Tyler Tarlton – Observer To Junior Olympian
One of the greatest rewards of coaching isn’t the trophies.
It isn’t the personal records.
It isn’t even the championships.
It’s watching a kid grow into a young man.
The photo on the left was taken years ago, looking out from my garage gym. Tyler was about six years old. His little brother stood beside him on his bicycle while Jackson, on the left, watched from the driveway. Inside the garage, an athlete was pressing dumbbells. Looking back, I doubt those boys cared how much weight was on the dumbbells.
They were simply watching.
Kids are always watching.
They watch how you train.
They watch how you carry yourself.
They watch whether you finish what you start.
They watch whether your actions match your words.
Fast forward nearly a decade.
The little boy standing in the driveway is now the young man pictured in my garage gym. Tyler is no longer watching from outside the door—he’s inside putting in the work himself.
Over the past two years he’s trained with me on and off while balancing multiple sports before eventually deciding to focus entirely on track and field.
That commitment has paid off.
This season Tyler won the Regional Championship in the steeplechase while also placing fifth in both the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters. Those performances earned him a trip to the Junior Olympics. He represents the Lago Vista based select track team, Northshore Stars.
That’s an incredible accomplishment.
Tyler is coached by Cedric Griffin, former Texas Longhorn and NFL cornerback, and deserves tremendous credit for the guidance he’s provided. Tyler has also put in countless hours on the track that nobody sees. Success like this doesn’t happen by accident.
When Tyler and I talked recently, he made a comment that meant a great deal to me.
He said his legs had gotten stronger from participating in my strength program over the last couple of years.
I don’t take credit for his success. His work ethic, his family, and his track coaching deserve that.
But hearing that strength training helped build a stronger foundation reminds me why I enjoy coaching high school athletes.
The goal has never been to create great weightlifters.
The goal is to create better athletes.
A stronger set of legs helps produce more force with every stride.
A stronger trunk helps maintain posture late in a race.
A stronger athlete is often a more confident athlete.
Strength training doesn’t replace sport practice—it supports it.
Most importantly, Tyler’s journey reminds me that influence begins long before coaching.
It begins with example.
Someone is always watching.
Maybe it’s the six-year-old riding his bike across the street.
Maybe it’s the younger sibling sitting quietly in the corner of the garage.
Maybe it’s the athlete who hasn’t yet worked up the courage to walk through the door.
You never know whose future is being shaped simply by showing up every day with discipline, consistency, and energy.
That’s why standards matter.
That’s why accountability matters.
That’s why environment matters.
Congratulations, Tyler, on qualifying for the Junior Olympics. Your accomplishments are the product of years of hard work, sacrifice, and consistency.
Keep raising the bar.
And remember…
Somewhere nearby, another young kid is watching.
-Scott