A gymnast who’s conquered the Olympics rarely returns to college competition, but Jordan Chiles is anything but ordinary. Chiles, who gave a golden performance in Paris, chose to come back—not to chase more titles for herself, but to leave a legacy at UCLA. For her, it’s a chance to uplift her teammates and strengthen her position in her team.

While the team scored one of their lowest scores in week 2, Chiles showed her skills on the vault, scoring a perfect 9.90. She proved her resilience by a jaw-dropping floor routine in week 2. Her amazing choreography reminded everyone why she’s one of the best in the sport.

Jordan Chiles could have easily walked away from college gymnastics after everything she accomplished in Paris, but her passion and love for the sport didn’t let her do so. “I had unfinished business. I know you’re probably thinking, ‘Jordan, you have NCAA titles; what do you have left to prove?’ But I want to be able to win a natty with this team and at least come back with individual titles as well,” she shared.

Chiles’ run at the Paris Olympics was remarkable. Her floor routine earned her an individual bronze in the event. “I felt like there was something missing, and my story wasn’t over,” Chiles said in an interview with ESPN. Despite the success, Chiles felt a pull back and wanted to achieve more at UCLA.

For Jordan Chiles, it’s not just about adding another title to her name. She’s driven by something much bigger. She added, “Yes, I’ve done a lot within UCLA already, but I feel like there are just things that I could kind of show to UCLA and kind of cherish [the experience] a little more. I want to be able to leave a legacy at UCLA, just like a bunch of my other teammates have, and just to continue to represent in the way that I can.” She wants her return to be memorable for her teammates. Its not just about personal achievements, but she wants to achieve greater things in the sport.

Chiles’ return to UCLA is about more than just winning—it’s about making a real impact. The whole UCLA team is pushing through the challenges together.

Beyond Jordan Chiles, the Bruins’ focus on growth and resilience

The Bruins have had a tough start to the season, but they’re not letting this get them down. One of the shining moments for the Bruins came from Brooklyn Moors, who put on an incredible floor routine. Each athlete with their own unique strengths helped the team to get their focus back on the game. Moor’s performance was impressive as she slayed her performance and tied for first place.

Head Coach Janelle McDonald is keeping the team’s spirit high even though they failed terribly in the past week. “I’m putting zero weight on how last weekend went, and I’m encouraging our team to do that as well,” she said. “Take the lessons away from it, learn from it, grow from it,” McDonald urged. Rather than getting demotivated from their low score, she’s pushing her athletes to use the experience as a stepping stone. Her words highlight that the team should see challenges as opportunities to grow stronger and come back even more focused.

This season for UCLA is about learning from the tough moments. Jordan Chiles’ goal of making a difference aligns with the team’s strategy to learn from their mistakes. With the team’s improved performance, could this be the season UCLA finally takes it all the way to the championship?