University of North Carolina Athletics
I'm A Tar Heel: Lexi Cappalli
January 28, 2016 | Women's Gymnastics
Hey There Tar Heels,
This University had an unfair advantage from the beginning. My first visit was on a beautiful weekend at the end of October. The leaves were just starting to change colors and there was not a cloud in the sky. I've come to find out that this is typical of fall in Chapel Hill, but for this Chicago girl it was almost too good to be true. College visits were usually just father/daughter trips, but this time my mom came along because she had a good feeling about UNC. Call it fate, call it a mother's intuition, call it whatever you want, but in November of 2010, I called my coach, Derek Galvin, and told him that I wanted to be a Tar Heel.
I did not quite realize the magnitude of that statement. A Tar Heel is not just a mascot. It's an identity. When I told Derek I wanted to be a Tar Heel, I instantly became a part of something that is so much bigger than the sport I play and the major I chose. I know that anywhere I go after I graduate, when I meet a fellow Tar Heel, there will be an instant bond. We are all in on the secret: this University is special. That it can foster such a connection with just two little words only adds to its marvel. I may be just a bit biased, but there's no other place on earth that can do that.
I have so many people to thank for my experience here. To the donors, thank you for your incredible generosity. Without you I would not be the person I am today. Because of your support, I was able to grow as an athlete, and more importantly, as a person. Over my four years, I have done some pretty cool things. I compete four events for my team, which something I never thought possible when I was a club gymnast. I had the opportunity to represent this great University along with two of my teammates at NCAA Regionals last year. But those things pale in comparison to what I have learned outside of the gym: leadership, balance, collaboration, listening—all priceless intangibles that will stay with me long after I walk out these doors. My goal when I stepped on campus was to leave my mark, but instead it has left its mark on me.
Finally, I have to thank my family because I would not be here representing this University without them. I am forever grateful that I have parents as committed to mine and my siblings' success as they are. In 2008, we made the decision to switch to a gym an hour away from our house. My mom took up those driving responsibilities, which sometimes amounted to four hours in a day. My dad often stayed late at work so that he could pick us up after practice was over. Through it all, they sacrificed their own time just so my sister and I could have a shot at college gymnastics. My brother had to sit through countless competitions over the years, but he continues to be one of my biggest fans watching the meets from home on his computer. Lastly, my sister. Her gymnastics career took a different path than mine, which ended in a major surgery last June. She is one of the strongest people I know. As hard as it was for her to stop doing the sport that we both loved, she is still my biggest cheerleader, supporter, and critic and has been part of this journey from the beginning.
There are a lot of things ending for me this year. In May, I graduate and my time here as a student is up. I will be finished with gymnastics, a sport that I have known and loved for almost my whole life. With that being said, I know one thing that will forever be true:
My name is Lexi Cappalli, and I am and always will be a Tar Heel.
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