Personal Statement
Leland Walkling - Class of 2021. I am 5’10’, 215 lbs., ILB/FB, Max Bench: 335, Squat 425, Deadlift 500, 40-Time: 4.86.
My freshman year I played both JV and Varsity football. I also was on the JV wrestling team my freshman year and the 2 previous years of middle school. My sophomore year I played Varsity football and have been playing Varsity ever since. I play on both defense and offense sides. In the 2018-2019 season, I made the all-district team and ended my season with 63 tackles and 3 sacks. In my 2019-2020 season, I received defensive player of the game, Handley vs. Millbrook, I made the all-district team again and ended my season with 76 tackles and 6 sacks.
In the off-season, I regularly go to the weight room. This is not just to maintain my body, but to also continually increase my body’s strength and endurance. I attend football camps to help keep the flow of the game in check.
To continue that flow, I and some of my teammates gather with other local high school football players to create our own 7 on 7s. I attend football camps when available and this past summer and fall I have attended more football camps than I have in any given year. Even with Covid interfering with our fall football season, I did what I could to keep the motivation for the game alive. I would not allow Covid to get in the way of my love of football.
My love for football started when I was about 5 years. I started playing flag football with Upward Sports and eventually moved onto tackle with Winchester Fredrick County Football League. From there I played middle school football and wrestled too. I chose to stay strictly in football after my freshman year of high school because wrestling interfered with my goals in increasing weight and body mass. I wanted to keep my mind on what was in me and that is football.
Football is generally on my mind and drives me. That drive is also in the classroom. I can’t have one without the other. Failing in the classroom hurts just as bad as failing on the field. My education is extremely important to me and wherever I attend college I would like to know that my coach is behind me on both aspects of my future at that college. I desire to have a football family that helps to support each other goals just like my own family. My plans are to pursue my bachelor's degree in Business Management.
If you were to ask me one thing that I have learned from playing football and have used in my life, I would have to say, “being comfortable with the uncomfortable”.
Fall Football Season 2020-2021 moved to Winter/Spring 2021. First game March 12, 2021
NCAA # 2102111459
Updated 03.08.2021
