Community Champion: Leila Morales

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Leila Morales, the senior from Loretto Academy, will be taking not just one of her talents to the Division one level, but two.

Morales developed a love for dance at the age of three.

“I’ve just always been dancing my whole life," Morales said. "I’ve always grown up dancing, learning to dance and then suddenly this came along.”

She originally wanted to get involved in archery when she was in the fifth grade but she later developed a strong passion for skeet shooting.

“I’ve always wanted to be in law enforcement ever since I was little," Morales said. "That’s when I really started learning how to do it.”

Her coach Art Holley was only a spectator when he first witnessed Morales compete in shooting and he saw something special that made him want to start coaching her.

“She’s come a long way," Holley said. "She knows how to handle a gun, she can take care of everything related to it. She’d walk up here and shoot targets with all the guys around her and she’s not intimidated by anybody.”

Morales participated with the Redlands Clay Crushers Youth shooting team in California, which meant traveling out-of-state during the school year to compete in tournaments all while juggling dance and school.

All of her hard work paid off.

“I'm very proud of her," Morale's father, Jason Morales said. "All the things she’s done academically, shooting, dancing and now she’s going to do shooting and dancing at Jacksonville University so I’m just very proud.”

“I'm just so excited to start a new chapter in my life," Leila said.