Leyna Vickers '23 Recruiting Profile

     I started my gymnastics journey much later than my teammates; I was 9 when I started training and began competing at 10 years old. I have learned multiple life lessons that I will remember for a lifetime. Some of the ones that come to mind are perseverance, determination, and respect for myself as well as anyone I may cross paths with whether that be in practice, at a meet or walking down the street. I have also overcome many obstacles over the last 8 years of my gymnastics career. When I made the transition from elementary school to middle school I decided to go to a homeschool program through my gym. 

     While it was the best decision at the time and I don't know where I would be without it.  It definitely made the transition from Middle School to High School a bit more difficult but the sacrifice was well worth it in the long run. I went from small individualized learning with 1 teacher to crowded public school classrooms with at least  6 different teachers.  I’ve  learned how to navigate large crowds just to get to class, advocated for myself when I needed help and on top of that, I figured out how to balance school, practice, and having a social life even during the midst of an unprecedented pandemic!  All of these life lessons have led me to many great opportunities in my school, my gym,and my community.  It is these experiences that remind me even though I started my gymnastics journey later than most, that I still joined gymnastics right on time and my success in the gym has shown that to be true.  I’m resilient and I can handle even the toughest challenges when they come my way and I look forward to continuing my growth athletically and academically in my college community.