Born with deformational plagiocephaly, or skull asymmetry, Ashley, 9, is now a level six gymnast. A gymnast needs to complete 10 levels before entering the elite status, which then qualifies him or her for the Olympics.

When Ashley was born in 1993, "her head was flat on one side and her neck was twisted. She couldn't turn her head," recounts Brenda, a special education teaching assistant at West Valley Elementary School, where Ashley is a third-grader. "She was always in pain."

To avoid permanent disfigurement, Brenda and Reuben scheduled then 4-month-old Ashley for surgery that would literally dismantle, reshape and reconstruct her skull. Less than a month before the surgery, they changed their minds.

"We didn't want to go through with the surgery because of all the risks involved," says Reuben, an engineer for Apple Computer. "We didn't know what would happen. We were scared."

Then Reuben and Brenda discovered a medical helmet that contained pads inside to create a fit that was snug in some areas and open in others. The strategic placement of the pads created gentle pressure to push the skull into the open areas of the helmet.

In a five-month period, the plastic cap had corrected about 85 percent of the asymmetry of Ashley's skull. Today only a physician would notice the trace of the once-pronounced abnormality.

"It was a miracle," Reuben says. "It's like someone was sending us a message telling us that we didn't have to do surgery."

At age four, when her parents introduced her to gymnastics, Ashley found more than just another outlet for the greater range of movement that she had gained in her torso and neck--she found her vocation.

"At first we took her to gymnastic practices for recreational purposes," Reuben explains. "We also got her involved with cheerleading like her sister. But it didn't take long for her coaches to notice her special abilities and place her in a developmental program."

Reuben and Brenda said they had no idea that Ashley would soon become one of the most promising gymnasts in Northern California.

In November of 2002 at the NorCal Gymnastics Level Five State Championships in San Mateo, Ashley competed in four events--vault, bars, beam and floor--and received 36.550 points out of 40. She placed fifth in the state team, which is comprised of the top six scorers across all age divisions in level five. This included more than 300 gymnasts over the age of seven.

"We're very proud of her," Reuben says. "She has proven that she has the potential to succeed. It's quite an accomplishment, considering what she's gone through so far."

A look at Ashley's daily activities shows that her achievements have not come easily.

To have enough time for practice, Ashley does her homework during lunch and evening hours. Her afternoons are reserved for gymnastics. Putting in four hours a day, five days a week, Ashley consistently devotes 20 hours a week to practice.

"I really like it; it's fun," says Ashley, whose other hobbies are reading and spending time with her friends.

"Her accomplishments also open a door for her to get a higher education," Reuben says. "We hope she can get a college scholarship and get a good college education, regardless of what she will do in the future."

Besides being a professional gymnast, Ashley's other career goal is to become a veterinarian.