When Alex Brockway doesn't make a skill on balance beam, the coaches pull her aside -- but not for instruction.

"I do have a little bit of a temper," Brockway said. "I get more revved up than most people do. I'm like 'Ahh ahh'-scream and they're like, 'You can't do that, you're a role model.' "

Energetic and loud, the Macungie native is using her ferocious attitude to stimulate a fun, looser approach to a sport that demands total focus.

"It's a case with everyone, when kids are happy and positive, it's infectious," Penn State coach Steve Shephard said. "When kids are not happy and negative then that's infectious also. We're trying to create a team culture where we have the happy, enthusiastic, positive, motivated, committed kids."

While Brockway certainly fits that bill now, such was not always the case.

When she was younger, Brockway was the complete opposite of the animated jokester she is today.

"I used to be the most shy, little blond girl, and now I'm really outgoing," Brockway said. "And I guess it's just, I was so shy when I was young I'm like, 'Screw that, it's time to have some fun.' "

Brockway's mother, Gina, hinted her daughter's changing identity had a lot to do with placing Alex into a more normal, less pressure-filled adolescence. At age 13, Alex had her own Web site set up through Elite Gymnastics.

She was also home schooled for her first two years of high school before attending Emmaus High School near Allentown for her junior and senior years.

"Oh my God, it was wonderful when she was a little girl," Gina said. "She'd do anything and everything you asked her to do, never questioned anything. You have no question but to do what you're told in Elite Gymnastics training, everything was strict."

Things weren't fun for Alex, and keeping an energetic, yet hidden personality as contagious as Brockway's limited her ability to develop into the leader she is today.

When Alex stopped doing Elite Gymnastics and went into high school, her true personality ballooned once she started interacting with students and teachers rather than coaches. It was like a breath of fresh air compared to the strict, serious expectations in Elite Gymnastics.

"I got tired of conforming, I guess," Alex said. "As you get older, of course as a teenager you feel like you always have to do the opposite of what people tell you, and I guess I just kind of stuck with that -- unfortunately for my parents."

But Gina has no regrets with Alex's maturation process, instead embracing it as a blessing.

"I'll tell you what," Gina said. "Life is short. You have to enjoy every moment, and I think we're very positive people and we like to look at the bright things in life."

Gina and Alex's outlook has seeped into the Penn State women's gymnastics program.

When asked to describe what it's like living with Brockway, sophomore Rosie Smith started her answer with a chuckle before being left stumped at the taxing question. Brockway helped Smith out.

"Outside the gym, the girls know I do crazy dancing," Brockway said. "I always make people laugh in here. There's nothing really specific, it's just an overall personality. It's like you kind of have to be there to understand."

Shephard said Alex is known to make stupid faces and burst out laughing about stupid things in the practice gym. Gina reiterated Shephard's words by describing Alex's "expressionism" as crossing her eyes, sticking out her tongue and doing things with her eyebrows that most people cannot do.

These seemingly immature attributes don't reflect her work ethic, however. Shephard said Alex has worked as hard as any gymnast on his team, going from not making the beam lineup last year to being the anchor and hitting virtually every meet.

Last year on the uneven bars, Shephard said it was a toss-up on making the starting lineup.

Now, Alex leads the team with a 9.83 average.

"There's no doubt in my mind she's serious," Shephard said. "Obviously there's a maturation process going on right now, she's only 19, 20 maybe. But she's a sophomore, so she still has some growing up to do and we're hoping we can help her grow in a positive way."

Alex said she thinks every team needs to have someone like her on it because the loose, relaxed atmosphere keeps the team in good spirits even when things get rough.

Removing tension and bringing the mood back to a positive level is her mantra.

"Since I was young, I've always believed that you have to do what makes you happy, and if you do what makes you happy, you're gonna be successful because you're gonna be doing what you wanna do," Alex said. "Smiling, having fun is all I think a part of being successful in the future."