Tyler Cribbs is more than just an athlete, and one day he hopes to parlay his love for sports into a broadcast career.
Tyler, a radio and television major at Long Beach City College, has dreams of being a sports broadcaster or radio DJ. He currently works on two radio shows at the school.
“I’ve always wanted to be on TV,” Tyler said.
Tyler and his Lakewood Dirtbags softball teammates will have a national TV audience this July at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle.
The 25-year-old is the team’s shortstop.
“I’m super excited,” he said of the opportunity.
Like many of his fellow USA Games athletes, the friendships built through Special Olympics are what Tyler cherishes most. That was especially important after moving from Wichita, Kansas to further his education. Within days of graduating high school in 2011, he was off to California to live with his grandparents.
The move was actually a homecoming, of sorts, as Tyler was born in Long Beach.
His introduction to Special Olympics started in Kansas as a volunteer. The time commitment to high school sports made it difficult to participate with Special Olympics.
Once he was settled in California, his grandmother convinced him to compete. While working at a youth center at Del Valle Park in Lakewood, Tyler met coach Chuck Martucci, who is on the Lakewood Dirtbags staff.
“I get to keep playing sports,” Tyler said. “I love it. We have that family-type (atmosphere).”
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