The Arizona Republic

For Kaitlyn O'Nan, it was the chance of a lifetime.

The 7-year-old from Gilbert, Ariz., got personal instruction from Shannon Miller, a member of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team that surprised many by winning a gold medal in 1996. And she was among those who got to see that Magnificent Seven (minus one) in a rare group appearance last weekend.

Five of the seven were in Tempe, Ariz., to support a sixth: Cincinnati's Amanda Borden, who was opening her new Gold Medal Gymnastics Academy.

"We've watched the video of the Magnificent Seven and their lives and what it took for them to get where they are," said Kaitlyn's mother, Kim O'Nan. "She knows, but the emotion side of it comes more from us, just being so excited for her to be out there training with them."

Not only Miller and Borden but Kerri Strug, Jaycie Phelps, Dominique Moceanu and Amy Chow. They, along with Dominique Dawes, won the first U.S. women's gold in Atlanta.

Now ages 22 to 27, their post-gymnastics credentials include medical school (Chow), law school (Miller), degrees from Stanford (Strug and Chow) and incoming president of the Women's Sports Foundation (Dawes).

"You hear so often these kids give up so much and they're missing out, and that's so far from the truth," said Mary Lee Tracy, who coached Borden and Phelps at the Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy. "They had wonderful, incredible experiences as friends, as teammates, traveled the world.

"The discipline and time management and commitment that they learned from gymnastics is why they're all successful."

Borden graduated from Arizona State and remained to open her gym. The 27-year-old was moved by the turnout of her teammates.

"I'm an emotional person and I went straight over to Mary Lee and said 'I'm about to cry,' " Borden said. "This is more than a dream come true."