Morgann Leleux - You’ve Got to Believe

By Grant Overstake

Way down south in the Louisiana bayou, about as far as you can go before spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, sits the city of New Iberia - a proud Cajun stronghold with three languages on its historic street signs, which Forbes Magazine once called America’s Prettiest Town.

Whether dancing to a fiddle and accordion at a fais-do-do or relishing scalding hot food at year-round festivals, people down in New Iberia are dedicated to their signature expression: Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

Rolling along with the good times going for them already, New Iberia is soon to be well-known for being the Photo credit: Morgann Leleux home sweet home of Morgann LeLeux Romero, Team USA pole vaulter and the town’s first-ever Olympic citizen.

LeLeux, (who still competes under her maiden name) made the Olympic team when she placed second at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a third-attempt clearance of 4.70m (15-5) behind winner Katie Nageotte, 4.94m (16-2 ¾), to secure a spot for the delayed games of the XXXII Olympiad. Sandi Morris, the world’s No. 3-ranked pole vaulter and 2016 silver medalist, earned the third spot on the U.S. team after clearing 4.60m (15-1).

“We’re still on cloud nine,” Morgann’s father Shane told the media. “Her maturity level is off the charts right now. I hate to use a baseball analogy, but I will. When she was on her third try at 4.70, it was like having three balls and two strikes with two outs in the ninth inning, and she was the last batter.

“And all she did was hit it out of the park.”

Her triumph was a team effort that includes her husband, Jacob Romero, her mom and dad Bridget and Shane, sisters Kristynn and Reagann, and of course, her support entourage: all the vaulters who’ve known her since, like forever; her followers on social media, the gymnasts she coaches at New Heights Gym; the legions of knee-worn prayer warriors and New Thought practitioners who believed with her, that “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Morgann’s second place finish came as a surprise only to those who don’t belong to the club of true believers who can actually, properly, pronounce her maiden name.

After coming up short in two prior Trials, Morgann accomplished more than an Olympic perch on that third attempt. Many heartaches, doubts, and failures lay under the crossbar she vaulted over.

LeLeux left for Tokyo on July 27th. The women’s pole vault, which promises to be one of the most hotly contested events at these Games, will be held August 2nd and 5th. Because of Covid, everyone but coaches will watch the competition on TV.

TAKEOFF Magazine spoke with Morgann by phone the morning after New Iberia honored their Olympian with a hometown parade.

She spoke in joyful outbursts about her experiences before, during and after making the vault that changed everything. We discovered that Morgann altered her life in many ways in preparation for the Trials, physically, emotionally, mentally, and nutritionally.

TAKEOFF: Congratulations, Morgann! You’ve been an Olympian for a week now. How does it feel? What a great homecoming you had!

Morgann: It’s been insane! The love and support I have received from my hometown is unbelievable. The parade felt like my own Mardi Gras. It rained, but we had the best time ever and I signed autographs and took pictures with all of my local home people.

TAKEOFF: Our magazine is focused on the mental and emotional aspects of sport: overcoming challenges, and cultivating perseverance. We hope to instill resiliency in the next generation of vaulters. Tell us about your journey to the Olympics.

Morgann: It’s been an extremely long journey. And the fact that I am finally here today making my first Olympic team, makes the entire journey worth it. I’m excited to tell my story and reach the younger generation because I can honestly say now that if you have a dream and you fight for it, anything is possible.

TAKEOFF: Yours is an amazing story. I’d like to get a few things clarified. First, and foremost, how do you pronounce your maiden name?

Morgann: I usually tell people my name is pronounced like lullaby, Luh-Luh.

TAKEOFF: What a great community you come from. How far back does your family go in the Cajun bayou history there?

Morgann: Pretty dang far. My dad is somewhere really deep down the family tree, because I couldn’t get a French citizenship or anything. His family is actually from Bordeaux, France. My mom’s grandfather, my Pop, actually spoke Cajun French and French just as much as he spoke English. I live in my Pop’s house now. My husband and I were lucky enough to do small renovations to it and make it our own. My Big Nanny lives to the left of me and my Granny lives to the right. We’re all close and rooted in New Iberia.

TAKEOFF: And you have two sisters…

Morgann: Yes. My middle sister is two and a half years younger than me, and she has a baby boy named Whitley. She’s pregnant right now with her second baby - who may arrive while I’m in Tokyo! My youngest sister is twenty-one and she competes in track and field at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. She pole vaults and runs the hurdles.

TAKEOFF: And your father has coached you. He’s got to be excited.

Morgann: He and my mom are just over the moon about the whole thing! It’s so cool to be from a hometown, to start off with my dad, and then come full circle and compete for New Heights Gym and make the Olympic team while representing it. I can’t even explain how amazing it is! My parents couldn’t believe it because this was my third time competing at the Olympic Trials. The first time, in 2012, I was a University of Georgia Bulldog, which was awesome. In 2016, I was a Ragin’ Cajun for the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. So, I slowly started making my way back to home.

TAKEOFF: It seems like gratitude is everywhere in your life right now.

Morgann: That’s all I feel is grateful and thankful and so blessed to be where I am today.

TAKEOFF: Are you a third-time-is-acharm type of person?

Morgann: Yes, my magic number is three, and my color is blue. I have a sports psychologist who gave me a band that says, “Mind of a champion,” and we have a little exercise we do with it. It is blue. I painted only my ring finger blue; my mom painted her toenails blue; and then my husband showed up with a blue shirt. The marks that I had to put down on the runway? Blue was the last color.

The third time is a charm. Three was my number in Eugene, because I made 4.35, 4.50, and 4.60 all on the first attempts, which was three bars. And then I made 4.70 on my third attempt. This was my third Olympic Trials. So yes, I had plenty of signs that I was thankful for, and it was so cool to look back and see them after it was all said and done.

I’m a big believer in God. I truly felt deep in my heart that He gave me all these little signs and supported me every step of the way, and that’s why I couldn’t help but point to the sky when it all happened because it was obvious that this was all His doing.

TAKEOFF: I want to touch base on the temperature on the track there at Hayward Field. It sounded more like Louisiana weather out there in Oregon.

Morgann: It was great! The last two Olympic Trials were cold and raining. In 2012, they canceled the prelims and made us all finalists because it rained so hard and was so chilly. It 2016, it was also cold and raining, and that’s so not up my alley. This time it was complete Louisiana weather, warm! It was also less humid, which was really nice. I really thought it was a beautiful day. Yes, it was hot, but I enjoy that and I looked forward to it.

TAKEOFF: And you get technical help in the vault from coach David Butler?

Morgann: David Butler knows every bit of history there is about the vault. He’s an incredible person to not only talk to, but to be mentored by. I’m very blessed in that he gave a speech at the Pole Vault Summit and I was at the elite workshop. He discussed pole carry and that was something I was really, really struggling with. Me and my dad just couldn’t figure out how to fix it because I was so stuck in my comfort zone about it.

And when David gave that speech on the pole carry, I said, “This is our guy, Dad. I’m telling you, this is our guy.” My dad reached out to him, and then David and I had a really great conversation, and it’s been history since. He’s been helping me so much not only with my pole carry, but also just appreciating the sport and where it’s come from.

TAKEOFF: It sounds like since you made the decision to go for the Olympics again, you’ve surrounded yourself with people who have want- ed the highest and best for you. Even so, that’s a long quest to be on. You’ve been pole vaulting for eighteen years now, since you were ten?

Morgann: Yes.

TAKEOFF: You’ve had great successes and also challenges in different areas. Even at your peak in 2016, you placed an unlucky 4th at the Trials and didn’t make the team. That’s the most painful place to be.

Morgann: It was very brutal because I felt like I missed out on an opportunity that was given to me. It was a tough spot, being an alternate, and at the same time, I feel like that’s what built the motivation to say I will never be in that situation again. I will do whatever it takes to completely break down those walls in my comfort zone to make sure I am on that team next time. Just to be wearing USA on my chest on the world stage at the Olympics is what motivated me the most.

In high school, pole vaulting was easy for me. I was a gymnast first, and gymnastics was my heart and soul up until my junior year in high school. But pole vaulting, I could tell, was going to be my calling. I ended up with twenty-one full-ride scholarship offers all across the country, and I just knew that this is what I was meant to do.

I also broke the national record my senior year in high school at 4.34 meters, which is 14-2 and some change. With all the scholarship offers, I ended up choosing the University of Georgia. Petros Kyprianou was incredible. The way he fights for track and field and the way he fought for me to be on that team, I thought, ‘Yes, this is my guy.’ He helped me so much.

My freshman year at Georgia was incredible. I was in that flow, which I would consider Katie Nageotte in right now, but on a way higher level. You put in the work and trust your training. You are able to get out of your head and just do. Things happen and you can’t explain it. Freshman year, I ended up, believe it or not, beating Katerina at NCAA Indoors. I took second to Tina Sutej but it’s still cool to look back and say, ‘Oh, I did beat Katerina at one point, as she is now an Olympic gold medalist.’ She came back that outdoor season and beat me, though. I ended up getting second both times. It was a wild experience, so much fun, and the girls are awesome. Pole vaulting is competitive, but we really are competing against the bar and I think that’s why vaulters can get along and support each other so well. I will actually be competing with both Katerina & Tina in Tokyo.

During my sophomore year, I jumped 4.50 meters, which at the time was a big deal because it was the Olympic A standard. That was what I was fighting hard for in 2012. The next day, I found out that I had a detached retina. Not from any kind of injury, I just have really bad eyes. And I guess, over time from gravity, either flipping or pole vaulting, it just tore. I went blind in half my eye and was in surgery two days after I jumped 4.50. At the time, I thought, ‘Oh, it’s just my eyes, it’s just my eyes. It’s not like a limb. I can get back to work.’

But because of the fluid buildup, I had a buckle around my eye to hold the retina in place. That had to heal, and I had to lay down for two weeks straight. Then the medication I was on suppressed my appetite so I lost a lot of muscle mass and weight. In trying to come back, Petros and I came up with a plan to work out two to three times a day to get me back in shape. I ended up getting food poisoning two days before I left for nationals and our whole plan fell apart. I made the decision to come back and fight and not take the redshirt. I rushed my recovery and didn’t see the big picture. I was just too young and naive to realize it at the time.

And honestly, I thought it cost me my career because it started so many mental troubles. That’s when I started to run through. I was planting the pole and coming off. I couldn’t figure out why the pole would come out of my hand. It was a horrible year. Somehow, some way, though, we slowly brought it back.

This is nobody’s fault, it was just the cards I drew. It came down to how I was going to handle it and take the next steps forward. I was still able to win many SEC titles and place in the top 8 and became All American at many NCAA’s nationals.

My last year at Georgia, honestly, was probably the worst year out of all four because I ended up no-heighting at SEC Indoor. I did not make it to NCAA’s for the first time outdoors because I didn’t make it through regionals. I went home that summer and Dad and I had a huge discussion. I was either going to move on with my life or go ahead and try this pole vault thing.

I didn’t want to give up. I didn’t feel like that’s how I wanted everything to end. So, I graduated from UGA - I will always be a Bulldog at heart. I came home, and Coach Lon Badeaux gave me the opportunity to compete at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, because I had a redshirt year with one more outdoor season left. I started my master’s degree, and competed as a Ragin’ Cajun for my very last collegiate outdoor season.

It was amazing being home with my dad, finding the love for the sport once more, and being able to, again, place second at NCAA Outdoors. For some reason, I just could not get that number one spot. But, that’s what keeps you motivated, keeps you humble, and keeps you fighting. Even though I placed fourth at the 2016 Olympics, and that’s a hard spot to be in, I felt like, ‘Okay, I’m back. I can do this.’ It’s what pushed me to go ahead and try for a professional career on another 4-year journey to reach my Olympic dream because I was definitely not ready to give up at that point. I had made so much progress and I knew I had more in me.

2016 to 2020 was all about growth and finding myself as a person. That’s when I took control of my career and met David Butler. And David introduced me to Jonathan Hill, who is the sprints coach at Rice. Jonathan taught me quality over quantity because I had that gymnastics mentality. I trained myself into the ground and beat myself up because that’s what I thought I would have to do to get to the top.

It’s been a blessing to learn how to take care of my body, to take care of my training and make sure it is helping me, not hurting me. It’s been awesome to have my dad right there alongside me, supporting me the entire time and also learning as well. We learn together and that’s only going to help the next generation, the kids who come after us.

TAKEOFF: Very inspiring! Do they call you Coach Mo at the gym?

Morgann: They call me Coach Meaux. I used to be Meaux Dawg. And now, it’s Tokeyeaux Meaux.

TAKEOFF: Nobody gets to the Olympics alone. It’s too difficult of a journey and there are too many variables. To have everything happen at exactly the right time like it did, is no accident, but also, a lot of people were in your corner at that moment. Can you speak to that?

Morgann: A lot of people. First off, I’ve got to go with my family because they’ve been supporting me since the very beginning. I have, obviously, my husband, Jacob Romero, Mom and Dad/Coach, Kristynn and Reagann. I have my Granny and Grandpa, Big Nanny and Little Nanny. And the only reason we call them that is because of age. My Big Nanny is actually teeny tiny. My Little Nanny is taller but she is also little. And then my Uncle Barry and Uncle Mark, which Big Nanny is Uncle Mark’s wife and Little Nanny is Uncle Barry’s wife.

Jacob’s parents, Shannon and Harold Romero, have been so supportive since he and I have been together. Jacob’s an only child and they took me in as if I am the daughter they never had. Shannon works under Chris Cormier at The Nerve Health Institute, and Chris has not only helped me physically, he also works a lot on my mental preparation.

Jonathan Hill creates my sprint workouts and helps schedule my training and cycles. David Butler is my mentor and has helped with my pole carry. David is a living, breathing piece of art. He wrote a book called The Violent Ballet. It not only has most, if not all, the drills he taught me, but also beautiful pictures of the vault and its history, plus so much more. I don’t want to spoil it, but I highly recommend it even if you are not a pole vaulter.

When COVID hit, it gave me time to really pinpoint everything I could do to help get me to the Olympics. I reached out to Chase Duhon with Prolific Fitness for help with my diet, which I’ve always paid attention to. I’ve been gluten-free probably about three years now. I really wanted to dive in and understand what food could do to fuel me.

Chase does my meal plans. Every Friday, I check in with him. I measure my waist. I get on the scale. I take pictures to track progress. I do the whole thing. It’s not about, ‘Oh, I need to look this way.’ It’s about taking accountability and Chase holds me accountable. That’s the only way you can keep track to know what the food is doing for you. Then if I’m jumping really high at this weight, we need to keep this weight or we need to lose a little weight. It’s just makes it easier to determine what to do for when I compete. But for a good cheat meal, which I get every now and then, Jacob will make a chicken and sausage gumbo so good, nobody else in the family would ever know it was gluten free.

I took a leap of faith with my sports psychologist. I really wanted to get with him earlier, but had to make sure I had the budget to do it. Robert Andrews is based out of Houston and he worked with Simone Biles. He is the sports psychologist to go to, and was the final puzzle piece that made all the difference.

Finally, there is a club that used to be called Louisiana Athletic Program. They supported mine and my father’s travel pretty much the entire four years up until Covid. Without them, I don’t think any of this would be possible. I’m going to be making a huge post about them here soon.

And that’s my posse!

TAKEOFF: Without digging too deeply or getting too personal beyond your comfort zone, what did Robert Andrews help you discover about yourself that made the difference for you?

Morgann: Mr. Andrews showed me the door to gratitude. I was stuck in my past and refused to let go. He showed me how to move forward and stay present. He helped me take my thought process about the Olympic Trials - which I saw as my last opportunity at a U.S. Olympic team – and view it as a grateful opportunity. Many people don’t get a shot like that and I did. I had a chance to do something with it. I decided through his reframing of the situation to appreciate it and take full advantage of it. I resolved to look at every step of the way as a once-in-a-lifetime event to enjoy and feel blessed by, and that I deserved it. He rewired my thought process about different situations that not only help in my sport, but in my life.

TAKEOFF: So, you’ve been training your mind as well as your body?

Morgann: I almost train my mind more than I train my body. Mr. Andrews made me aware of my thoughts. Through different visualization exercises, I got rid of my past fears and now zone in on the present. He showed me how to calm my anxiety with breathing exercises and to look at my fears in a whole different light. He taught me how to take big, complicated situations and make them simpler by either standing up for myself and getting rid of what holds me back, or taking it one step at a time. He trained me to use my energy wisely.

TAKEOFF: It sounds like that’s where the sport of pole vaulting is right now, on the cutting edge of human potential.

Morgann: Right. I 100% agree with that. It’s gratitude and perspective. And then, of course, belief.

TAKEOFF: So, you did not have a sponsorship to help pay for your training?

Morgann: No. The only support I really had was Louisiana Athletic Program and the Nerve Health Institute, though that wasn’t a contract. New Heights Gym gave me the place to train for free. I train during the day and coach gymnastics at night. My husband has a full-time job working at Morton Salt. He works underground in a salt mine all week.

TAKEOFF: He’s pretty happy that his wife’s an Olympian?

Morgann: Oh, my gosh. He’s ecstatic! He’s been there for me the whole time. We started dating my senior year in high school, and have been inseparable since. It is the best thing in the world. If I could choose a travel buddy, I would choose him every single day because he’s so bright and he just knows what’s going on around him. He could seriously be an agent. He’s pretty much been my agent this whole time because he knows the ins and outs of traveling and who to get ahold of. He’s been a huge blessing and I really cannot thank him enough.

Now, I did sign finally, with an actual agent right before the Olympic Trials. Karen Locke has been my dream agent for a long time. I straight-up asked her ‘What do I need to do to get you to represent me? I’m doing all these things. I feel very confident going into the Trials. What else can I do to prove to you that I’m worth representing?’

At first, she said, ‘Make the Olympic team.’ And then literally, within minutes, she sent me a contract and said, ‘I believe you’re going to make the team,’ and I did. Karen also represents Katerina and Katie. I feel like I’m on the Dream Team.

TAKEOFF: With the Olympics coming up you don’t sound like you’re finished yet with what you want to accomplish.

Morgann: No, I feel like this is where it starts. The weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I actually have something in my back pocket so I can say, ‘I’m going to the Olympics. I’m an Olympian. I deserve to be a part of this whole professional pole vault scene.’ So yes, this is where it begins.

TAKEOFF: You’ve been a role model for a long time now with the young gymnasts. That seems like a 2-way street though. Those kids inspire you, even as you inspire them.

Morgann: Yes, those kids inspire me and have taught me so much. They all wrote little cards and gave them to my mom before she headed out to meet me at the Trials. Every single one of them wrote, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it,’ because they know that is the quote I live my life by. And it’s just amazing that they get to see it, live it, and know it.

And now, I can actually say it is so possible if you fight for your dang dream. It takes a lot more than just laying down and dreaming. You have to put the work in and you have to have the really low lows, but if you dream it and stick to it, anything you put your mind to is absolutely possible.

It was the first time I really felt like I manifested this. I did all those things that I was supposed to do to send those positive, I don’t know if you can call it signals, to the universe. It’s just an incredible experience, and the kids have witnessed this.

My way of giving back as an Olympian is going to be somehow through kids. I will probably coach the rest of my life. I want to do something for youth, to make sure that no matter what situation they’re in they know it’s all about how you look at it; it’s about perspective, and you’ve got to believe. You’ve just got to believe. Even when you feel like there’s no hope left, you’ve got to believe.