By Tim Seyfert

A Los Altos salon and its staff got a taste of fame Monday when a filming crew from an MTV documentary series made them part of an upcoming installment.

Diane Walz, owner of Balisimo Salon on State Street, was surprised when producers from the show “Made” contacted her last week and asked if they could use her salon and team of beauticians to perform a makeover for the show’s latest subject.

On the show, teenagers are given the chance to be transformed into their dream persona with the help of an expert coach, who puts each participant on a training regimen and gives them guidance about succeeding in their chosen field.

In this particular case, 15-year-old Cynthia Preciodo of San Jose was given a shot at becoming a high school football player, hoping to make her junior varsity team at Silver Creek High School as a starting offensive guard this season.

This summer, camera crews chronicled the sophomore’s journey including six-hour training sessions with San Francisco Sabercats coach Terry Burton and practicing with the all boy Silver Creek Raiders.

Preciodo, who also plays softball, said she got into football to prove that when it comes to sports, girls are just as talented as boys. She auditioned for the show when MTV came to her school last June.

“I had people telling me that I would never make it on the football team,” she said Monday. “That was all I needed to be told for me to want to try out. I’m out to show that girls can do all the things guys can do.”

As a reward for her weeks of hard work, producers treated Preciodo to a beauty treatment at Balisimo. Walz said the Los Altos salon was chosen by one of the producers familiar with the establishment who felt it would be an ideal location to shoot the segment.

“We were all just excited to be part of this,” Walz said. It’s nice that we came so highly recommended.”

For her makeover, Preciodo was given a haircut, color treatment, sports massage, manicure and eyebrow design; and according to Burton, “given the chance to be a teenage girl.”

“She’s got the heart of an athlete and a lot of strength, and she’s going to make a great football player,” Burton said. “But she is still a 15-year-old girl after all.”

“Made” airs Sundays at 12 p.m. on MTV. Preciodo’s episode is slated to run in October.