Army West Point Athletics
Getting to Know: Tyler McLees
August 12, 2015 | Wrestling
Each weekday throughout the summer a new cadet-athlete will be featured in Getting to Know, a Q&A series where Army West Point fans can read about their favorite players.
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NAME: Tyler McLees
HOMETOWN: West Islip, NY
MAJOR:Â Systems Engineering
DESCRIBE YOUR HEAD COACH: Coach Ward is the best fit person to be the Army West Point wrestling head coach. He dedicates so much to the success of the program, and is so invested in our success and development as wrestlers and as people. I've learned so much from him this year about wrestling and about life.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY:Â My dad, he always has been and always will. He has worked for everything he has, and has taught me more about being a man than I think he knows. I am so blessed to have him in my life because working to make him proud has made me everything I am today. If my son looks up to me half as much as I look up to my dad, that would be enough.Â
GREATEST ATHLETE ON EARTH TODAY IS: Matt Hugenberg, he's the center on the Army West Point Football team. I can't think of a better pure athlete than him. Â
FAVORITE ARMY WEST POINT TEAM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN:Â Probably the football team. I'm definitely biased though because I used to be on it and most of my best friends are still on the team.
FAVORITE VENUE TO PLAY IN:Â The atmosphere from Army/Navy last year in Christl Arena was unbelievable. I don't know if we'll be able to replicate that again but if we could then definitely Christl.Â
OPPONENT MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING:Â Obviously Navy. I don't have any one person in mind, but that rivalry is just indescribable.
WHAT TEAM NOT ON YOUR SCHEDULE WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AND WHY: Penn State. You always want to wrestle the best guys in the country, it's things like that that you train for.
HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR SUMMER: I'm doing CLDT for a few weeks, then I'll be doing an individual research project so I can validate a class next semester, and then I have an AIAD to Vicenza, Italy.
ON MY TEAM, I AM THE BEST at intercepting passes when the coaches try to throw the football around the room. I'm literally unstoppable. I'm also the best at Thunderball, a game we sometimes play to warm up. I actually invented it which is why it got named after my nickname (Thunderhammer). Â
FAVORITE MEAL: Steak and eggs. Â
IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO:Â I've been on the beaches of Punta Cana and the Bahamas and I'd love to go back.
FAVORITE WARMUP SONG: Really any of my Worship songs. They calm me down a bit right before a match and remind me of what's really the most important thing in my life, my relationship with Christ. I think I also wrestle my best when I get that in perspective. Â Â
BIGGEST NIGHTMARE: Anything involving a ghost. I hate ghosts.
FAVORITE PART OF WEST POINT:Â The people I've met and the relationships I've formed. I've learned so much from my teammates and classmates.
DESCRIBE ARMY WEST POINT WRESTLING:Â The meanest, nicest group of savage professionals committed to each other, their goals and their country. If you've spent any reasonable amount of time around the program then you would know exactly what that meant.
FAVORITE TV SHOW GROWING UP: Friends, I just finished the last season about a month ago, but I'm still growing up so it counts.
MOST MEMORABLE ATHLETIC MOMENT: Getting named captain of the Army West Point Wrestling team. It's my favorite athletic accomplishment and something that I take a ton of pride in.
HOW ARE YOU IMPROVING YOUR GAME IN THE OFFSEASON: I'm just trying to wrestle as much as possible. I need to make more technical improvements this offseason rather than physical ones.
WHAT PLAYER WILL SURPRISE PEOPLE NEXT SEASON:Â Austin Wilding no doubt. That dude is the best wrestler on the team. He's poised to have a breakout season.
WHO IS THE STRONGEST PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: Nate Dow, he is a physical specimen.
WHO IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: We have a ton of characters, but I'd say Samson Imonode or Nate Dow. They're always good for a laugh.
WHICH TEAMMATE IS MOST LIKLEY TO BECOME A GENERAL: Definitely Samson Imonode. The only thing that kid loves more than standards is more standards! I wouldn't be surprised if he had every cadet regulation memorized. I would honestly be surprised if he didn't make General!
ADVICE FOR INCOMING PLEBE TEAMMATES: Come ready to work. You are joining a brotherhood in every definition of the word and from day one you will have an impact on the culture and success of the team.
FAVORITE PERSON TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER:Â @AustWildn, that guy motivates the hell out of me!
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NAME: Tyler McLees
HOMETOWN: West Islip, NY
MAJOR:Â Systems Engineering
DESCRIBE YOUR HEAD COACH: Coach Ward is the best fit person to be the Army West Point wrestling head coach. He dedicates so much to the success of the program, and is so invested in our success and development as wrestlers and as people. I've learned so much from him this year about wrestling and about life.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY:Â My dad, he always has been and always will. He has worked for everything he has, and has taught me more about being a man than I think he knows. I am so blessed to have him in my life because working to make him proud has made me everything I am today. If my son looks up to me half as much as I look up to my dad, that would be enough.Â
GREATEST ATHLETE ON EARTH TODAY IS: Matt Hugenberg, he's the center on the Army West Point Football team. I can't think of a better pure athlete than him. Â
FAVORITE ARMY WEST POINT TEAM OTHER THAN YOUR OWN:Â Probably the football team. I'm definitely biased though because I used to be on it and most of my best friends are still on the team.
FAVORITE VENUE TO PLAY IN:Â The atmosphere from Army/Navy last year in Christl Arena was unbelievable. I don't know if we'll be able to replicate that again but if we could then definitely Christl.Â
OPPONENT MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING:Â Obviously Navy. I don't have any one person in mind, but that rivalry is just indescribable.
WHAT TEAM NOT ON YOUR SCHEDULE WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY AND WHY: Penn State. You always want to wrestle the best guys in the country, it's things like that that you train for.
HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR SUMMER: I'm doing CLDT for a few weeks, then I'll be doing an individual research project so I can validate a class next semester, and then I have an AIAD to Vicenza, Italy.
ON MY TEAM, I AM THE BEST at intercepting passes when the coaches try to throw the football around the room. I'm literally unstoppable. I'm also the best at Thunderball, a game we sometimes play to warm up. I actually invented it which is why it got named after my nickname (Thunderhammer). Â
FAVORITE MEAL: Steak and eggs. Â
IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO:Â I've been on the beaches of Punta Cana and the Bahamas and I'd love to go back.
FAVORITE WARMUP SONG: Really any of my Worship songs. They calm me down a bit right before a match and remind me of what's really the most important thing in my life, my relationship with Christ. I think I also wrestle my best when I get that in perspective. Â Â
BIGGEST NIGHTMARE: Anything involving a ghost. I hate ghosts.
FAVORITE PART OF WEST POINT:Â The people I've met and the relationships I've formed. I've learned so much from my teammates and classmates.
DESCRIBE ARMY WEST POINT WRESTLING:Â The meanest, nicest group of savage professionals committed to each other, their goals and their country. If you've spent any reasonable amount of time around the program then you would know exactly what that meant.
FAVORITE TV SHOW GROWING UP: Friends, I just finished the last season about a month ago, but I'm still growing up so it counts.
MOST MEMORABLE ATHLETIC MOMENT: Getting named captain of the Army West Point Wrestling team. It's my favorite athletic accomplishment and something that I take a ton of pride in.
HOW ARE YOU IMPROVING YOUR GAME IN THE OFFSEASON: I'm just trying to wrestle as much as possible. I need to make more technical improvements this offseason rather than physical ones.
WHAT PLAYER WILL SURPRISE PEOPLE NEXT SEASON:Â Austin Wilding no doubt. That dude is the best wrestler on the team. He's poised to have a breakout season.
WHO IS THE STRONGEST PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: Nate Dow, he is a physical specimen.
WHO IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM: We have a ton of characters, but I'd say Samson Imonode or Nate Dow. They're always good for a laugh.
WHICH TEAMMATE IS MOST LIKLEY TO BECOME A GENERAL: Definitely Samson Imonode. The only thing that kid loves more than standards is more standards! I wouldn't be surprised if he had every cadet regulation memorized. I would honestly be surprised if he didn't make General!
ADVICE FOR INCOMING PLEBE TEAMMATES: Come ready to work. You are joining a brotherhood in every definition of the word and from day one you will have an impact on the culture and success of the team.
FAVORITE PERSON TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER:Â @AustWildn, that guy motivates the hell out of me!
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Players Mentioned
Army vs Lehigh
Sunday, February 06
Wrestling vs. Navy
Friday, February 12
Wrestling vs. Hofstra
Sunday, January 17
Wrestling vs. Lehigh
Friday, January 31