Leilah Sallee | Delaware Women's Soccer

Hometown/Current City: Fleetwood, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Major: Cognitive Science with Speech-Language Pathology Concentration
Postgraduate Field of Study if applicable: Master’s Speech Language Pathology

What career path did you pursue after college, and how did you land there?
I am currently pursuing my Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology to continue to achieve my career path as a Speech Language Pathologist. I have known for a long time that I wanted to enter a field where I could help others and had many different inspirations that led me to this specific field. I have learned that although there are very difficult situations and a lot of hard work put into being an SLP, there is so much reward that comes with the job as you help treat and counsel people in need. This includes such a wide variety of patients which has been so inspiring to observe and learn about.

What’s one college athletics memory that still makes you smile?
The friendships I made in college athletics will always bring me the most joy and smiles. Time spent in the locker room, on bus rides, in hotels on away trips, laughs at practice, and hanging out with my teammates outside of soccer-related activities are my best memories.

Is there a lesson from your time as a student-athlete that continues to shape you?
The resilience that you learn to build as a student athlete will continue to shape me as I pursue my career. School, work, and life in general are not always easy. As a student-athlete I learned how to be resilient through the good and bad times. Being able to put your best foot forward even when things get hard is a valuable skill that I will continue to work on strengthening as my life continues after college athletics.

Any new hobbies, interests, or unexpected passions since your playing days?
I am finding a lot of new ways to stay active that I enjoy outside of soccer! I love to walk, do pilates, attend workout classes, do yoga, and am continuing to explore my options!

What’s something you’ve discovered about yourself since college?
Graduating and moving on from the life you’re used to can be scary, but the world has so many opportunities and new experiences waiting for us after college, which I’m really excited for! I am reassured and learning that the relationships and friendships I have built in undergrad will definitely last me years to come.

What advice would you give your college-athlete self?
It is okay to lean on others and seek out help when you need it, even for things that can feel small. Balance is also so important. This helps avoid getting too overwhelmed with all aspects of life. I will carry this with me in life from teammates, to future classmates, coworkers, and friends.

How did being a college athlete influence the person and professional you’ve become?
Being a college athlete comes with building many skills such as time management, resilience, building relationships, self reflection, handling praise and criticism, and working with others towards a common goal. I will take all of these and many more things with me as I continue my life and enter my professional career.

Who or what continues to inspire you?
My friends and family continue to inspire me. The support that I receive in my life is always abundant, especially when I am going through harder times and might need it the most. Transitioning out of college athletics has not been the easiest thing, but the relationships in my life and the relationships I built through my years being a student-athlete keep me going as they continue to be there for me showing me love and support.