Tyler Baruch Nyla Cherry interview on Maryland football and track

The Tyler Baruch Nyla Cherry interview on Cherry Chats covered how Baruch walked onto the University of Maryland football team while competing in track and field, why he worked several jobs while attending school, and his plan to enter law enforcement to mentor young men. Baruch also told Cherry how a letter from his high school teammates helped persuade his parents to let him play football.

How did Tyler Baruch go from playing multiple sports to track at Maryland?

Tyler Baruch played baseball longer than any other sport, but his interest in contact and competition drew him toward football. He began running track to get faster for a football opportunity in Pennsylvania, then received an offer to compete in track at the University of Maryland. His path also included basketball and informal hockey with friends.

Baseball, basketball and hockey

Baruch started with baseball and played basketball growing up. He said baseball remained fun, but he wanted to test himself in a sport with more contact. Once he had the chance to play football, he tried every position.

Hockey began with middle-school friends who played the sport. They would go ice skating, bring sticks and a puck, and compete with one another. Baruch described those outings as another expression of the same competitive streak that led him to try new sports.

The letter that helped him play football

His parents had not allowed him to play football after a serious concussion in fifth grade. Baruch said he sustained it during a recreational basketball game when he fell backward into a brick wall after going up for a layup. His doctor had advised against playing football at the time.

During the COVID period, Baruch trained with friends who played football. He said every player on their high school team and the head coach signed a letter asking his parents to let him join. His parents told him to ask his doctor, expecting her to say no. According to Baruch, she supported the idea, opening the way for him to play.

What happened when Tyler Baruch jumped 24 feet at Johns Hopkins University?

Tyler Baruch did not initially understand the significance of his 24-foot long jump at a high school meet at Johns Hopkins University. He was wearing sprint spikes in cold, rainy conditions and trying different events. Coach Wade challenged an initial red flag; after officials changed the flag, the jump was measured.

When Baruch landed, he heard the crowd gasp. His previous best had been about 22 to 22 and a half feet, so he thought the new jump might have reached 22 feet. He then looked back toward the board and realized how far he had traveled.

Baruch said Coach Wade reacted strongly when a red flag first went up. After the flag changed and the jump was measured, Baruch understood he had gone much farther than before. Rather than treating it as a stopping point, he said he immediately wanted to jump farther again.

How did Tyler Baruch play football and track at Maryland?

Tyler Baruch walked onto Maryland’s football team while already competing there in track and field. Friends on the football team told him it needed receivers, so he approached the coaches and completed an individual workout. He said balancing the two sports taught him that commitment mattered even when he was busy or tired.

A workout with Billy Edwards

Baruch said the coaches took his measurements and put him through a workout rather than a general tryout. Billy Edwards, whom Baruch identified as the backup quarterback at the time, threw to him as he ran repeated routes. The session also included tracking tennis balls, a 40-yard run and cone drills.

Already being an athlete at Maryland helped him get in front of the coaches, Baruch said. Knowing players on the team also gave him a reason to ask about an opportunity when he heard receivers were needed.

The harder transition back to track

Moving from track into football was easier than Baruch expected. Returning to track was harder: he described football plays as short bursts with changes of direction, while track training could demand longer runs, including 200s, 300s and 400s. As a jumper, he was also used to more linear movement than football required.

Baruch said he underestimated the physical adjustment of doing both sports. Route running and breaking down to change direction called on muscles differently from his track work, while the longer track efforts presented a different challenge after football.

Why did Tyler Baruch work while attending Maryland?

Tyler Baruch worked while attending Maryland because he wanted to save money and maintain a sense of independence, even though track had paid for his school. He detailed cars, did landscaping and worked as a leasing agent at Tempo. He also connected his approach to work with lessons from his father, James.

Saving money through work at Tempo

Baruch said he liked earning and saving more than spending. His main job was as a leasing agent at Tempo, where he said the position reduced his rent. He viewed his jobs as a way to gain experience relevant to the career he planned to pursue.

James and Baruch’s biological family

James, his father, had served in the military. Baruch said James emphasized honesty, hard work and integrity, including doing the right thing when nobody was watching. Baruch passes those lessons on to children he mentors through a community service group.

Baruch was adopted at birth and remains in contact with his biological family. He said his grandmother and the wider family inspire him, while family losses strengthened his desire to be a role model for his younger siblings. He talks with them a couple of times a month and sees them on holidays.

How does Tyler Baruch balance Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. with his other commitments?

Tyler Baruch said he tries to remain himself as he moves among football, track, work and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He sees those commitments as parts of his life rather than the source of his identity. The same outlook informs the mentoring he does outside sport and work.

Cherry asked how he handled those responsibilities alongside his place on the track team. Baruch’s answer focused less on a schedule than on how he carries himself in each setting: he wants to bring the same person into every space.

For Baruch, being an athlete, worker and fraternity member does not replace the choices he makes beyond those roles. That distinction echoes what he said James taught him about acting with integrity when no one is watching.

Why did Tyler Baruch choose a career in law enforcement?

Tyler Baruch plans to enter law enforcement to give back to a community that supported him, provide resources and mentor young Black men and young men more broadly. He also wants to challenge stereotypes about Black men working in the field and show younger children a wider range of possible careers.

Baruch said people often respond to his career plan with jokes about tickets or being stopped by police. He recognizes the remarks as banter, but said his reason for entering the field is serious. He wants to be a positive presence for people who may need guidance or resources.

Explaining the importance he places on representation, Baruch said:

it's important that we have black men in every single space in the world

He said that visibility can help younger Black children see that they are not limited to particular paths. Mentoring, which he already does through community service, is central to what he hopes to contribute in law enforcement.

Who is Tyler Baruch?

Tyler Baruch is an NCAA track and field athlete at the University of Maryland who competes in the long jump, high jump and triple jump. He became a Maryland state champion in the long jump and triple jump and placed fourth in the high jump.