After their team took victory Friday night, K.J. Kindler and Lou Ball, like many of the other numerous wins they had in Hilton Coliseum, were quickly surrounded by gymnasts and fans alike.

This time, however, the post-meet routine had a much different feel.

Kindler and Ball, who coached the ISU gymnastics team the previous six seasons, now lead eighth-ranked Oklahoma (9-1). Friday night was their first time coaching in Ames since switching their Big 12 allegiance.

For the husband-and-wife duo, it was admittedly an unusual experience to be back in the arena they once called home.

“It was a little bizarre,” Kindler said. “I felt like I was in the ‘Twilight Zone,’ but I knew the first time was going to be tough.”

Interactions between Kindler and Ball and their former gymnasts were seemingly nonexistent until after the meet, despite many circumstances in which they were just feet apart. Senior Janet Anson, who won the meet’s all-around championship for 10th-ranked Iowa State (7-3), said her team was focused on its own performance during the meet and not the presence of its former coaches.

“It was good to see [Kindler],” Anson said. “We weren’t really focused on that. I talked to them after the meet, but other than that, we were focused on ourselves.”

Iowa State struggled on balance beam and floor exercise in the 196.250 – 194.425 loss, but ISU coach Jay Ronayne said any emotions caused by Kindler and Ball’s return weren’t the reason for Iowa State’s struggles.

“They probably were [affected emotionally] at a certain level and everyone on different levels, but it’s not like we can place that as the factor in why there were mistakes made,” Ronayne said.

“It was just concentration errors.”

For senior Jade Kvach, it was readily apparent that Iowa State’s errors had nothing to do with seeing Kindler and Ball in Oklahoma colors.

“Obviously not. We came out and started out our first two events rock solid, so that had nothing to do with it,” she said.

For Kvach, an Ames native coached by Kindler and Ball at the club level before entering college, it was thrilling to catch up with her old coaches.,

“It was really good to see them,” she said.

“It was really exciting to be able to talk to them and see how they’re doing.”

Kindler said she believes the move has been a positive one and she relishes the opportunity to improve another program. With wins over Nebraska and Iowa State, she believes Oklahoma carries the most momentum in the conference going into the Big 12 championships on March 31 in Columbia, Mo.

“I love [Oklahoma]. They’ve accepted me with open arms,” Kindler said.

“I made a lot of changes and they were open to them and I think that they have come full circle since we’ve arrived. We’re very excited at this point about being undefeated in the Big 12 and going into Big 12 championships that way.”

Kindler, a former Cyclone gymnast, added that no matter where she coaches, she’ll always be a supporter of ISU gymnastics.

“I love Iowa State,” Kindler said. “I’m an alum and I’ll always be a big fan.”