A-K Valley senior spotlight: Burrell’s Isabella Leger

By: Antonio Rossetti
Monday, June 13, 2022 | 11:41 AM

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Isabella Leger spent her four years at Burrell running for the cross country team and the track and field team.

When Leger wanted to join the teams, her parents thought she was joking because she had severe asthma. Nonetheless, she stayed persistent in the sport and, after her sophomore year, her parents knew it was what she wanted to do. She began visiting colleges with her parents, wanting to run at the next level.

This spring, Leger broke the 3,200-meter run school record with a time of 12 minutes, 7.54 seconds.

She also was part of the girls 3,200 relay that finished 12th at the PIAA championships (10:02.73).

The relay, composed of Leger, juniors Kadi Bauer and Brynn Leiner and sophomore Grace Nesko, ran a school-record time of 10:02.41 in taking third at the WPIAL Class 2A championships.

Leger also finished eighth in the 3,200 at the WPIAL meet (12:21.07).

Leger, a St. Francis (Pa.) commit, took a few minutes for an A-K Valley senior spotlight Q&A.

What is one thing you have to do before every meet?

I’m really superstitious. I will wear the same pair of black race socks if it’s a big race. Specifically, only before the 3,200, which is like our two-mile, I will pray. Before the 4-by-8, it’s always a lot of jumping up and down. That’s about it. I go through the same warm-ups, every single race and workout.

Who is your favorite athlete?

I really like Craig Engels. He’s a runner, and he runs for Nike. He just has a huge personality. He was never super good until he got to the professional scene, which I think is cool. He ran at Ole Miss and has a huge personality. He’s hilarious: the mullet, the mustache and just everything.

What did it take to break the school record in the 3,200-meter relay?

During practice, lots of speed work. At that point, our coach kept stressing to us … “you can run 200 meters fast eight times,” because that’s what one of our workouts was and so lots of staying focused spinning out the legs. Really, I hate to use the word taper, but really tapering into the faster stuff.

What’s it like to be able to race with your teammates in a relay like that?

I really liked the 4-by-8 because you’re in the same amount of pain as everybody else, and you’re going through that with your teammates, so it almost makes it a little better. I’ll run anchor, so I get to watch everyone’s race play out and at that point, I’m so excited because they’re doing so well. I can’t help but do well myself, so it’s super awesome.

What would you say your teammates have meant to you throughout your high school career?

I’m really great friends with all of them, and it’s really nice to just have that solid group of people to go back to in any situation. They’re really important to me.

How important have your parents been?

They’ve been really helping me in my college search and making sure I’m all geared up; I have my shoes, I’m eating properly and everything. They’ve been a really huge help in that they’ve been to every state meet. They come to section meets.

How were you able to set the 3,200-meter individual record at Burrell?

I go through the mile, which was the first- or the second-fastest mile I’ve ever ran in my life, and I’m freaking out in my head because I’m like, “Oh no, I might have come out too fast. This might not be good.” But my teammates were on the backstretch all lined up on the fence cheering for me the entire time. So that’s kind of what got me through it. And I crossed the line and saw what I thought was 12:07. And I’m like, OK, cool, regardless of what the time was, that was a huge PR. And then I walked back to the fence, and I’m like, I just broke my own school record again. So that was one of those moments that I didn’t realize I did it until I did it. I got eighth, two school records and two WPIAL medals in one day; that’s not too bad.

How did it feel to be able to do that?

It was probably one of the highest points I’ve ever had as an athlete because then I’m standing there and I’m running faster than some of the girls I looked up to my freshman year. I hope someone looks at me the same way, so that was really cool to think about. I’m hoping and praying I can make a difference like that for someone else.

Who has pushed you the hardest in track and field?

Definitely my two coaches, Coach Legters and Coach Nesko.

How did Coach Nesko push you to be better?

He threw some very hard workouts in my face very fast and was not afraid to do so. Little did I know I’d end up becoming best friends with his daughter. He definitely at that point was not afraid to challenge me because he’s like, “you can’t get upset with me,” and I’m like “you’re right.”

What’s next for you?

I’m committed to run at St. Francis (Pa.), so I’ll be running cross country and track there. I never thought I would be able to say that I’m signed to a Division I school, especially during my freshman year because I couldn’t even run a mile in 12 minutes, let alone run two miles in 12 minutes, so that’s really cool.

What will be your major?

I’ll be majoring in nursing. They have a super great nursing program.

Tags: Burrell