See the mindset that led Southlake Carroll’s Caden Leonard to two state titles
Before the Class 6A boys’ 3,200-meter race at the UIL State Track and Field meet, Southlake Carroll junior Caden Leonard threw up a few times.
Leonard, a decorated UIL Texas track champion, still gets nervous before races. The butterflies in his stomach were prominent as he waited for the gun to sound at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
“Honestly, sometimes it helps me — throwing up a bit,” Leonard said with a smile. “Just kind of getting the stuff out of my stomach.”
In 2024, Leonard came in second in the 3,200 meter as a sophomore, finishing two seconds behind the state champion. In 2025, he had an opportunity to secure championship redemption, and his qualifying time was only four seconds away from a state record.
But Leonard said that he didn’t care about the time. He only wanted to have a gold medal played around his neck, and he accomplished that goal — twice.
In a tightly contested 3,200-meter race, Leonard pulled away from the leaders on the final lap, finishing in 8:57.58 — just 0.30 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Leonard, a North Carolina commit and a back-to-back cross country state champion, said that as he crossed the finish line, he was more relieved than happy to win another state title.
“I just love winning,” Leonard said. “And that’s always the biggest thing. I’m just happy I got the win. And now, it’s time to flip the mindset and get ready for the 1600 tonight.”
Leonard felt the “winning feeling” again on Saturday. He also competed in the 1600 — he came in first with a winning time of 4.10.18, securing another title for the Dragons. Benjamin Montgomery of Bridgeland finished in second place (4:10.59).
Leonard defended his 2024 state championship that he won with a 4:09.39 mark.
Leonard’s junior year was eventful — the 1600, 3200 and cross-country state titles gives him the elusive triple crown of Class 6A distance events, a sign of complete dominance.
Carroll’s junior phenom, son of Southlake Carroll track coach Justin Leonard, has been chasing the thrill of victory for most of his life. He grew up watching great athletes run — he said he always wanted to be just like them. Now, he is the role model for the younger generation, which comes with pressure and high expectations.
Leonard works with a sports psychologist to help maintain a winning mentality, which is just as important as physical ability, according to the star junior.
“I have the natural instincts of wanting to win,” Leonard said. “That’s the biggest thing — I want to compete and win. But I also want to control that feeling a bit and relieve some pressure.”
At Southlake Carroll High School, championships are the standard. In 2024, the Dragons’ won their ninth Lone Star Cup, an award given to the top overall athletic program in Texas per classification.
With a 3200 state title, Leonard can once again add to the Dragons’ overall success, which is something he said he takes pride in.
“We have a big thing on our wall, it says protect the tradition,” Leonard said. “And we live by that every day. We chase that. And we keep getting better. That’s the biggest thing — and doing it for other. Doing it for your teammates. We’re all working together, and it’s all of us together. It’s not just me.”
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 11:11 AM.
.jpg)