That was more than 10 years later, and she's still there. But not only is Schmeer still in the gym, now she's a champion.

Schmeer, 16 and a sophomore at Monta Vista High School, finished first on the balance beam at the Level 9 Western Nationals held last month at Cal State Fullerton. Her 9.55 on the beam was tops in the field of top class gymnasts representing the western states. Not bad, considering that just a couple of years back she was sidelined for a year with a couple of the nagging injuries that plague competitive gymnasts.

"It was pretty hard to come back," she said. "I had to get all my skills back."

The injuries may have impeded her program—she was on track to compete at Level 10 by this season—but she was able to overcome the setback to regain her championship form.

Schmeer, the state beam champion in Level 8, placed high enough in state and regional competition this year to earn a berth at Westerns. And her championship performance in Fullerton proved the culmination of her successful comeback.

But Schmeer doesn't consider the win at Westerns the pinnacle of her career—she has higher expectations.

"I hope to get a college scholarship somewhere," she said. "And I want to make it to nationals [next year in Level 10 competition]. But I know it's pretty hard to make it."

Of course, coming back from injuries that cost her a year of competition was difficult too, yet she has returned to championship caliber. And at least one fan has enough confidence in her to know she can accomplish her goals.

"She's had the talent from the beginning," said her mother, Coralie Schmeer. "Once her head got into it, she really got going."

The training of West Valley coaches Diane Amos and Chris Swircek helped Schmeer attain championship status, but her mom was aware of her potential long before Evie joined the gymnastics school.

"She stood up at 6 months old, so we knew she was going to do something," said Coralie. "I took her to ice skating, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to watch her—I was freezing! So when I saw her swing on the bars at school, I asked, 'Where can you go to do that?' "

So she took her daughter to the West Valley Gymnastics School to try it out, and Evie took to the sport like a duck takes to water.

"She had the passion for the gym," said Coralie. "In fact, I couldn't get her out of there. They told me, 'Why don't you put a bed in the gym for her?' "

Evie has been involved in competitive gymnastics since starting as an 8-year-old in Level 5. She works out from 3 to 7:30 p.m. five days a week in the year round program.

"She'll work all through the summer on new skills to get to Level 10," said Coralie, adding, "It's been a long haul."

The Schmeers are hoping that the "long haul" will lead to a long trip next spring—a 3,000-mile flight to Disneyworld in Florida for the Level 10 nationals.