MY LETU STORY: Haily Bass

NOTE: This is part of a series on letuathletics.com with feature stories written by senior student-athletes, or in their final year, about their time at LeTourneau and the impact it has made on them.

By: Haily Bass | So. | Women's Track & Field

My story is not a typical senior LeTourneau YellowJacket story. 

I came to LeTourneau with dual credit which is not rare for students to do nowadays, and I expected to maybe graduate a semester earlier than my projected graduation date because I was not even sure if all my dual credit would transfer. 

However, here I am graduating in two years. I have been told by many people that they wish they were also graduating in only two years, but honestly, LeTourneau has made it bittersweet for me. Sure, two years of saving money and two years less of school work, but that means two years lost of competing in the sport I love. Two years lost of seeing my team every day which is practically my family. Two years lost of growing closer to the rest of LeTourneau. Two years lost of cheering my teammates on the sidelines and encouraging each other to reach our goals during practices. 

As a track and field student-athlete, my team and I train year-round practicing what everyone else’s punishment typically is – run hard and push the limits. We have seen each other at our worst and best, shared many laughs and tears, and often came together for prayer. 

Everyone has a role on the team unique to them and then we all get to come together and score points as a team at the conference meet. Everyone matters and everyone plays a role from the person who places first in their events to the person who got thrown in an event and placed eighth. Every point that a teammate earns matters. 

At LeTourneau University, God provided me with a supportive community not only through my track team, but throughout all of LeTourneau including all of athletics, staff, professors, and classmates. When I am going through a difficult time, I can confidently go to several different people from these groups, and I know they will help me through whatever challenge I am working through. 

When I came to LeTourneau I did not know anyone, and I had no idea how important the community at LeTourneau would become to me. Now, LeTourneau has evolved into my safe place that has prepared me for the next chapter of my life that God has in store for me. 

I will be attending The University of Tennessee’s Sports Psychology and Motor Behavior Skills master's program this coming fall which Dr. [Jordan] Schools introduced me to. I am blessed to uphold such a grounded and strong foundation filled with spiritual, educational, and physical knowledge from LeTourneau University. I am excited to continue to cultivate God’s excellence throughout athletics beyond my foundation at LeTourneau. 

Although my time here at LeTourneau is came to an end faster than I anticipated, I am grateful for the time I have had at LeTourneau. Just because I may leave campus does not mean I am not forever a LeTourneau YellowJacket."

Haily Bass