Answer: First-place trophies!

That was the case, anyway, for the 12 members of Airborne Gymnastics' Level 8 team during the 2004 USA Gymnastics optional season. At least one team parent called them "The Magnificent 12," because their individual efforts added up to first-place team awards in each meet they entered.

Daily after-school workouts with coaches Allan and Ericka Fusilero at Airborne's training facility in Santa Clara included practice for all four events, uneven bars, balance beam, vault and floor exercise. The girls then made the hard work pay off when they traveled to weekend competitions in Northern California, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego.

The Level 8 season culminated with a team first place at the NorCal State Championships in Visalia. Airborne's score of 187.025 was three points better than that of runner-up Rohnert Park.

With 178 competitors vying in 12 age-group sessions, including three groups of 13-year-olds and two each for ages 12, 14 and 15, Airborne athletes posted seven of the best 20 all-around scores. San Jose resident Karen Ortiz, who had the second best all-around score (37.80) of all Level 8 performers, was selected to the six-member all-state team.

Kelsey Hoag, a student at Miller Middle School, had the best all-around score in her age group. Her total of 37.125 included first-place marks of 9.475 on the beam and 9.125 on the vault. She also was second on the uneven bars with 9.20 and third in the floor exercise with 9.325.

Ortiz captured first place all-around in her session with firsts in the floor (9.60) and bars (9.30), second in the vault (9.6) and third on the beam (9.30).

Katie Yamamura and Alyson Wang placed third and fourth, respectively, behind Ortiz. Yamamura's all-around total of 37.175 included a first place in the beam (9.40) and a second on floor (9.575). Wang's all-around score was 36.475.

In another session three other Airborne competitors placed 2-3-4. Sunnyvale resident Brittany Skinner took second place with an all-around mark of 37.075, just .10 ahead of Allie Butters and .15 in front of Arla Rosenzweig.

Skinner's floor routine of 9.775 was the best in her session and her effort of 9.325 ranked second. Butters earned a first in the vault with 9.45, finishing just ahead of Rosenzweig (9.425).

In both the balance beam and floor exercise Rosenzweig tied for third with teammate Ariel Hammer, a student at Union Middle School in San Jose. They earned a 9.25 on the beam and 9.525 on floor.

In other sessions, the all-around scores of Klaire Korver (37.125) and Jennifer Robinson (36.325) garnered third-place awards. Robinson's vault of 9.65 was the best in her group, while Korver's floor routine (9.65) earned second in her group.

Other members of Airborne's Level 8 cast are Anitra Stuart of Campbell and Courtney Fisher of San Jose. Stuart's season best efforts were in the all-around (36.775) and on the bars (9.475), while Fisher's best mark was 9.325 on the floor exercise.

Ten Airborne girls qualified for the USA Gymnastics Region 1 meet in Henderson, Nev., where they competed against the best gymnasts from California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

Again divided into several categories, the talented. Airborne group was impressive. Rosenzweig took first in the Junior B vault (9.5) and beam (9.4) on the way to a second place in the all-around (37.55). Skinner was fourth in the all-around with 37.25 and Ortiz fifth with 37.0.

Yamamura was the Junior C champion on the balance beam and placed second all-around, while Hoag was the Junior C floor champ and fourth all-around. Wang placed third in the vault.

Robinson captured first in the Senior B all-around at the regional event and Korver scored thirds in floor and all-around of the Child E bracket.

At each meet competitors are judged individually and compared to other entrants. Scoring is based on a 10-point system for each apparatus. Each gymnast's four marks then are combined for an all-around total. Individual winners are honored in each event and all-around. Team results are determined by using the top six all-around scores of each team.