Caden Leonard may need a separate room in his house for his trophies and medals.
The Carroll junior has officially been named the 2024-25 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year in boys cross country -- the second year in a row that he's received this prestigious award given annually to a high school boy and girl in each sport.
Leonard, the no. 1 ranked junior in the country, led Carroll to its second straight University Interscholastic League Class 6A state championship in the fall, running a 14:50.1 -- ten seconds faster than his time in the same race his sophomore year. Leonard also won the NXN South Regional race and finished in third place at this year's national championships.
Leonard clocked a personal best at the District 4 5K championship this year, where he won with a time of 14:33.5. He's also a two-time Nike All-American.
Rich Gonzalez of PrepCalTrack, a site dedicated to covering high school and college track, field and cross country, said in a press release that Leonard is "a surgeon on the cross country course."
"His tactics and technique carry the utmost precision," Gonzalez said. "He could emerge as the nation's best in 2025."
Justin Leonard, Caden's father and the head coach of the Carroll cross country team, knew Caden was special as early as fourth grade, when he asked to enter a 1-mile individual race and ran it in a ridiculous 5:49.
"I looked at my wife and said 'That's a little different,'" Justin said. “I knew right then that he had some potential and talent. But then I didn’t do [any running] with him for two or three years. I just kind of hung back and was waiting on him to initiate things.”
Caden will look to win a third Texas Gatorade Player of the Year award next year as a senior, as well as a third straight state championship for Carroll. In the meantime, he can make some space in his bedroom for the next round of awards.
"He's an incredibly dedicated runner who pushes himself to be the best -- not just for his own success, but for the success of his teammates," Justin said. "Watching him grow and develop as both an athlete and a. person over the years has been a true joy."