Natural. It’s a word that is rarely used when describing someone. Reserved for those who seem to make things look easy no matter what the task may be. But for someone like senior men’s basketball player Tyrell Mara, the word seems to fit perfectly.
Just weeks from graduating, Mara has accomplished more than your average student at Portland State and his accomplishments speak volumes for breaking down the stereotype that athletes are not well rounded.
Mara, a native of British Columbia, is finishing the final touches on his business management degree and preparing to graduate in a couple of weeks. But even he is surprised at times by the amount that he has accomplished since first stepping onto campus.
“When I go to basketball camps and all those [basketball achievements] are said it creates a good opportunity for me to positively influence kids with basketball,” Mara said. “And now that I’m graduating it does get to be a little nostalgic.”
As far back as Mara can remember he was always encouraged to see the potential in things. When you have parents that own their own companies, your approach to life can be different than most. This approach—of looking at things and opportunities optimistically—even extends to his college basketball career.
“It’s hard for people in the States to really understand,” Mara said about his goal of earning a basketball scholarship. “The mentality in the States is much different than the mentality in Canada. If you grow up with the aspiration of playing [Division I basketball] in Canada, you’re told ‘That’s a dream’ and to ‘Forget about it.'”
Faced with doubt around him and not sporting all of the typical Division I basketball player attributes, Mara’s entrepreneurial side kicked in.
With just two VCRs and a television hooked up in his parents’ living room, he began to create and edit his own basketball highlight video. With the help of his parents, he mailed them to coaches throughout the United States, with the hopes of catching their attention and eventually landing a scholarship.
“I remember my junior year, me, my mom, my dad put together a huge recruiting package that we sent to some 70 different coaches,” Mara said. “On the business side of it, I made my own highlight DVD and resume.”
One of the places that Mara’s DVD landed was Portland State. The Vikings would eventually offer Mara a scholarship to bring the all-around talent to the South Park Blocks.
Once here, he didn’t waste any time making an impact not only on the court, but throughout campus. He averaged 13 minutes a game his freshman year and was nominated to represent Portland State at the NCAA National Leadership Conference.
“He’s always worked hard for me,” said Scott Fabian, head strength and conditioning coach for Portland State, who has worked closely with Mara to develop his strength and quickness. “I think he’s a great kid.”
Fabian is just one of a likely long list of people around campus with positive things to say about Mara.
Now with two NCAA tournaments added to his list of accomplishments, Mara is heading back north to Trinity Western University where he will enroll in the Master’s Program in Business Management and seek to take advantage of his years of remaining eligibility as he suits up for the Trinity Western basketball squad for the next two seasons.
When asked where he sees himself in the next five years, Mara said he would like to be playing basketball in Western Europe half the year and the other half he would be returning to his roots, of course with his traditional positive outlook.
“[In five years] I’m back locally in Vancouver where I live, working in the community and working with my high school coaching basketball.”