The reserved singles player won a 10-and-under championship in her native Taiwan at age 8 and hasn't stopped stunning, even after her family moved halfway around the world. Though Connie doesn't remember when she started playing tennis, she knows how she'd like her dream to end.

"Pro," she said. "I'd like to go pro."

And it could happen sooner than she thinks. Ranked No. 10 in the country among 12-year-olds by the United States Tennis Association, Hsu (pronounced "she") received an elite invitation to play in the Maureen Connolly Brinker Cup international tournament in Australia March 12-14. The competition pitted six girls each from America and Australia against each other, with four 14-year-olds and two 12-year-olds per team.

Hsu won a singles match and doubles match to help the U.S. team to an 11-4 win over Australia for a 15th title in 18 years.

Beechmont Racquet Club head professional Brett DeCurtins, who has coached Hsu for nearly three years, knew within five minutes of meeting her that she was something special.

"To say she does one thing to beat people would be selling her short," DeCurtins said. "She can use her serve as a weapon; her power is definitely a weapon; and then there's her foot speed, court awareness and competitive edge. I think she's on track to do very good things with tennis."

Hsu is one of four Ohioans - and the top player from the Buckeye state - ranked among the country's top 100 12-year-old girls. Hsu considers herself an ordinary pre-teen who likes listening to Eminem, watching Serena Williams play tennis and hanging out with her family.

Hsu doesn't know where her tennis skill comes from, because her parents don't play extensively, but their sacrifices have nourished her budding career. Tony and Lisa Hsu hired a top coach in Taiwan for Connie when she was 6 and have continued to foster her tennis education in the last three years in America.

"Before school every day, my dad feeds me balls and I practice serving," Connie Hsu said.

Her younger twin brothers, Jason and Steven, are tennis players too, but it's their elder sister who has stolen the spotlight.

Beechmont tennis director Jerry Howard has been teaching in Cincinnati for 20 years. Hsu is the best he's ever seen.

"If she was eligible to play in a state high school championship, she would be a challenger," Howard said, "even though she's only 12."

Hsu wouldn't mind a trip back to Taiwan, where she was called Chouyu Hsu, but "just for a visit." She's preparing for USTA grand slams in April, July, August and December.

Ranked No. 23 in the final standings for 2003, Hsu hopes to continue to improve in 2004.

"Being No. 1 would be good," she said.

Cory & Nan Justice /Union Township

If there were ever an example of "like mother, like daughter," this Cincinnati Synchrogator tandem fits the bill.

Cory, 10, was crowned a synchronized swimming state champion in the 11-and-under age group at the Ohio Intermediate Competition in January, taking home gold medals in figures, team, solo and trio. Nearly 30 years ago to the month, her mother, Nan, won four gold medals as a Synchrogator herself. Cory duplicated the effort a year ago as a 9-year-old at an Ohio Age Group Meet, and when her name was called out for the gold medals, Nan had deja vu.

"It was just the most unbelievable thing. When they kept saying her name, it dawned on me that we'd done the same thing," Nan said. Cory, a fifth-grader at Queen of Angels Montessori, was equally thrilled. "When we got home, she took me downstairs and showed me a newspaper article and her medals. I thought it was pretty cool," Cory said.

Nan, the Synchrogators' 11-and-under A-team coach, and Cory hope to repeat history again at the Ohio Age Group Meet May 22 in Columbus.

Andrew Dorn/West Chester

The St. Michael fifth-grader won the Boys 10-11 Division of the Golfweek Hoosier Classic at the Legends of Indiana Tournament March 27 and 28. Dorn, 11, earned the title in a playoff.

"It was pretty exciting. On the last hole of regulation, I missed a short putt, so I got kind of mad at myself," said Dorn, who scored 74-80-154. "But I tried to stay calm." It's Dorn's second win on the Plantations Junior Golf Tour; in October he cruised to first place in his age division at the University Club of Kentucky. Golf is second nature to Dorn, who was given his first set of plastic clubs at age 2. He says he makes time for other sports, including basketball and football, and his favorite sports team is the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.