BUTLERTWP — When it comes to mental toughness, Natalie Beilstein possesses plenty.

Nerves of steel?

"I wouldn't go that far,"the 15-year-old Knoch freshman said, flashing a smile. "I was really nervous on the vault.

"Once I stuck my first mount, I felt a lot better."

So it goes for the Level 10 Butler Gymnastics Club standout, who won the Junior Olympic national championship in floor exercise in Oklahoma City recently.

Beilstein scored a 9.65 to win that title. She also placed sixth in vault with a 9.7 and 12th all around with a 37.3. Beilstein fell on the beam, lowering her score in that event to 8.7.

But overcoming adversity is nothing new to her.

Beilstein missed nationals last year when she broke an ankle just before her scheduled floor routine at regionals.

"You have to conquer that stuff mentally," she said. "Until you do, you can't go any farther in this sport."

Beilstein hopes gymnastics can land her a college scholarship in three years. She wants to return to nationals next year and to capture the all-around championship.

"Natalie's always been very gifted and talented,"said her coach, Steve Heasley. "But once she got a taste of success at nationals, she's gotten that competitive edge now. She's determined to come back and win the whole thing."

Beilstein even has considered joining an elite gymnastics program, which would require nationwide travel and probable home schooling.

But that may be where she draws the line.

"I like my life the way it is right now,"Beilstein said. "That would really disrupt it. I'm not looking at the Olympics or anything."

Her mother, Mary Beilstein, said a decision to turn elite strictly would be up to her daughter.

"If that's what she wants, we'd find a way to do it,"she said. "We've supported her from Day 1. We've done that with all of our kids."

And there's plenty of them.

Natalie is the fifth of seven Beilstein children. Three of them, including herself, are adopted and black. The Beilsteins' four children by birth are white.

All seven have been or are involved in athletics in some capacity:

• Anthony, 21, is the goalkeeper for Westminster College men's soccer team.

• Andrew, 18, is an assistant trainer for track, football, basketball and soccer at Knoch.

• Aaron, 17, competes in track and field.

• Christopher, 17, played soccer and is an assistant trainer in track, football, basketball and soccer.

• Natalie, 15, is a national gymnastics champion.

• Mariah, 14, plays basketball and soccer as an eighth grader.

• Abby, 5, plays in the Knoch Area Soccer Association.

"We started our four boys out in gymnastics when they were small and we brought Natalie along,"Mary Beilstein said. "At age 2, she was mimicking the moves the kids were doing on the mat."

"The coach saw her and told us we had to get her out there," said Joe Beilstein, Natalie's father. "That's how she got started."

Beilstein's father, who operates a woodworking business on his property, has shuttled his other children to many of their events over the years so his wife could take Natalie to gymnastics practice.

"I've missed a lot of her competitions because I've had to be elsewhere," he admitted. "But those are a bunch of good people in that gymnastics program. Everybody supports everybody else's kids."

She gets a lot of support from her family members as well.

"There are a lot of kids doing a lot of things in our household," Natalie said. "My parents give up a lot of their own time so that can happen. I appreciate everything they do for me."

Joe Beilstein coached his older sons in eighth-grade soccer during his 12-year tenure as coach of the Knoch junior high team.

Now he's coaching his youngest daughter's KASAsquad.

"It's more fun now that I know what's going on,"he said. "It's a little different working with the younger kids.

While her siblings have been playing soccer, basketball or running track, Natalie has remained faithful to gymnastics. It is the only sport she's involved in.

And her parents have logged miles on their vehicles running kids to and from games and practices.

"It's been hard, but it's been worth it," Mary Beilstein said. "Seeing Natalie win at nationals — I felt shivers. I've never been more proud."