For Tyler Robinson, it was never a question of what college he’d attend, just what sport to play when he got there.
As an all-American lacrosse player and three-sport athlete at Lansing Waverly, Robinson was recruited very highly.
Several colleges, that have the nation’s top lacrosse programs, offered him a chance to play, but he only had eyes for MSU.
“My second-grade teacher was a super State fan,“ Robinson said.
“Every Friday, she’d make us sing the fight song and we’d get lots of candy for wearing green or State clothes on Fridays.
“Ever since then, I’ve been brainwashed. I love State.”
So after graduation it was no surprise when Robinson signed to play for MSU. The surprise came instead in the choice of sport - soccer.
Robinson’s original plan was to attend MSU on a lacrosse scholarship, but when the team was dropped in accordance with the Title IX gender-equity law, Robinson had to compromise his goals a little.
Passing up offers from Ohio’s Wesleyan and Denison, programs that have won or shared the Division III lacrosse championship every year since 1985, the Lansing native became a collegiate soccer player.
Although soccer was admittedly his least favorite sport in high school, Robinson said playing for the college he’d grown up with was hardly a sacrifice.
While no Spartan would argue with Robinson’s choice to go green, one of his motives, staying close to his family, turned out to be in vain.
Shortly after Robinson began attending MSU, his parents sold their Lansing home and moved to Nova Scotia.
“It sucked,” Robinson said. “I lived in the same house my entire life, so that was my first experience not having a home, kind of being stranded.”
The Robinson clan remains very close, frequently exchanging e-mails and phone calls.
Despite the distance, Jim and Sherry Robinson have seen their son play in four games already this year and have plans to attend at least one more.
This season especially, MSU soccer fans are thankful at least one Robinson decided to stay in the country.
After redshirting his freshman year and participating in just eight games the next three years combined, Robinson began his senior campaign in explosive fashion, starting six of seven contests so far and earning three shutouts between the posts for the Spartans.
The fifth-year senior boasted the second-lowest goals against average in the nation (.25) through Sept. 15.
That week he was also named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week.
But the results didn’t come without a lot of hard work and patience, something MSU head coach Joe Baum said Robinson has had plenty of.
“That’s the amazing thing,” Baum said.
“Not only did he work extremely hard last year when he wasn’t playing, he was never down or despondent, he was always extremely supportive of his team.
“He’s dedicated with a lot of character and hard work, that’s a nice recipe for success.”
One goalkeeper Robinson had to compete with was junior Mike Robinson. Mike Robinson was the Spartans’ main man between the posts last season, and is Tyler Robinson‘s roommate and best friend.
Hard work during the summer earned Tyler Robinson the starting position, but the transition from best friends to rivals has had nothing but a positive effect on both players.
“We support each other,” Mike Robinson said.
“I know last year when I was starting, I never felt any animosity from him, and now he’s kind of taken over the job I’m going to fully support him.
“We work to make each other better, there’s no animosity whatsoever.”
For Tyler Robinson, the work and sacrifice have definitely been worth the wait.
He has helped guide the Spartans to a 5-2 overall record. The team dropped its first Big Ten game against Indiana 6-1.
“I had to keep things in perspective,” he said.
“It has always been a dream of mine to play for MSU, but I had some great keepers ahead of me, so I had to wait my turn.
“I just kept faith that I would get the chance to prove myself one of these days, and it just turned out for the best.”
