Virginia Military Institute’s cadet-athletes have to juggle cadet life, heavy academic course loads, and their NCAA Division I sport. Committed to both academic and athletic pursuits, balancing their rigorous schedule in both sports and school requires a certain level of commitment and discipline. Behind the Balance is a series that focuses on those cadet-athletes and how they handle the hurdles of the day-to-day.  

LEXINGTON, Va. Feb. 12, 2024 — In first grade, Tyler Mousaw ’24 came home from school with a letter offering a chance to choose between two sports — basketball and wrestling. Mousaw said wrestling seemed like the more enjoyable option, and the rest is history. 

“It's not like any other sport,” he said. “It's a team sport and an individual sport. When you're out there, it's kind of just you and just something about it that's fun.” 

The economics and business major plans on working in the private sector after graduating in the spring. He chose Virginia Military Institute because he needed to attend somewhere he could grow. He said he wasn’t a stellar student in high school, so he wanted a place that could push him to be the best he could be. 

“I just needed discipline,” he said. “I knew I needed to go somewhere where I would grow up kind of fast. VMI's done that for me.” 

The cadet regimen has worked out for Mousaw. Plus, being a D1 athlete on VMI’s wrestling team has enabled him to find ways to balance everything. 

Cadet-athletes at VMI not only have their responsibilities with their selected sport but cadet duties on top of that. Cadets are also required to take physical fitness classes twice a week, participate in ROTC all four years, prepare for room and uniform inspections, practice for parade, guard duty, and more. 

He said he’s good at compartmentalizing. 

"I make the most of my time. When it's wrestling time, it's wrestling time. I don't really think about academics or anything. When I'm not wrestling, I try to get my schoolwork done as quickly as possible so I can relax and do other things.” 

His days usually start with waking up at 5:45 a.m. and getting to Cormack Hall for early practice, which is usually weightlifting. If he still has schoolwork to complete, he’ll return to his room and finish that before heading to breakfast, then onto class. Around noon, he’ll have a break for lunch, but he’s back to classes until about 2 or 3:45 p.m. depending on the day. Following that, it’s back to Cormack for more practice until about 6 p.m. 

Mousaw usually gets a break after practice before formation at 7:30 p.m. and then onto supper, so he opts to have some downtime. But after supper, it’s back to the books.   

Wrestling starts immediately upon arriving to post in the fall.

"Pretty much as soon as we get back to school in the beginning of the year, we start preseason [training]. It's a lot of running and working out getting back in shape,” he said. 

He said the team stayed in Lexington over winter furlough to have two-a-day practices. His season starts in November and goes until about March. Although that may seem rigorous, his favorite part about attending VMI is that he gets to be a part of the wrestling team.  

"It's just the bonds with the teammates ... it’s a pretty tight bond,” he said. "Everybody's going out there and putting it on the line in front of everybody and it's a battle. You develop a respect for everybody.” 

But VMI has instilled something bigger in him — honor. 

“The biggest thing is the Honor Code. It's just something good to live by,” he said. "Don't lie, cheat, or steal. You're setting yourself up pretty good right off the bat. My maturity before I came here, I was just like a normal high school kid. You know, a little bit rebellious. Then I came here and it forced me to grow up quickly. I think I'm more attuned to dealing with different situations. I'm more adaptable, and just ready to be done and get into the workforce.” 

Laura Peters Shapiro
Communications & Marketing
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE