She had to wait around awhile, but Jessica Miyagi finally got a posse to join her at the Junior Olympic National Championships.

Erin Wipperman joined Miyagi at the Level 10 national championships in Florida last month while Annie Penrose competed in the college-bound meet and Libby Gregory performed at the Level 9 Junior Olympic National Championships in Missouri.

While the 22-year-old Miyagi is headed to Hollywood to further her career in stunts, the three Miyagi Gymnastics stars she helped mentor are busy making preparations for college. The national meets gave them a chance to show their stuff in front of dozens of college coaches and scouts.

“I was by myself (at nationals) for four years, so it’s nice to be able to share with all the girls,” Miyagi said. “I try to talk to them and make it easier — less nerve racking.”

Coach Carie Minshall said the three Miyagi’s athletes at nationals were the most in the 24-year history of the gym in North Auburn.

“All of these kids are really brilliant,” Minshall said. “I’ve never worked with kids that are smarter than me before, but they’re all really sharp.”

Gregory’s college plans are firmed up. The Bear River High senior is headed to Seattle Pacific University, where she’ll compete for the NCAA Division II Falcons. Gregory grew up competing in acrobatics and her last eight years have been devoted to gymnastics.

“We moved here from Sacramento and my parents gave me the option of what to do and I said football, but they said no,” Gregory said. “So I did gymnastics and it’s been a really good road to follow. It’s a lot of fun.”

Gregory scored an outstanding 9.400 in the floor exercise at nationals, placing 17th.

Wipperman, a junior who is home schooled, scored a 9.535 on the balance beam to take sixth place at the Level 10 Senior B championships – the highest level of gymnastics in the country. She competed at the national meet two years ago, but said this trip was far more important.

“This was one of the biggest meets, where college coaches see you,” she said. “It was a little nerve-racking with all of the college coaches there, but you can focus and block them out.”

Penrose, who also competes at Level 10, had her best meet of the year at the Western Regional, but a fall on her final dismount cost her a trip to the national championships. She still competed at the crucial college-bound meet, where coaches from across the country get an up-close look at the young talent.

“It’s definitely a big goal to compete in college,” said Penrose, a junior at Loretto in Sacramento.

The Auburn resident missed all of last season with a dislocated knee, but she returned and had an outstanding year.

“My injury was a definite bummer, kind of a setback,” Penrose said. “But when I wasn’t doing gymnastics I realized how much I missed it. That gave me motivation to get back into it and do better.”

Miyagi was once a highly sought-after college recruit herself. She earned a scholarship to UC Berkeley, but after one semester she decided the school was not for her. The daughter of gym owner Noboru Miyagi, Jessica has served as an adviser for the younger gymnasts headed toward college.

“I tell them, ‘Do your research!’” Miyagi said. “Know the college you’re going to and the coaches. Don’t go just for the school name.”

Along with helping coach and run her father’s gym, Miyagi has explored stunt work in movies, making her cinematic debut in the feature film, “Stick It” in 2006.

Miyagi went out with an impressive 21st place showing in the all-around at the Level 10 Senior D meet. She was third in the bars with a 9.700. She said her final competition was emotional, but also a relief.

“It’s finally over,” Miyagi said. “It was only kind of emotional. One of the judges that was judging me in my last event — the bars — was also the first judge I had on bars when I was 7. I had a few words with her and shed a few tears.”

Minshall will guide Penrose and Wipperman next season as they look to improve on what have already been stellar gymnastics careers.

“Only about 10 percent of gymnasts last until they’re 9 or 10,” Minshall said. “And when they get to high school there are all kinds of other things going on, so for them to stick with it, it’s really been great.”