Tyler Rubush’s breakout season helps Rhody to two first place team finishes
Rubush was the team’s top finisher at the Atlantic 10 championships. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
As URI graduate runner Tyler Rubush prepares for the upcoming track season, his final season on the cross-country team has seen him make an impression on and off the race course.
Recently finishing first for URI on the team’s way to a 10th-place finish at the Atlantic-10 championships in Virginia, Rubush says that an unsatisfying 2021 campaign gave him the motivation to perform during his final races as a Ram.
“I left last year with kind of a sour note, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back for another year,” Rubush said. “When I decided that I wanted to [come back], I wanted to leave on a good note because I knew that I left something out there that really could’ve been used, and I think I showed all of that capability this year.”
According to URI head coach Brian Doyle, Rubush’s work ethic is what sets him apart from other competitors and has been the key to his improvement over the years.
“That’s all just putting in the work,” Doyle said. “You can see talent in the speed and the shorter stuff, but the strength a lot of times is just how hard a kid can work, and he’s really proven that.”
According to Doyle, running can be as much of a mental sport as it is physical, and this is one of Rubush’s greatest strengths. Doyle said that his ability to remove the mental barriers and stick with the coaching staff’s plan sets an example for younger runners on the team.
In his years as a runner at URI, Doyle says that Rubush has had an impact beyond just times and race results. As an upperclassman on the team, Rubush said he hopes to pass down what he’s learned to younger athletes who may be struggling with the transition to collegiate running.
“I hope to show that it takes time to build,” Rubush said. “It’s not easy when you’re a freshman, you’re not at the top, you’re at the bottom. In high school, you’re at the top, but now you’re with the bigger, older guys. I hope they see that you have to be patient and trust in the training with coach Doyle.”
Rubush credited his growth to the relationships he’s been able to develop with his coaches and teammates and said that he wouldn’t be able to traverse through the confusing and busy world of a student-athlete without their constant support and mentorship. While he suffered from the same difficulties as a freshman that many underclassmen share, according to him, these experiences, along with trust in the process, will benefit him in his future endeavors.
The adjustment to the balance that comes with being a collegiate student-athlete, according to Rubush, takes time. That being said, he said it has ultimately shaped him into who he is today.
While there were stressful times, tough races and busy periods throughout his years, he says the decision to run for URI is something that he wouldn’t ever take back.
“I don’t know if I would do anything differently,” Rubush said. “I feel like the approach that I took was everything that made me into who I am today as an athlete, as a student and as a person. Choosing URI actually benefited me more than harmed me. The team itself and the coaching staff helped me become a better person.”
As the cross country season concludes and the track and field season gets underway, Doyle has high expectations for Rubush as he moves into his strongest territory: track running. According to Doyle, Rubush is looking to break several personal and school records this year and is on pace to do so.
“He’s someone who has the potential to be the best runner in URI history, at least on the distance end of things,” Doyle said.
A strong example of mental strength, perseverance and character, Tyler Rubush’s journey through collegiate running is one that many will look back on for years to come.