By Derek Reinglass
Action photo by Diane Bidermann
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Now in the limelight, Julie Zetlin recalls when she was vying for the attention of the older girls in the gym.

"When I was little, all I ever wanted to do was train with the older girls, and earn that right to be on the same carpet as them," Zetlin said. "So, when I would finish my practice for the day, I would stay longer and make up my own routines. I'd always hope they would take a glance over and see my cool routines that I made up just for them."

Known as J.Z., JAZ, Julz, and Julcool, the 20-year-old rhythmic gymnast from Bethesda, Md., has all the eyes she once longed for now fixated on her.

"I started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of four (in 1994)," Zetlin said. "I became fascinated with it as soon as I made the switch from artistic to rhythmic. I thought it was the most beautiful, dynamic, and coolest thing I had ever seen. I always knew I wanted to compete. My dream was always to perform in front of a big audience."

At the age of four, rhythmic may have been new to her, but it was by no means new to the Zetlin name.

"My mother was a former Hungarian junior champion in rhythmic," Zetlin said. "As soon as she found a rhythmic club, she wanted to see if I enjoyed it too."

Dedicated to long practice hours, Zetlin has not only grown as a gymnast, but also as a person as well.

In her gym in Bethesda, Zetlin trains whenever the facility is available, which is usually five hours a day, six days a week. When she travels to training camps, she practices twice a day, where each practice averages three to four hours.

"I wouldn't be the same person I am today if I was not where I am right now, doing what I am doing," said Zetlin. "I am not only more proficient with my technique with equipment, body difficulties, and flexibility, but also I've become very strong. The pressure you have to go through - staying consistent, having a certain humbleness and professionalism -- and getting through setbacks like injuries really has given me a strong backbone. That will always stick with me throughout my life."

With her primary focus on gymnastics, Zetlin has elected to put college on the back burner, but only for the time being.

"Right now, I gave up college to put all of my time and energy into training and competing," Zetlin said, who won the Pan American Championships title in 2010. "I would like to eventually go to school in California to pursue an acting career along with majoring in psychology... I want to be a Pan American Games champion and to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. After that, my next dream is to pursue acting, and to help other rhythmic gymnasts with choreography and sports psychology."

Zetlin is no stranger to success, but that doesn't mean she hasn't had to overcome obstacles a long the way. She works hard to keep the focus on her driving force, her passion.

"As of right now [my biggest accomplishment is] winning my national title," Zetlin said, who won the U.S. all-around title in 2010. "It was something I worked 15 years to accomplish, and I had so many setbacks, to the point of almost giving up multiple times. When I finally got my national title, I broke into tears and held my medal to my heart. The other was when I advanced to the all-around finals at last year's Worlds. I was the second rhythmic gymnast to ever do that for America.

"My top goal is always to do this sport from my heart, to always go until you know you've fulfilled everything you want to do," said Zetlin."If you don't love what you are doing, then it's not worth it."

When she's not in the gym, Zetlin loves staying busy with a variety of hobbies and interests.

"I love to hang out with my friends, watch a bunch of movies, read, listen to music, and shop," Zetlin said. "I love fashion, and I especially love to be different with my style. I like to dance, ski, surf, and act on the side. I am also a new ambassador for the organization Best Bones Forever."

Best Bones Forever! is a campaign created by the Office of Women's Health that encourages girls to participate in bone-strengthening activities and eat more foods with calcium and vitamin D to build and maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.