Jaleesa Leslie started playing tennis when she was six years old. Despite playing both soccer and tennis growing up in Florida, there was something uniquely intriguing about tennis that fueled a drive within Jaleesa to play the sport competitively. This was just the start. As she participated in more tournaments—and won more and more matches—, she solidified her commitment to immersing herself in the sport. She was on a mission. In 2020, Jaleesa joined the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Women's Tennis program and officially began her collegiate tennis career. It has only been up from there. From leading the team in singles victories her freshman year to clinching singles court and sending the Knights to the AAC Championship Finals her junior year, Jaleesa has elevated her game throughout her career at UCF and left her mark on the court. As she reflects back on her collegiate journey thus far, Jaleesa is looking forward to making her senior year at UCF the best one yet and is eager to remain involved in the world of athletics upon graduation. Amazing!
Let’s start with your journey early on! How was that transition from high school to college like for you?
Yeah! So I went to high school for one year, that was my freshman year, but then I actually became homeschooled for three years after that—from my sophomore to my senior year. That allowed me to travel more and play in more tournaments because the older you got, the more competitive tournaments got. The tournaments were in different countries (as well) so I wasn't able to go to school, keep up with my schoolwork, and still travel to different countries. I never really got the typical high school experience that a lot of other students or athletes (in other sports) have, but that transition for me wasn't too hard. Since I was homeschooled, I was more focused on tennis, and here in college—we do have our education and everything—I feel like you're focused on your sport and being a student-athlete. So for me, the transition wasn't too crazy. I did have to learn how to balance my schoolwork a little more with tennis, but for the most part, the transition wasn't too hard for me.
Reflecting back on that time early on, what were some challenges that you faced and how did you work to overcome them?
Obviously, tennis is an individual sport. When you come to college (though), it becomes a team sport. Before I came to college, I was always by myself—playing by myself and for myself; so when I would win or if I would lose, it wouldn't affect anybody but myself. I think one of the biggest challenges coming into college was that every decision that I made on and off the court affected not only me but affected my team, my coach. I think that was the biggest challenge for me: just always remembering that I have to try and do my best; and I always have to push and do the most that I can—not just for myself, but for my team—because it's going to affect the whole team overall.
What were some things that drew you to the University of Central Florida? How did you know that you wanted to call it home for the next four years of your career?