teasing him for the past few days. Forsyth is a
huge sports fan who flew to New York last year to watch Game 1 of
the 2000 World Series. Those same buddies looked upon Hank with awe
and jealousy when he returned from the Bronx.
But when Forsyth comes back from Athens after watching UCLA win
the 2001 women’s gymnastics national championship, he will
definitely have some explaining to do.
He will describe that he saw one of the most exciting sporting
events of his life. He will tell those buddies that when the Bruins
were on their last rotation he was nervous to the point of nausea,
and that if he had to do it again, he would still take the 14-hour
trip to Athens to watch UCLA compete.
Forsyth and his girlfriend Jennifer Fleck traveled all the way
from Europe, where they are both working, to see the Bruins for the
first time this year. It was Forsyth’s first gymnastics meet
ever.
Fleck was the steam behind the travel engine for the couple. A
devoted Bruin fan from her time working in Los Angeles, the Chicago
native and former club gymnast has followed the Bruins this year
via internet and videotape she had sent to her from the United
States. She became attached to the program when UCLA won the
national championship in 1997.
“We missed the championships last year,” Fleck said.
“I was not going to miss this.”
“I’m a converted gymnastics fan,” Forsyth
added.
Some might consider the couple crazy for missing work and
traveling across the Atlantic to watch a college gymnastics meet
where they have no affiliation to the team they were rooting
for.
But Fleck explained that her intense passion for the sport was
more than enough to drive her to Athens.
The result of the meet surpassed any expectations the couple
had. Forsyth wasn’t really sure what to expect, and Fleck
merely wanted to see the world’s best college gymnasts
compete under one roof.
“For a couple of years I have been hearing about Georgia,
and Stegeman Coliseum, and how loud it is,” Fleck said.
“But today it just blew me away.”
The couple was also blown away by Bruin hospitality. After
sitting in the Bruins cheering section for two days, curious UCLA
fans asked Forsyth and Fleck where they were from. The pair
answered that they came from London, and before they knew it
Forsyth and Fleck found themselves swept off to Buffalo’s
Café in Athens for the team’s post-meet dinner.
Head Coach Valorie Kondos Field even included the couple in
announcements made after dinner, calling them “our newest
members of the Bruin family.”
In response, gymnasts, parents and coaches heartily
applauded.
“It was kind of embarrassing,” Fleck said after the
two stood up to acknowledge their reception.
But the UCLA fans’ and athletes’ appreciation was
genuine.
“When they found out we came from London they
freaked,” Fleck said.
“I’ve just been excited all season because we are
finally building a fan base,” Kondos Field said. “And
then you find out people fly from London; it is extremely
flattering.”
Fleck and Forsyth would cherish the experience regardless of the
outcome, even though the Bruins’ win will undoubtedly make
the 4,226-mile trip home a little quicker. When asked if it would
have been worth it had their team lost, Fleck responded, “Are
you kidding me? I came here to see great gymnastics, and
that’s exactly what we got.”
Fleck got her fill of great gymnastics, a Bruin national
championship, and two UCLA individual titles. Forsyth got great
stories to tell his buddies, and even if they don’t
understand the adrenaline and anxiety that Forsyth got from college
gymnastics, he knows the trip was worthwhile.