By Scott Metz

Haworth High School sophomore Tyler Dillard is a determined baseball player. Tyler plays shortstop, catcher, third base, and on occasion pitches. Besides baseball, Tyler also plays basketball and is a powerlifter.

In regards to what it means to Tyler to represent his school, Tyler stated, “It means everything to me. I am incredibly proud to represent the Haworth Lions community and school.”

There have been several factors that have helped Tyler be successful in baseball.

“It has taken hard work, dedication, and a lot of sacrifice.”

As far as the person that has had the biggest influence, Tyler looks toward family.

“My dad, Shane Dillard, taught me everything I need to know about the game of baseball. He still pushes me to be even better, to this day,” said Tyler.

Every athlete has a motivator that pushes them to keep going. For Tyler, he looks toward the future. He stated, “I am motivated to hopefully go to the big league.”

When asked what teacher has impacted him, Tyler stated, “The teacher that has impacted me the most was Joey Blackard from Denison Elementary. He pushed me to do the things I love.”

There is one moment of Tyler’s baseball career that stands out to him, as his favorite memory.

“Two days before this tournament, my grandpa died. We were in the playoff, and were in the last inning with two outs and a tie game. I walked it off to win the championship for us.”