Tyler Sherman, a Saint Louis native and English and education major, offers a fresh perspective on life at William Jewell College. He recently transferred from Knox College and is a new member of the Cardinal baseball team. He shared some of the adversities that he has overcome as an athlete and some of the goals that he has for his athletic and academic career here at Jewell.
“I chose Jewell because it felt like a second home,” Sherman said. “I came for a two-hour tour, and I couldn’t stop smiling, and I hadn’t felt that happy in a very long time. I fell in love with the campus, and I got to meet some of the guys on the team, and they were very sincere and kind, and that’s when I knew Jewell was the place for me.”
Tyler has always loved baseball but he has faced numerous health obstacles including hip surgery this past summer.
“I initially started to feel a lot of pain in August of 2018, and it progressively got worse to the point where I needed to go see a physical therapist, and so I went to see him in December,” Sherman said. “I went to physical therapy and it got better. Then, in January 2019, it started getting worse to the point I had trouble moving and getting out of bed some days. During practice one day, I was in right field and made a throw, and I heard a pop in my hip, and then I couldn’t walk on it, and I knew I tore my labrum completely. After my surgery I was basically paralyzed on the right side for a little bit less than a month, and I basically had to learn how to walk again with crutches.”
Tyler has been working with a physical therapists in the Liberty area in hopes of getting full range of motion and weight bearing status again on his hip. Instead of letting his surgery and injury affect him negatively he instead tries to focus on letting the adversity shape him into a better athlete.
“I’d say this injury has made me even more grateful for what I have been given,” Sherman said. “I didn’t necessarily take playing baseball for granted, but I don’t think I really realized how great it made me feel until it was ripped away from me.”
Tyler shared some of the goals that he has for his baseball career.
“I really am looking forward to being able to sprint again without fear,” he said. “I am always worried that I will re-tear it or tear something again. I am also nervous to swing again because it puts a lot of pressure and torque on the hip. However, I am excited for all that I want to achieve in my baseball career.”
He also shared some of the goals he has for his academic career here at Jewell.
“Academically I would like to pursue becoming a high school English teacher or potentially a principal for a public school district.”