Andrea Leng '22 Recruiting Profile

    My swimming career all started when I was eight, when my parents decided to sign me up for swim lessons and to be apart of the local summer league swim team. I was very resistant and never really enjoyed going to practice, but what really gave me the motivation to keep going and to take a leap out of my comfort zone, laid in the hands of my friends, family, and coaches.  I realized that a sport is never the same when done individually, compared when done with a team. After my first high school state meet, I found out how much excitement and motivation could be built just off of cheering teammates, a positive environment, and the encouraging words from coaches and parents. Swimming used to be just part of a daily routine; waking up bright and early, going to school, and going to bed knowing that I had to repeat it again the next day. Instead of thinking that swimming was a burden to me, I learned to wake up on the positive spiral of emotions, and to look forward which made me overcome my usual negative outlook. I had to remind myself that hard work always comes with a reward, and to receive the reward, you have to earn it. 

    My name is Andrea Leng, and I am currently a sophomore at Blacksburg High School. I was involved with organizations such as TSA and COAST in middle school, which included many opportunities for community service, and career interest experience. In high school, I joined DECA, the National Honors Society, the Science National Honors Society, and the National Art Honors Society. Joining DECA really gave me the experience needed for interviews and how to maintain professionalism. Hobbies such as art, pushed me to join NAHS and to compete in various art shows such as the Scholastic Art Show event. During my sophomore year, I decided to create a club known as Swimming Awareness. The goal of my club is to raise awareness towards swimming since drowning is one of the top reasons for the deaths of young children. Our club wants to raise enough money to donate to Drowning Awareness foundations and take part with the community by giving free swim lessons to those who are interested.  We also took part in the National Water Safety Conference of 2021 to present our service and our goals to the community.  I'm also on the varsity Swimming and Diving team at my school. Our school is a 4A school, so we go out to compete in Richmond with northern Virginia teams. Both girls and boys took home first at regionals, and also brought back first at states in 2021. I currently hold two individual records (100 BK, 50 FR) that I broke in my freshman year from states, and two  relay records (200 Medley and 400 free). The girls 200 Medley relay broke the 2021 State record as well as the school record. 

    Looking into the future, I aspire to attend a college that focuses on kinesiology, and physical therapy oriented health science. I plan to consider colleges that match me both academically and athletically. My goals include being able to attend a D1 college, with kinesiology orientated studies, and to become a teammate that my team can rely on. My teachers define me as a hardworking student, who has a fun sense of humor.  I remain focused on assigned tasks, and can stay positive to help positively influence others. Thank you for taking the time to read my personal statement, and getting to know me!

Andrea Leng