ADAMS TWP — Zoe Schweitzer knows how to make up for lost time.

Denied an opportunity to compete in the Secret Classic, a national gymnastics meet last year, due to a heel injury, the 14-year-old Adams Township resident rebounded to win a USA Junior Olympic national title this year.

Competing out of X-Cel Gymnastics in Cranberry Township, Schweitzer scored a 9.625 on the uneven bars at Level 10 to win that event at the national meet in Des Moines, Iowa. She also scored a 9.45 on floor exercise and 9.225 on vault. She placed ninth in the nation in all-around.

“Zoe is incredibly resilient,” said Lindsey Stancil, her coach at X-Cel. “That’s one of the best things about her.

“She was disappointed last year, sure, but she always looks at the bright side of the things, at the next opportunity.”

The USA Gymnastics HOPES program is designed to help the progress of elite youth gymnasts. Schweitzer qualified second in the entire United States for the Secret Classic a year ago.

A painful stress injury to her heel forced Schweitzer to rest for two months late last season. The injury forced her to give up her spot in the Secret Classic.

“It was hard, but I just wanted to get physically stronger for the next season,” Schweitzer said. “I was still able to put a lot of work in on the bars and my workouts improved my strength and flexibility.”

Schweitzer does cyber schooling, is a straight-A student and puts in roughly 32 hours a week of practice and training at X-Cel, 12 months a year.

Her mother, Michelle Schweitzer, is a former gymnast, coach and judge. Zoe has been involved in the sport since age 2.

“I love it so much,” she said. “It’s so much fun, you meet a lot of new people and it opens up interesting opportunities.”

The top seven placers in each event at regionals move on to Junior Olympic Nationals. Schweitzer won the uneven bars title at the regional meet as well.

In winning her national title, Schweitzer beat out 57 other competitors representing more than 30 gym clubs from across the nation. She became X-Cel’s second-ever national champion.

Fellow Mars resident Rebekah Zaiser won the Level 10 uneven bars title in 2005 and went on to a stellar career at the University of Florida. Zaiser became a second team All-America and a three-time scholar-athlete with the Gators.

Schweitzer has similar collegiate aspirations.

“My goal all along has been to get a college scholarship and go from there,” she said.

Stancil said some major colleges have already inquired about Schweitzer, who is completing eighth grade this year.

“College scouts were all over that national meet and Zoe was impressive,” Stancil said. “She is tireless. Her world revolves around gymnastics. Most of her friends are here and she has the talent and motivation to go as far as she wants.”

By the end of summer. Schweitzer will decide whether to spend another year at Level 10 or try entering the Junior International Elite program.

The HOPE program is only available to gymnnasts 13 and under.

“Junior Elite is a major step forward,” Stancil said. “We’ll make that call probably at the end of August.

“I’ve worked with Zoe for the past year and a half, and I was her youth coach when she was very young. I could tell she was something special when she was 5. Her focus, attentiveness, her will to get better was evident even then.”

Schweitzer is a member of the USAG Region 7 All-Star team that will be representing the United States in Scotland later this year.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, everything that’s happening,” Schweitzer said. “But it will. Right now, I’m just enjoying this.”