Potwin, Kansas, is a small town located twenty-four miles northeast of Wichita. It was named after landowner Charles Potwin who sold his acreage in 1885 to the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Missouri Pacific had plans to use the land as a railroad station. And just outside this small town of roughly 450 people, lives an eighteen-year old country kid named Kyler who loves playing football.
“I was born in Wichita but raised outside of Potwin in the country my whole life. I began playing football in the second or third grade in flag football.”
What exactly piqued his pigskin pleasure? “Loved the intensity of football when I was little,” replied Kyler. “I liked to hit people—thought that was always fun.” Well, boys will be boys.
Halfway through his sophomore year at Circle High School, Kyler transferred to Wichita Collegiate School—a prep school known for its rigorous academics. “It’s very challenging. All of our classes are honors classes, and we are also required to take Advanced Placement classes,” said Kyler.
courtesy: Kyler Ehm
One reason for the transfer was to help prepare the lad for college. “After football, I’d get home around seven, be up till 10 or 10:30 doing homework, and then go to bed. No free time really, and that’s what college will be like.”
Now in his senior year, Kyler points to a valuable life skill acquired from his days at Collegiate—time management. “That’s one of the main things that Collegiate has taught me is time management skills—how to do things in my free time. During school if we have a little break, I try to do some of my homework or go talk to a teacher or get some of my college applications done,” explained Kyler.
Time management has paid off in the classroom—Kyler is sporting a 3.8 GPA and made the Honor Roll in his freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years.
As for the gridiron, Kyler played both sides of the line—end on defense, guard and tackle on offense. Finding this arrangement necessary yet tiring, this lineman prefers occupying the d-line which gives him more freedom and—one would guess—the opportunity to hit more people.
courtesy: Kyler Ehm
It was at Wichita Collegiate School that the recruiting process began to escalate for this Potwin teenager. “A lot of pretty good athletes attend Collegiate. A lot of [college] coaches know about our school, and it helps. Our head coach, Mike Gehrer, has been there a long time, so he has a good relationship with many schools,” Kyler said.
Several schools have been interested in the award-winning 6’2, 275 lb. lineman, including the University of Kansas. In his senior year alone, Kyler was recognized as: All Metro Wichita Area, VarsityKansas.com Top 33 Player, 1st Team All-State 3A Offensive Lineman, Honorable Mention All State 3A Defensive Lineman, and 1st Team All League Offensive and 1st Team All League Defensive Lineman.
In talking to Kyler, it quickly became apparent that, although extremely talented, he was quick to give credit elsewhere for that talent. “My parents work extremely hard in their mortgage business, and they invest a lot of time in my sister and I. They are good role models for how my work ethic should be.” Through the years, Brent and Daneen have had an expectation that their kids would follow their lead. “My parents have taught me the hard work it took to be successful,” explained Kyler. “My work ethic started in the classroom where my parents pushed me to get exceptional grades as a younger kid. That also carried over to football. That is one of the key traits in life because if I work hard at whatever I do, then there is no limit to what lies in front of me.”
courtesy: thebakerorange.com
Another exceptional role model Kyler credits with his development as a person is his older sister Kyrstie. “I have traveled to watch her play basketball and volleyball all over the country my entire life.” Their parents’ hard work ethic affected her, too. “She was always the last one in the gym working on her volleyball serve or shooting baskets to better herself,” added Kyler. “She had the commitment to be “different” in sports and the classroom, and I believe that watching her do that has inspired me to also do my best and put in the extra work to be different.”
So where will this young man land? How about playing and serving in the United States Air Force Academy. “I didn’t think anything about the Air Force because I didn’t know anything about it. And then my recruiting coach came to school and talked to three of the football players, and he was talking to us about all the opportunities you have,” said Kyler. After a visit to Colorado Springs for a summer camp, Kyler made his decision.
In a word, it is all about “opportunity” on the field and in the classroom. “All the opportunities you get, a free education that’s compared to an Ivy League school. That was really important to me,” said Kyler. “And then you get a job after you graduate, so that’s pretty important. Not have any debt for loans is a big thing—and also service to my country as well. There’s just so many opportunities that you have when you graduate from there that are pretty endless, when you think about them.”
courtesy: Kyler Ehm
“Service” is another word that is important to the future Air Force Cadet. “Before this even happened, I wasn’t thinking military at all. I wasn’t against it, but I didn’t think I was ever going to get to an academy. They’ve already instilled in me—because I’ve been up there three times now—they’ve already instilled in me that everything you do is much bigger than yourself. Like they say, it’s like service before self. So that really hit home, and it really does mean a lot to me,” said Kyler.
His first year at the Academy will be spent at their prep school where he will receive eighteen days of basic military training. On the gridiron, Kyler’s team will compete against other prep schools. His freshman year will include six weeks of basic military training followed by tough academics: Calculus 1 & 2, Chemistry, and Physics.
As for a major, Kyler hopes to concentrate on business management, finance, and acquisitions.
His future will be demanding, intense, and will require life lessons learned from his parents.
courtesy: Kyler Ehm
“My parents engrained the work ethic in me when I was little, and now I have expectations for myself and I am more independent. I push myself more now. My parents don’t need to say much because they know that what I am doing is beneficial, and I am always trying to improve myself. This has also helped in football because to be the best player I can be, I need to work the hardest out of anyone and be a leader to others,” Kyler said.
Over and over again, the hard work ethic was at the tip of the teenager’s tongue.
“Hard work is the base that they have taught me, and commitment also derives from that work ethic. My parents have taught me to set goals for myself, and I do. Long-term goals take thousands of hours until they become reality. I believe that this comes true with my recruiting. I always had dreams of playing Division 1 football, but that wasn’t always on my mind. I just worked as hard as I could and let God steer me in the right direction. And I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity than the Air Force Academy will provide me with,” said Kyler.
Upon graduating, Kyler will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. So in five short years, my cousin, Kyler Ehm, will graduate from the Air Force Academy as An Officer and A Lineman.
The Missouri Pacific Railroad, the first to be built west of the Mississippi, had stops in Colorado. The MoPac was never a financial success and was bought out by Union Pacific in 1982. Even though the MoPac no longer transports people to Colorado, this country boy from one of the original railroad stops west of the Mississippi has found his own way to get from Potwin, Kansas, to Colorado Springs.
