At community colleges like Palomar, it’s common for sports programs to hold a sophomore night. It’s a night of celebration, usually held prior to the start of the team’s final home game, to recognize the second-year athletes who dedicated themselves to a rigorous schedule of playing a sport while also receiving a full-time education.
The lights dim low inside the dome at Palomar College before the announcer reads off the names of sophomore players on the Comets’ men’s volleyball team. With each name read, a player walks across the floor with a bounty of flowers before handing them off to their family with a thankful embrace.
For one player on the Comets, the exchange is very impactful.
The cheers for Team Captain Tyler Yraceburn reverberate around the dome in an all-encompassing crescendo. Yraceburn’s Palomar career has been a highlight reel of acrobatic hits and jump serves that would make a Cirque du Soleil performer blush.
Unlike the rest of the team, Yraceburn is playing in his third season with the volleyball team. His second season was stripped away due to injuries he suffered on the court, but tonight he receives a proper and enthusiastic send-off.
“In my first year, second-to-last game, I tore my ankle. Last year was supposed to be my sophomore season, and I tore my shoulder a couple of games in, so luckily I got to play another season,” Yraceburn said.
Injuries can have a drastic impact on an athlete’s ability to play, but Yraceburn’s recuperation from the previous years’ traumas is plain to see, given the stats he’s racked up over his final season.
In the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC), Yraceburn ranked second overall in two offensive statistics with his 238 total kills and a rate of 3.45 kills per set. He was one of only three players to rank in the top five of all hitting statistics.
“It’s nothing short of phenomenal, everything Tyler does. He is the most dedicated person on the court at all times,” teammate Justus Pfeiffer said.
Yraceburn’s achievements also include a ‘Player of the Month’ recognition from the PCAC in his freshman year, but this honor will never outweigh the importance he holds for his team.
“It’s always great to be recognized but it really, it’s cool, but I want to win games and play with my team overall. I’m always striving to better myself but it doesn’t matter to me as much as the team does,” Yraceburn said.
Yraceburn’s skills extend beyond his playing ability. His affinity to lead, inspire, and his humility are what solidified his position as the team’s captain.
“Tyler is a natural born leader, I mean, he is the best kind of leader, which is that he leads by example. He is always there early, he’s always there late, he is always doing everything he can to keep people’s heads up, their chins up,” Justus Pfeiffer said.
Since the eighth grade, Yraceburn has been wholly dedicated to improving himself as a player. Long nights practicing in a gym, club teams, and countless hours of watching film brought him to elite status as a volleyball player, but now he’s considering a new path.
“Playing is fun and it’s definitely a passion, something I’ll do for a very long time, but I think I have some other things I need to branch out to,” Yraceburn said. “I’m trying to expand a little bit more beyond that, and coaching is just going to help me.”
Yraceburn has been coaching at SoCal Volleyball Club since 2022, and after he graduates from Palomar, coaching will dominate his future in the sport as he aims to inspire future volleyball stars. His playing career at Palomar ended with a chorus of cheers, but his coaches believe his achievements here began a new journey for the volleyball program.
“Tyler is putting us on the map. Leaving a legacy for a lot of these young men that are coming up under him to reach a goal that we now can compete with everybody in this conference,” Assistant Coach Jay Connor said.
Palomar’s volleyball team and coaches describe Yraceburn as relentless, confident, disciplined, courageous, and a beast. His desire to refine himself and motivate those playing around him to strive for improvement promises a bright future for Palomar’s volleyball program.
“You can try for better always, and I’d like to do that,” Yraceburn said.
