by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
The Minnesota West Volleyball Team is currently 15-9 with three regular season games remaining.
Tyra Medicine Horn is one of four native women on the team. She is a 5-8 freshman middle hitter from Lake Andes, SD and is part of the Yankton Sioux tribe. Tyra is the daughter of Jerry Medicine Horn and Sheri Mengenhauser of Lake Andes, SD.
Tyra talks team first always. But being a highly contributing player is also needed to win. Tyra is leading the team with 246 points and 3.2 points/set. “We’re playing very aggressive,” said Tyra. “We want nothing more than to play past regular season. Also, in practice, we are practice how we want to play. With hard drills and hard work in those drills.”
“I started playing volleyball when I was in the 7th grade, and I instantly fell in love with the game,” said Tyra. “I kept playing for the rest of my high school. I loved the intensity of the game, and knew this was something I’d want to be doing in college. Now that I am in college it’s even more fun. I’m playing with a group of competitive, fun girls that want to be on the court. I work hard, I have determination, I have the love and passion for the game, I do my best to stay positive and bring that on the court, but most importantly I know I how to leave everything at the door and just play the game with no extra drama.”
“Assistant Coach CJ Nelson reached out to me to go look at the school to play volleyball for them. I went and checked out the school and felt at home with the school,” added Tyra.
“She leads her teammates from the front by example, and does her best to keep the spirit of her team as high as possible,” said her dad Jerry. “She shows sportsmanship in all endeavors, a sense of humor to make you cry from laughing so hard, and will give the shirt off her back to make sure someone is taken care of. She gives her team 110% no matter what and whatever happens on the court she leaves out there. When her team loses she is willing to put in the work to make sure they put themselves in a better position to win the next one.”
“Tyra’s a social butterfly with a great spirit who loves to make everyone smile,” said her mom Sheri. “Her energy is so uplifting and contagious to all those around her and she carries that onto the court as well. She’s a fun athlete to watch whether she’s spiking a volleyball ball, using her “gorilla arms” on defense in basketball, pumping her teammates up, dancing/singing during timeouts, or just plain eating a double cheeseburger she will give it 100% with a smile!”
Sheri added: “Tyra grew up in a bigger city for most of her life and then the family moved to a small town on the reservation right before her junior year of high school. Switching schools and moving at that time in her life was brutal. The social conditions are very different in a small town versus a city so it was hard for her to adapt. She struggled in school and sports trying to figure out how to be herself and yet still be accepted on and off the court. She finally figured it out and managed to change a lot of hearts in the process. Although it was a hard journey she came out even stronger.”
“Me, as a person, I’m giving my 120% in and out of practice,” said Tyra. “As soon as my feet hit the court, my game face comes on, and I’m ready to play. I have so much love and passion for the game that I’m determined to win. I put in my mind that I’m capable to win any game vs. whoever we play and I go out and give it my all.”
Photographs are provided by the Worthington Globe.
