University of North Carolina Athletics
Out Of The Blue: A Tale Of Two Tylers
October 16, 2014 | Field Hockey, Football
NOTE: This article originally appeared in the October 14 issue of CAROLINA, the official magazine of Tar Heel athletics.
by Ben Brown
It's very rare that you meet somebody in life who has the same first and last name as you do. But it happens that there are two Tyler Powells who are student-athletes at Carolina. One is a freshman defensive end on the Tar Heel football team. The other is a sophomore field hockey midfielder. CAROLINA arranged a meeting this week to get their thoughts on their coincidence among other things.
Ben Brown: When was the first time that you guys figured out that there was another Tyler Powell who was also an athlete at Carolina?
Football Tyler Powell: "Actually it was at Fall Fest, because one of my friend's girlfriends plays field hockey and she told me about it."
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "It was actually when he committed here. I have a friend who's a sports reporter for the Daily Tar Heel, and he came across an article and he sent it to me saying, 'How hilarious is this that there's going to be another Tyler Powell athlete here?' So it was actually like a year and a half ago."
BB: Have you guys watched each other's games?
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "I actually haven't been to a football game this year, surprisingly enough. I was
going to go [to the Virginia Tech game] but I couldn't make it. But I have seen them on TV
though."
Football Tyler Powell: "I haven't seen one of their games either."
BB: Have you ever watched a field hockey game in your life?
Football Tyler Powell: "Actually, yeah. My gym teacher in high school was our field hockey coach, so we got extra credit for going to their games (laughing)."
BB: What are your thoughts on the field hockey program?
Football Tyler Powell: "I know they're really, really good but that's about it."
BB: I know you haven't been to any of the games, but what are your thoughts on the football team?
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "I always know that it's such a great atmosphere at the games and there's nothing better that being a Tar Heel at a football game!"
BB: Have you guys ever gotten anything mixed up like mail or emails or something like that?
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "Actually I have! It was a couple of weeks ago I got a tutoring email and I looked at it and I was like 'I'm not even in this class, so it's probably not meant to go to me.'"
BB: Tyler (Field Hockey), tell me about the work you do for concussion research.
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "This past summer I started helping with research in the Matthew Gfeller Center here. Basically what I do is study whether there is a link in having a secondary injury after sustaining a concussion. I've been going through research of UNC athletes and past concussion histories for all different sports, football included. So it's been really interesting as an athlete to get to work with that data, and it's definitely something that affects people in a lot of sports and it's definitely applicable to me."
BB: What do you think about the work she does with concussion research?
Football Tyler Powell: "I know just from being in the training room all the time, the stuff that they're doing is just incredible, just how far the progress has come from just a couple years ago. I have the sensors in my helmet and it's really cool to walk around campus and talk to people who are doing stuff with that information."
BB: Have you ever had a concussion playing field hockey?
Field Hockey Tyler Powell: "I have. It happened while I was in high school and I just felt like the resources available to me and the process itself was just very far behind and not very advanced at all. And it was very interesting to me and since I had my concussion four years ago, how far things have come, how far the testing has come, so yeah I definitely have an interest in it."
