She hugged her coaches, clapped for the little ones, and fixed at least one disobedient uniform.

Yup, Hill was just another Will-Moor gymnast, except for one difference: the color of her warm-up.

In a contingent wearing black and turquoise, the gym's colors, Hill stood out in the red, white and blue of USA Gymnastics.

When asked which colors she prefers, Hill shrugged.

"When the U.S. gives you this jacket," she said, "you'd be crazy not to wear it."

Yesterday's festival, held in front of the LOVE statue, featured Mayor Nutter, renowned coach Bela Karolyi, two-time Olympian Kerri Strug, and Hill.

The event launched the final countdown to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, to be held June 19-22 at the Wachovia Center.

Tickets went on sale yesterday at noon.

Hill is the local Olympic hopeful, an energetic 18-year-old from Mount Laurel. She turned heads after winning the floor exercise at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships on March 30.

That performance came 19 days after her grandmother, who raised her, died of complications from an enlarged heart.

Hill said it was March 30 when she realized she might be able to make the Olympic squad.

What seems to set Hill apart is her endearing obliviousness: After shaking hands with the mayor, she admitted not knowing whom she had just met. When asked if she idolized Strug as a youngster, Hill said she wasn't particularly informed about the sport's history.

Hill's coach, Kim Bonus, said it is this trait that allows Hill to excel in competitions.

"Because of the way she is, there's never pressure," Bonus said. "She didn't grow up dreaming of the Olympics."

But don't let that fool you, Bonus said, Hill loves the spotlight, loves to perform.

Hill said she was thrilled the trials are in Philadelphia because her family and friends will be in attendance.

Because she mostly goes by "Dar," Darling Hill's name change from Darlene two years ago hasn't much affected the way her family and friends address her.

Two years ago, when she turned 16, she had to locate her birth certificate in order to process the application for her driver's license. Upon finding the document, she discovered her birth name was actually Darling.

Hill said she was tired of hearing "Darlene" at, among other things, awards presentations, so she began using the name her parents intended.

Yesterday, as the festival came to a close, Hill stood on the podium, Karolyi's right arm draped across her strong shoulders. Below, Jodi Kennedy, a preschool coach at Will-Moor, told a story.

Kennedy said Hill trains at Will-Moor during the day, which is when the 18-month to kindergarten-age gymnasts practice. Will-Moor has gyms in Mount Laurel and Medford.

Sometimes, Kennedy said, the little ones will stop their class and watch Hill. On one such occasion, after Hill executed a high-flying skill, a young girl turned to her mother and said: "Mommy, look, it's a superhero."

Kennedy laughed after telling the story, then turned serious.

"We already have our tickets," she said. "We cannot believe our luck that this event is in Philly."

at 856-779-3844 or kfagan@phillynews.com.