Tyler Butler '21 Recruiting Profile

I became interested in playing basketball at an early age. One of my goals was to be the best basketball player that I could be. That doesn’t mean that I want to be the best in the world or the NBA. This is about personal growth and accomplishments. The first time I tried out for a fourth grade AAU team, I failed to make the team. It hurt that I didn’t make the basketball team, so I worked harder to improve my defensive and offensive skills. The next year my hard work paid off and I officially made the team. I was able to make the team every year after overcoming my initial failure.

There were other failures that I had to overcome. I made my high school freshman and sophomore basketball teams. However, I struggled to pass two of my sophomore classes. I failed my Spanish II class and got a “D” in my Chemistry class. I had to attend summer school and repeat my Spanish class. I used the same determination and hard work to get an “A” in my summer Spanish II class. I also decided not to play varsity basketball in my junior year to focus on my academics. As a result, I received an “A” in Spanish III class and a “B” in Physics. It was a tough decision, but clearly the right one as evidenced by my improved grades. Playing basketball is still important to me, but I also understand that academics are equally important. I transferred to my current high school to pursue my dream of playing basketball with my childhood friend. We played together on an AAU travel team since we were in the fifth grade. The COVID 19 virus has put that dream at risk because there is a chance that there may not be basketball this year. Either way, I will continue to work hard to balance my love of basketball and my goal to improve academically in preparation for a successful college career.