Christina Desiderio, 15, will compete in the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Trials in San Jose, California.
A lot of people travel to the West Coast with a focus on relaxation this time of year.
You can count Christina Desiderio in that group.
The 15-year-old isn't on vacation, though. She's participating in the most significant gymnastics competition of her career.
The Warren County native will take part in the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Trials, which start Friday, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
The gymnast is part of a 14-person field vying for spots on the five-member team that will represent the United States at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which open August 5.
Desiderio, who trains at the Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center in Allentown, is focused on keeping her cool during the monumental event.
"My goal is just to do my best and stay calm," she said this week. "I think I'm just going to take it step by step. That's all I can do. I don't want to get myself too nervous."
It would be easy, of course, to feel the tension at the trials, which boast a star-studded cast, including Olympic champion Gabby Douglas and world champion Simone Biles.
Desiderio, who's from Independence Township, placed 12th in the all-around scoring during the P&G Gymnastics Championships in St. Louis last month, earning a spot at the Olympic Trials and place on the senior national team.
"Oh my gosh, I was so excited," the teen said. "It didn't really hit me until the next day."
It was a moment that Desiderio and her parents, Dominick and Carol, couldn't have imagined when she first entered Giant Gymnastics in Hackettstown at the age of 6.
The gymnast couldn't revel in her milestone for too long, with only a couple weeks to gear up for the trials (which will be televised on NBC).
"I just celebrated a little bit, but then the next day it was right back to training," said Desiderio, who turns 16 next month.
The gymnast joined Parkettes when she was 9 and is now part of the center's impressive history with the national team. Parkettes has had at least one representative at every Olympic Trials since 1976.
Desiderio follows Elizabeth "Ebee" Price, who was an alternate for the Olympic squad in 2012. She didn't, however, know the Allentown organization's streak was on the line during her performance last month at the national championships.
"It's pretty amazing," she said. "My coach (Donna Strauss) didn't tell me that until after and I think that was better because then I probably would have been way more nervous."
The 15-year-old's favorite event is the floor exercise because it incorporates her fondness of dancing.
"I like floor the best because I get to show my personality off," said Desiderio, who finished sixth in the event at nationals.
Desiderio is also one of the nearly 150 athletes who have converted their time at Parkettes into a college scholarship. She committed to Louisiana State University last year.
"It's definitely the biggest competition of my life," Desiderio said of the Olympic Trials, "but I think it'll help me get ready for college because that's pretty nerve-racking, too."
Desiderio, who trains about 40 hours a week and is home-schooled, doesn't have a ton of free time, obviously, but enjoys shopping and getting her nails done (normal "girls stuff") when she has spare moments. She also likes watching her older brother, Dom, play baseball for Hackettstown High.
The gymnast credited her coaches, family and teammates for helping her get this close to an Olympic trip.
"They've all helped in different ways," Desiderio said.
The entire experience is still sinking in for the teen.
"It's just starting to become real," she said. "I'm just starting to realize 'Wow, I've come this far.'"
Kyle Craig may be reached at kcraig@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KyleCraigSports.