By Ava Wille
McNicholas High School offers 45 athletic teams in 16 boys’ and girls’ sports, and many students take advantage of becoming the best they could ever be with them. One of McNicholas’ senior students, Tyler Munzel became the GCL co-ed athlete of the year in 2024 for Cross Country. The McNicholas Milestone asked him how he got there, how he feels, and what his future holds for him.
Q: What award did you win for cross country?
A: I became the GCL co-ed league athlete of the year for winning the league cross country meet individually. It was a typical 5k cross country race with each of the 6 teams from the league entering 7 runners in the varsity race.
Q: What were your feelings after you won?
A: I was definitely happy to win. I remember the team warming up along the course and we went past the 400m to go mark. It was a sharp turn, and I knew that this would be a convenient time to look back if I [happened] to be leading. There were only [three] of us in contention for the win: myself, and the two [students] from Carroll. I typically go out more conservatively than most high schoolers, but here I planned on hanging with the two guys until [two] miles into the race. The plan was to make a hard push at the [two] mile mark no matter how I was feeling. It went according to plan. I felt better than I expected coming through the [two] mile and I made my move. They just couldn’t hang. I got to that same point with 400m to go, I looked backward and realized I had plenty of time on them. The finish was on the track and I got to run in the last 150m solo because of the time I had made up on them, and that stretch was a lot of fun.
It was my first ever cross-country win so it meant a lot. Although, to be honest, I really expected to win. Confidence in yourself and your training is an important factor in racing so I’m used to calling my shot before races. That being said, it feels good to actually be right when making that prediction. I’ve had a lot of times where I [fell] short of that expectation. It’s all a part of the process.
My next thought was immediately about the upcoming races and an extra feeling of self-confidence going into the most important post-season meets. Because of my injury history, a lot of my volume this season was on my bike (cross training as runners call it) so seeing that system start to work was very rewarding. This season I’ve felt really in tune with my body. I felt like I’ve been building myself up as an athlete and person.
Q: Do you hope to continue running?
A: I have asked myself this question many times in the past; more times than you would think. I typically have some very low moments when I get injured, and I have had to become a more mature person to move forward. I’ve come to understand that I must have immense value for the process and the journey. Results are nice, but you’ll be chasing the high of winning a race and setting records forever. You won’t ever be satisfied. At the end of the day, it’s dust in the wind. But, if you are committed to the process of getting better, you can learn and grow even while failing. I want to see how fast I will become as well, but I’ve come to really enjoy the process of learning about myself, meeting new people, trying new things, and learning more about the sport. Additionally, I hope to coach one day and I want to learn everything I can before I get there.
Q: Will you be continuing your running career in college?
A: Whether on a team, club, or solo I will definitely keep training. Running is more than just competition and having a team. It’s about becoming a runner and working in tandem with your body. I want to see out the running journey in its entirety. Although, I would ideally be able to run on a varsity college team, but I [must] see where things land with admissions and coaches.
Q: Do you have any other plans for college?
A: I am excited to be in a new place and meet new people. I hope to join some clubs like a university’s chapter in American Society for Civil Engineers and hope to study abroad at some point in college.
Q: Any other info you want to add? Maybe why you joined the Cross Country Team or advice for younger athletes?
A: If you are an athlete in any sport, I would recommend you keep learning and challenging yourself to be a better teammate and athlete. Growing and building communities along the way is really what it’s all about. [Sports] can be a great way to do that.
The McNicholas Milestone 