When the Rosses settled in California and first brought Kyla to Gym-Max, Liang described her build as "very square, like a box." But Liang also told Ross's mother, "She's got the long lines of a ballerina. She'll always have the power of the stocky gymnast but she'll have the pretty lines too."

Kiana Ross said, "I think that's why Howie kind of took to her."

Kyla said she is 5 feet 1. "And my legs got long in the last year," she said. "I think I had a growth spurt."

Liang and Zhang came to the United States from China in the early 1990s and their gymnastics pedigree was strong. Both had competed on Chinese national teams and Liang once coached Liang Chow, Shawn Johnson's eventual coach. They recognize talent.

In Ross they have a talent. And Zhang said even if Ross doesn't make the Olympic team she plans to stick around for four more years. "She's the perfect age," Zhang said. "She has another four years as long as she stays healthy."

"I will," Ross says. But that's the future. For now Ross looks to 2012 and says, with authority, "I should be on the team. I hit my routines. They have good start values. I'm consistent. That's what I bring. So they should bring me."