It was as if her father knew exactly what was to come. 

 

‘Growing up, she was always hearing that positive reinforcement,’ said Leah’s mother, Sandy Testa. ‘(Her father) is a very positive person and has tried to instill that in her.’

 

Testa, a pole-vaulter for the Orange track and field team, has endured a transition period from high school to the collegiate ranks on the field. After struggling to adjust to the competition level during her first two years on campus, Testa has become an integral part of an emerging Syracuse track and field team as a junior.

 

Following a decorated high school career where she competed at the state championships four times, Testa found herself having to go back to the basics of pole-vaulting. In addition to facing a higher level of competition, Testa also had to adjust to a new brand of coaching at the Division I level. 

 

But despite the struggles and frustration, Testa knew she’d have to weather the storm and keep working on her technique.

 

‘I was really bummed last year, but I never considered just stopping because I’ve done it for so long,’ Testa said. ‘I wouldn’t know what else to do.’

 

Once Testa, a Rochester, N.Y., native, arrived as a freshman, she expected to do well right away. She quickly found out that wouldn’t be the case. She encountered setbacks that she would have to overcome if she wanted to be successful for the Orange. Those setbacks continued as a sophomore.

 

As she struggled during her first two years, her confidence level fell more and more. Although she wasn’t getting the results she wanted, she never considered leaving the team.

 

But there were times when her coach wasn’t so sure. 

 

‘I give her credit for sticking through it,’ SU’s assistant coach Enoch Borozinski said. ‘There were times where I thought I might not see her the next year.’

 

For the Orange, it’s a good thing she returned. 

 

At her second meet of the year, the Syracuse Welcome Back Invitational, she was the women’s champion — jumping 3.4 meters. A few meets later, she was also the women’s champion at the Syracuse Invitational with a jump of 3.6 meters.

 

‘Her recent improvements have just been about her having a little bit of confidence in herself as a pole-vaulter and bringing it to the competitions,’ Borozinski said.

 

Her path to becoming a champion pole-vaulter for the Orange didn’t come easy. It required improvements not only to her technique, but also her mindset.

 

Eventually, she was able to make those adjustments. But it took a lot of  time and a lot of patience. Since she started with the Orange, her coach said she has gotten both stronger and faster. But her biggest improvement has been her confidence.

 

Now Testa doesn’t think about not being able to make a certain height. When it comes to what she could do during competitions, what used to be ‘if’ has become ‘when,’ her mother says.

 

‘It isn’t ‘if I do better,” Sandy said, ‘now it’s ‘when I hit that mark.”

 

Though Testa overcame the struggles she faced during her first couple of years, she’s not quite where she hopes to be by the time she’s finished. Instead, she still believes she could be even better with some small technical adjustments. 

 

Which is good for Testa because she still isn’t completely satisfied. After all, she’s still reminded of those words she grew up hearing from her father.

 

‘I’m happy I’m doing well, but it should’ve come sooner,’ she said. ‘I still want to jump a foot or two higher before I graduate.’