By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Second wind came disguised as Samantha Sheehan.In late 2000, as Mary Lee Tracy contemplated the hardest luck of her accomplished coaching career - and, correspondingly, retirement - along came a 14-year-old Sheehan with endless energy. The Villa Hills, Ky., gymnast was an antidote for Tracy's travails.

Sheehan has since established herself as one of the nation's top dozen gymnasts, and she will begin her pursuit of an Olympic bid this week in Nashville, Tenn., at the U.S. Championships - the first step in the qualification process. Regardless of the ultimate result, Sheehan can take heart knowing she revived her coach's faith.

"That (2000) was definitely the period of my career where I was feeling doubt and wasn't sure it was worth it," Tracy said.

"I get inspired when (girls) want me to coach them, and I felt that with Sam. ... I'm absolutely, totally rejuvenated. No matter what the outcomes, I've enjoyed the process with her."

The hurt in 2000 came after Tracy had assembled an all-star group including former Olympians Dominique Moceanu and Kim Zmeskal and top hopefuls Morgan White, Alyssa Beckerman, Jennie Thompson and Sierra Sapunar. White was the only one to make the 2000 Olympic team, with Beckerman an alternate, but White broke her foot just days before the Games and Beckerman was passed over. Tracy voluntarily gave up her spot as a U.S. coach.

Frustrated and burned out, Tracy said it was Sheehan and Ashley Priess - who at 14 is a top-level junior - that provided the inspiration.

The feeling was mutual.

"When she came back (from Sydney) in 2000, I didn't even know she was going to stay around," Sheehan said. "When she did, that was the best thing that ever happened to me. Our relationship is outstanding."

Sheehan, who turned 18 on May 20, had her breakthrough in 2002. A virtual unknown, she took the bronze medal in floor exercise at the World Championships in her first international competition.

She has since been a fixture among the top Americans. Injuries to a toe and knee kept Sheehan out of the 2003 U.S. and world championships, respectively, and she had a stress fracture in a shin this spring. But she says she's healthy, and she had an impressive sixth-place finish in the all-around at the international Athens Test Event in March.

The U.S. Championships are Wednesday through Saturday. The top 12 finishers in the all-around standings qualify for the Olympic Trials, to be held June 24-27 in Anaheim.

At Trials, the top two finishers in the all-around clinch Olympic spots. The national team coaches then invite the best of the rest to a selection camp July 13-18 at the national training center in Houston, where the other four Olympians are named.

Sheehan is strong on all but the balance beam. The U.S. team is expected to need specialists in floor and vault, enhancing Sheehan's chances of being picked.

Sheehan will miss her graduation Friday from Cincinnati Christian while she competes at nationals. "Well, I have to do what I have to do," she said.

She has signed with Georgia.

Mason High grad D.J. Bucher, 19, will be competing in the men's championships this week but is considered a long shot to make Trials. His better shot seemingly will come in 2008.

U.S. Gymnastics Championships

Where: Nashville, Tenn.

When: Wednesday to Saturday.

At stake: Top 12 individuals advance to Olympic Trials.

TV: Ch. 5, 22 (1-3 p.m. Saturday, 2-3 p.m. Sunday).

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E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com