Senior guard helps keep Mustangs together on and off court

At the intersection of basketball and family stands Morningside University senior men's basketball guard Tyler Vavrina.

"I want to take any opportunity to make myself and my teammates better," the Abie, Neb., recently reflected. "You have to take this one day at a time. We've all got to be on the same page heading into the conference tournament. Whether it's making sure our bodies are feeling all right and getting better with each practice, each game, from this point, decides our future."

Looking at his path to the sport of basketball and Morningside, it's easy to see where Vavrina's philosophy towards basketball developed.

Growing up in the rural area around the small Nebraska town of Abie, sports was what Tyler and his buddies did.

"There's not much else around there," he noted. "The town is four blocks by four blocks. David City, which is where I attended elementary, middle, and high school, was 15 to 20 minutes away." 

"We had a group that played everything together – pick-up football and basketball most of the time," he added. "You'd call up your buddies and meet at someone's house who had a court or open area to play ball."

Vavrina's home, located a mile south and east of Abie, was one of the gathering locations. His dad's shop had a hoop inside for any time availability, so the one-on-one games, trick shot attempts, and so forth were a part of life.

"We've always been a big hoops family," Tyler said. "My mom and dad and siblings all played basketball. My dad and uncle even coached me to high school."

He's taken those small-town roots and want to be a part of something more significant to the Mustangs program and campus.

"Whether it's being a supportive guy cheering on the bench or being on the floor, hard work every day pays off," Vavrina said. "When I put that kind of work ethic into things, it not only makes me better but also does the same for my teammates because I'm always giving 100 percent around them. Hopefully, others see this, and it pays off for postseason play this year."

Vavrina's dedication and grit have caught the eye of the Morningside coaching staff more than once. It's led him to appear in 65 games and go over the 100-point mark, along with being a go-to player in the 2021 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament.

Former head coach James Sykes put him in to get a spark for Mside when they trailed sectional host Thomas More College on its home floor in the second half with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. Vavrina's ability to turn up the speed on a basketball court came in handy, as he found himself open and took advantage to the tune of a four-for-seven effort which featured three three-point baskets and a big dunk to help guide the Mustangs to a 64-55 victory.

"It was a great achievement for the team and me," Vavrina noted. "I hope the younger guys saw that when you work hard and do the right things, your time will come. You've got to be ready." 

No doubt how the postseason picture is drawn for the 2021-22 team, Tyler knows he has a big picture in front of him.

"I knew what I wanted to do after college when I was younger," he said. "I've always loved being on the farm and the life and work you have with it. I've been to develop a lot of other opportunities for the future while on campus as Dr. Tom Paulsen and the agriculture studies professors have been wonderful by challenging my thinking."

When the final day to be in a Mustang uniform is over, his teammates will miss more than Tyler has meant competition-wise.

"I've sort of become one of the team mechanics," he admitted. "Whenever someone has a flat tire, needs a new battery or whatever, they come to me because they know I have tools to help out."

"I've also been able to create a little bit of stress relief with the chronicles of my hairstyle," he added. "I've tried a lot of different things – flattop, mullet, shaved sides, shaved head. I just figure, 'Hey, it's only hair. What else could I do with it? It will grow back."

As a family member would do – always making things easier by caring for the ones around him.