They’re tiny little girls with big dreams.

They both want to be Olympic gymnasts. But for now, they’re just happy that they qualified to go to the USA Gymnastics’ Talent Opportunity Program camp in Huntsville, Texas.

Chelsea Hallinan, 9, and Mya Wiley, 8, both students at Olympic Gymnastics Center in Silverdale, will attend the B Camp from Dec. 8 to 10, along with their coach Greg Mutchler and choreographer Tori Smeija. The girls qualified to attend the camp based on their performances at a competition in October.

“We’re really proud of them,” said Mutchler. “The events that they have to perform during the tests aren’t just simple thing. It’s really difficult, especially for girls this young.”

The Talent Opportunity Program (called Tops) is a national-level program for female gymnasts ages 7 to 10 years who aim to be among the elite gymnasts.

Each year, during the months of June and July, 3,000 gymnasts ages 7-10 are evaluated on physical abilities at the state level.

From there, the best 300 8-10 year olds are invited to participate in the National TOPs Testing in October, where they are evaluated on the same physical abilities tests and basic gymnastics skills. From National TOPs testing, 100 athletes are named to the TOPs National Team and invited to participate in the National TOPs Training Camp.

The tests that got Chelsea and Mya to the camp included physical strength challenges, gymnastic skills and floor exercise routine. They had to climb ropes with their legs at a 45 degree angle to their bodies in six to 10 seconds. They had to walk the balance beam and had to flip in the air and land in perfect form.

And they had to practice.

“We both practice about four hours,” Chelsea said. “Four hours a day, five days a week, I mean.”

Chelsea has been doing gymnastics for about five years. She began with a program in Port Angeles until she moved to the area about a year ago and came to Olympic Gymnastics Center.

“I started in ballet,” she said. “But by the third day I wanted to quit. So my mom and I tried ‘Mom and Me’ gymnastics and I really liked that.”

Her mother had been a gymnast and it seemed to work for Chelsea, too.

Mya has been doing gymnastics since she was five years old. She’s been a student at Olympic Gymnastics Center for three years, the only gym where she’s studied.

“My mom knows I like to dance and run around and be crazy,” Mya said. “So she thought this would be good for me.”

Both girls compete in vault, bars, beam and floor events. Their floors routines are choreographed by Smeija.

They travel with other students from Olympic Gymnastics Center throughout the state and to national competitions throughout the year.

“The only thing I don’t like about it is sitting in the car for so long when we travel,” said Chelsea.

“Or sitting on the plane,” added Mya.

At the camp, the girls will be houses in cabins. The camp is a 20,000-acre forested campus owned by former Olympic Gymnastics Coach Bela Karolyi. Animals and birds, such as sheep and peacocks, roam the campus and the girls get to see them. But there’s also work.

Girls will be up early, eat a big breakfast and then work with well-known coaches for three hours. Then there’s lunch and a rest time followed by another three hour workout. Dinner’s next, followed by free time to hang out with girls from all over the country and then its bed time.

Each cabin sleeps about 20 kids, overseen by college women who act as dorm chaperones. And each cabin also will put together and perform a skit.

It’s part fun and part work, according to Mutchler.

“It’s a good experience for the girls because they get to meet girls from all over and work with a national level staff,” he said.

The camp is an educational experience that is designed to allow the young girls to determine if they truly want to take their gymnastics to the next level.

For Chelsea and Mya, they’re ready.

They want to compete and they want to learn.

“We both want to go to the Olympics someday,” Chelsea said.

When she’s not practicing, Chelsea likes to read and she plays the piano. Her mother is a music teacher.

As for Mya, she likes to “run around the house” and chase her toy poodle, Candy.

And, both girls can speak Japanese. Their mothers are from Japan.

Chelsea is the daughter of John and Claire Hallinan. Mya is the daughter of William and Mayumi Wiley.

Mutchler has owned and operated Olympic Gymnastics Center since 1987. He’s began teaching at the center in 1984. The center has been in its current location at 8511 Dickey Place N.W., Silverdale since 1993 and has expanded several times.

He recently bought the school next door and plans more expansion to include a dance studio and preschool.

For more information call the center at 360-698-7709.