Two boys from Gymnastics Plus in Columbia are the only qualifiers from Maryland this year to earn trips to a competition in Colorado Springs, Colo., this month in hopes of making the U.S. national junior development boys team.

As on any national junior team, participants receive high-level training intended to help them reach for elite-athlete status in the sport, although participation is no guarantee of eventual membership on a national team.

The two are Mario West, 10, of North Laurel and Johnny Schell Jr., 12, of Laytonsville, Montgomery County. Johnny has trained in Columbia for about five years.

Both are coached by Gymnastics Plus' Kevin Preston, a former University of Maryland Gymkana Troupe member and part of a men's pair that won a national title in acrobatic gymnastics.

Mario and Johnny qualified this year in regional competition with boys from seven Eastern states.

The Colorado meet, part of the Future Stars Program for male gymnasts conducted by USA Gymnastics, the governing body of the sport in this country, will be held from Nov. 14 to 17 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Mario, who Preston said has been in gymnastics about three years, will compete with 10- and 11-year-olds. Johnny will be in a group for 12-year-olds.

The 15 top 10- or 11-year-old finishers out of about 100 competitors in Colorado will continue with national-level training. The top 20 12-year-old finishers will advance to that level, as well.