Sports
Tanner Prepares For Final Season At WBC
July 18th 2011 by Unknown

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor
Tyler Tanner isn’t the most gifted athlete to ever come out of Dexter High School. He doesn’t run very fast. He can’t throw a baseball that hard. He didn’t receive many awards during his career as a Bearcat.
He will, however, outwork anyone on the team. He’ll show up early for practice, and stay late to work out in his free time. That work ethic and dedication to bettering himself athletically landed him a college baseball scholarship.
Tanner, the 21 year old son of Randy & Tammy Tanner, is a 2008 graduate of Dexter High School and is preparing for his final season as a member of the Williams Baptist College baseball team. Williams Baptist is a four year NAIA school in Walnut Ridge, Ar.
Tanner was a three-sport athlete during his time at DHS, but never received a lot of recognition in the press.
“I never got any awards for baseball in high school, or basketball. The only awards I got were second team all-conference both ways in football,” Tanner recalled. “I was just your average player, really. I wasn’t a standout, I was just a good role-player and came off the bench a lot in basketball. I wasn’t a huge asset, I just knew my job and did it - in my mind - well.”
“In baseball, I wasn’t a standout either. I played the game, liked it, had a good time, and thought ‘Let’s try to do this at the next level’ and Williams came along with an offer, so I took it.”
Tanner was recruited for baseball and football, but didn’t think he was up to the physical demands of college football.

“When it came time to get ready to send stuff out for college sports,” Tanner said, “I told Coach Pixley up front that I didn’t think that my body could handle college football.”
“Central Methodist was the only school that recruited me for football,” he added. “I talked to Mineral Area College, but there wasn’t a strong interest there. Florissant Valley talked to me a little bit - that’s where Eric Windham went - and then Williams Baptist.”
Tanner noted DHS head football & assistant baseball coach Aaron Pixley as a huge asset in being where he is now.
“I told Coach that I wanted to play baseball, and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be playing where I am today,” Tanner said. “He was the one that really got in contact with the MAC coach because of his son, and the Flo Valley coach, and asked him one day after weightlifting if he could contact Williams Baptist. He talked to Coach Katrosh that day and got me a tryout set up. When I was getting ready to leave for it, he looked at me and said ‘It’s on you now Tyler - I’ve done all that I can do’. Honestly, that was all the motivation I needed. I went down there, had the tryout of my life and got picked up.”
“He taught me work ethic - if you work hard you’ll get what you want,” Tanner added. “You’re going to succeed and do well. It’s all about going and getting it. He always stressed being coachable. If someone’s trying to help you, do that. Your way doesn’t work - your coaches way does.”

“All the people were really nice. When I got there and toured the campus and such, everyone was really nice and showed a general interest in me as a person,” he said. “The Christian atmosphere is great, and I can’t say enough about the professors. They’re so good. Willing to work one on one with you. I get the help I need. They’re so easily accessible that I’ve called them and nine or ten at night and got answers.”
A huge fan of the Boston Red Sox, Tanner noted a well-known member of the team as one of his favorite players growing up.
“I looked up to Nomar Garciaparra a lot when I was a kid,” Tanner said. “I always wanted to be a shortstop, and he’s a big part of why I’m such a huge Red Sox fan today.” Tanner began playing baseball competitively in his preteen years, and enjoyed some success before his high school career began.
“I was 12 when I got on a traveling team the first time, under Dwight Mills and the Millers - played with Caleb Miller and Eric Windham,” he said. “I would have been on the team that went to the little league world series, but I broke my wrist that summer.”
“When I was 16, we won state on our Babe Ruth team, but lost to Minnesota in our regional,” Tanner added. “That was coached by Tim Standridge and my dad, Randy Tanner. Steven Duley from Oran, Scott Droddy from Sikeston, Eric Windham all played at the college level and were all on that team with me.”
Tanner played second base almost exclusively during his high school days, but has switched positions numerous times in college, and has would up handling catching duties for the Eagles.
“Since I’ve been in college, I’ve played every position except pitcher and first,” Tanner noted. “I started out as a middle infielder my freshman year, but then I was moved to the outfield. During the spring of my sophomore year, I was moved to catcher after I caught one of the fall games. It was kind of a desperation move, but I liked it. They’ve kept me there, and I enjoy catching a lot. I never thought I would, but its been one of my favorite things position-wise.”
The Eagles struggled last season, finishing with a 18-28-1 (5-16-1 Conference) record, but are looking to improve this season under a new manager.
“Last season was Coach Katrosh’s last year, his twelfth season at Williams,” Tanner said. “Coach Frank Lee is our new head coach. He had been the assistant for five or six years. Andy Arnold and Caleb Dudley are our new assistant coaches.”
Tanner is entering his last season at Williams, and expressed some sadness at leaving the school after the coming school year.
“I’m having a lot of fun there, and I’m sad that it’s my last year,” he said, “but I’m excited to see where I’m going to be after this. I’m graduating in May with a major in Physical Education. I hope to get a job around the Springfield area, or somewhere in northeast Arkansas so I can stay close to Williams.”
No matter where he winds up after college, one thing is certain: Tyler Tanner will always be a dependable, hard-working guy. Any school that has him as a member of it's staff will be lucky to have him.
Make sure to check back with the ShowMe Times for updates on Tyler's senior season with the Eagles!
Last Updated on July 18th 2011 by Unknown
https://showmetimes.com/Blogpost/ujbr/Tanner-Prepares-For-Final-Season-At-WBC