Personal #STATEMENT - Courtney Leighton - NC State University Athletics

NOTE: The goal of Personal #STATEment is to provide our student-athletes a platform to share first-person stories of life at NC State through their lens, with content ranging from written pieces to video and social media.

For the past 17 years, I have been known as Courtney Leighton the gymnast. After dedicating so much to this sport, it is surreal that I am coming to my last few months. It has been a journey filled with both highs and lows, and I have been blessed with so many opportunities and experiences I could never replace.

When you look at my own personal "story," some may say I have encountered a series of unfortunate events. I have been through a list of knee injuries, which have prevented me from seeing any action in competition my sophomore and junior years. However, looking back, I have not once viewed these past two years as being a waste. As time went by, I quickly realized that I could not reflect on the possibilities of what my life would have looked like if I did not experience injury. I was able to recognize that my role on this team wasn't necessarily dependent on my abilities to do gymnastics.

I wanted to make an impact, and still be a teammate who could make a difference. Over the course of two years, I was able to be a shoulder to lean on and a motivator when times seemed difficult. Both academically and athletically, I wanted to be a leader and role model within the team. I continued to push the girls in their schoolwork and wanted to ensure success both in and out of the gym. I have learned that our time at NC State is so precious and goes by in the blink of an eye. I continue to emphasize this with my teammates, with the hopes they continue to make the most out of every practice and opportunity they are given, appreciate how far each of us has come in our gymnastics careers and that this is a stepping-stone to our next phase of life.

Entering my senior year, I have been able to practice alongside my teammates with the hopes of competing on vault this season. I continually strive to be a leader, mentoring the girls to be the best versions of themselves. Our team has an overwhelming amount of potential and we have been striving towards a new standard of excellence.

I am both so thankful and comforted to know that I am back on the mat, and I wish to take full advantage of my last few months of being a gymnast at NC State. After I graduate, I plan on attending Physical Therapy school. This field has played such a large role in my life and I've personally seen how important it can be. I'm so excited to start this new journey and career path, with the hopes to continue my love in helping others and making a difference.

Personal #STATEMENT - Courtney Leighton

Players Mentioned

Courtney Leighton

Related Videos