Cornwall middle schooler making a name for himself
It’s been a couple of months since The Cornwall Local and News of the Highlands first interviewed local archer Jonathan (Johnny) Leska … and he’s been busy since then!
If you recall, Johnny handled his first bow and arrow at age 5, and began competing at age 6. Now a soon-to-be-eighth grader at Cornwall Central Middle School, he’s been traveling the country this past Winter and Spring participating in tournaments big and small.
Here’s a little summary (his mom and dad, Kristin and John helped!) on how he’s been doing at four of the major competitions he attended:
2024 The Lancaster Classic
Jonathan attended the largest indoor tournament on the East Coast, the Lancaster Classic Youth Collegiate Shoot. It was a success, and although Jonathan didn’t stand on the podium, he placed fifth out of 40-plus archers in his division.
2024 The Vegas Shoot
They say, “What Happens in Vegas Stays In Vegas.” Well, not this time! Jonathan attended (for the first time) this year’s Vegas Shoot, the world’s largest and most prestigious indoor archery tournament! He shot with the best archers worldwide and placed sixth out of 125 archers in his division! This is a worldwide major accomplishment.
2024 NFAA Indoor Nationals Louisville, Kentucky
Kentucky concluded Jonathan’s first year of competitive indoor archery. Although he didn’t place, he learned so much about himself.
“Jonathan knew he needed a perfect 300 each day to stand on the podium, and the stress of just knowing you have to be ‘perfect’ is hard for any athlete going into an event,” mom Kristin, who knows a little about competing from her longtime days as O’Neill High School’s varsity girls’ soccer coach, said.
“Jonathan dropped an arrow early in the game and was devastated! He looked back at us with tears of frustration. He had two choices then, and going home wasn’t one of them. He could let that one arrow eat at him and not do his best or push through!”
Johnny ended that day with a 299 and 46 x’s and a smile, placing third in his flight.
“Sometimes, the best lessons learned are when you don’t win,” Kristin added.
40th Western Classic Trail Shoot
30th NFAA Marked 3D National Championship
Redding, California
Jonathan competed in the Western Classic Trail Shoot tournament and NFAA-marked National Championship in Redding, California, allowing him to showcase his skills alongside such talented archers. He placed seventh at the Western Classic and fifth in the NFAA 3D National tournament; an honor at age 12.
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“These competitions are well-known in the archery world,” Kristin said. “Jonathan was on the younger end of his division when he started, and he was considered a ‘youth male’ when he turned twelve last summer. (He’ll be 13 this August.) His division now consists of 12-14-year-olds.”
She continued: “His continuing to make the top 10 in these tournaments is pretty good”.
From his community: It’s actually quite amazing!
And, just an FYI: Jonathan participated in the Adult League this year at Black Rock this year — he placed first.
Again, pretty amazing!
