Leah leads the field

Senior Leah Walter has been playing soccer since the age of five, basketball since seventh grade, and track since she began high school. She plays center midfield for soccer and point guard in basketball. Leah runs the 4×8, the 1600 meter, the 800 meter and the 4×4 in track.

According to Leah, if she could relive one sports memory from high school, it would be breaking the 800 meter record for track in her freshman year at Districts because she said it was fun.

District Athletic Director Rod Harris, who also coaches Girls Soccer, said that his favorite memory of Leah as her coach is how when Leah is on the track and in a race, she gives everything she has. She always finds a way to shift another gear and help her team win, Coach Harris added.

If she could go back to freshman year and change anything she did in sports, Leah said that she would talk and communicate with her teammates more. One thing she said she won’t miss about playing sports in high school is losing.

Leah was awarded First Team in Girls Soccer for Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference (PHAC). She was a two-time state qualifier in cross country and first team all-star defense for basketball.

“She is an amazing athlete and even better person and natural leader. I am so proud of who she is and the challenges she has endured and overcome,” Coach Harris said.

Leah’s advice to people in sports, or maybe those who plan on playing, is to just work hard.

Leah said that she did not know which of her individual awards was the most meaningful to her. “I think winning as a team is more significant,” she added.

Coach Harris said that Leah’s leadership as a team captain is what stands out most about her. He added that she is a great captain who is respected by her peers.

“I haven’t ever coached an athlete like her before. She’s fantastic all around,” added Coach Harris.

Leah said that she plans to go to Slippery Rock University to study early elementary education. Leah added she is going to play soccer in college because she enjoys it. She said she feels sports will help her with leadership and time management in her future career and life in college.

Leah also coordinates the Student Section bus to football games, which began as an idea with a few of her friends and has grown from that. She said that her main job is collecting cash for the bus.

She added that everybody had their own part in making it happen. “It shows that we are supporting each other,” said Leah.