By Jason Erickson
Middleton, Idaho, isn't the kind of place that tries to impress you. The small town sits west of Boise, surrounded by farmland and framed by open sky. It is simple, steady, and strong. It is also where Utah Valley redshirt freshman guard
Tyler Medaris learned the value of family, faith, and hard work.
"My dad always told me, 'Give one more,'" Medaris said. "Whether that's one more rep, one more hour, or one more act of kindness, there's always something more you can give."
That phrase has carried him through everything from early mornings in the gym to long nights recovering from injury. It has shaped both the player and the person he has become.
Growing up, Medaris seemed destined to be an athlete. He played nearly every sport available including baseball, football, and basketball, and he excelled in all of them. By the time he reached high school, he was a state champion wide receiver and one of Idaho's top basketball prospects.
"I had a few schools recruiting me to play football," he said. "But basketball was always where my heart was. I loved the rhythm of it, the energy, the constant movement, and the way the game tests you mentally as much as physically."
That decision to pursue basketball instead of football eventually led him to Orem. But the road wasn't easy.
Medaris spent his first season at Utah Valley on the sideline as a redshirt, watching, learning, and waiting. It was a challenge for a competitor who had always been on the floor.
"That redshirt year was humbling," he said. "You're practicing every day and giving everything, but you don't get to see your name in a box score. It forced me to love the work for what it is, not just for what it gives back."
Then came another test.
During offseason workouts, Medaris dislocated his elbow while diving for a loose ball. The injury cost him valuable time in the gym.
"I was in a brace for weeks," he said. "I was worried about my shot and about how it would feel. But once I got cleared, I realized it was fine, and it gave me even more motivation to play harder than ever."
Faith plays a major role in Medaris' life. Before arriving at UVU, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spending a year in Houston and another in Peru. Those two years changed everything.
"Before my mission, I had direction," he said. "After my mission, I had purpose."
He learned Spanish fluently, developed a love for different cultures, and saw firsthand the joy that comes from serving others.
"It gave me perspective," he said. "You see people who have so little but are so happy. It taught me gratitude and compassion, and that carries into how I treat teammates, coaches, and everyone I meet."
Now back to full strength, Medaris enters this season determined to make an impact both on the floor and in the locker room.
"Every time I'm out there, I just want to bring energy," he said. "Set good screens, make good passes, talk on defense, all the little things that make a team better."
His mindset fits perfectly into the heart of Utah Valley's 15 Stories. 1 Team theme. Each player's journey is different, but the mission is the same: to build something bigger than themselves.
"This team is full of guys who have been through a lot, whether it's injuries, transfers, or missions, and that gives us perspective," Medaris said. "We all want to win, but we also want to represent something special."
While Medaris is focused on helping the Wolverines win a WAC championship and reach March Madness, he is already thinking long term about a future in medicine. He is majoring in health science and exploring possible paths, maybe orthopedics, while acknowledging he has not chosen a specialty yet. His interest is inspired in part by his father, who is a dentist, and by the impact he has seen medical professionals make in athletes' lives.
"I've been around doctors my whole life because of sports," he said. "And I've seen how they can make a difference. That's what I want, to help people get back to doing what they love."
That vision mirrors how he approaches basketball: steady, patient, and filled with purpose.
"Everything in life connects," Medaris said. "The effort I put into studying to be a doctor is the same effort I put into basketball. Both require focus, patience, and passion."
Through every challenge, from the redshirt year to the brace on his elbow, Medaris has learned that growth is not always loud. Sometimes it is steady. Sometimes it is quiet. But it is always about giving one more.
"I want to look back and know I gave everything I could, on and off the court," he said. "That's what matters most."
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