But after a teammate convinced him to try out for track and field — a sport that Flunker did not participate in at MVL — Flunker found that not only did he enjoy it, but he excelled.

Flunker quickly found his footing as a high jumper, becoming one of Gustavus’s top options in that event in his freshman year. This year, he elevated both figuratively and literally, tying the school record jump at 2.05 meters [just under 6 feet, 9 inches] and being selected as a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region athlete in his sophomore season.

“I am just super blessed and happy about it,” Flunker said. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen. I went to Gustavus getting recruited for football, then some teammates kind of reeled me into track. Being in my second year of track and being in this position I was in, tying the school record and being in the All-Region honors and having two more years to go, I’m super blessed and happy with everything that’s going on.”

Flunker said that the opportunity to join the track team came up during a football practice.

MVL alumnus Kyler Flunker, switched from football to track and field and found he excelled at it. Photo courtesy of Gustavus Athletics

“One of my buddies who was on the track team, we were kind of just talking, and he was like, ‘Hey, you should try track,'” Flunker said. “Push came to shove, and we talked to the coach that was there last year, and he just gave me the opportunity to try it. We found that high jump was my best event, and just from there, I found the love for it. Realistically, it wasn’t anything crazy, just one of my buddies told me to try it, and I tried it. And here we are.”

Flunker said he knew that track and field was truly for him after he tied the school record high jump at the Gary Wilson Invitational at the University of Minnesota on April 22 this year.

“I definitely had a good year last year, and I knew that I wanted to keep going,” Flunker said. “I didn’t know it was going to be this big really until I hit that school record height. Indoor season, I didn’t have the greatest season. I did well, but I kind of plateaued. And then all of a sudden, I went to the U of M meet and I hit that school record tie, and I just knew from there it was going to be a great year.”

Flunker credits a lot of his improvement to his coaches.

“I think a big part of it was my new coach, coach Jacqi [Rae].” Flunker said. “Coach Jacqi brought in some cool strength ideas and preparation that I’ve never really thought of before. When I went into that meet, I did everything that I had been doing, I felt like I was more ready in a way, and I couldn’t really tell you why it was that way. But just the mindset and preparation going into it, I was calm and just having fun really.”

Photo courtesy of Gustavus Athletics Gustavus Adolpohus College’s Kyler Flunker takes off during a long jump event.

Flunker was the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion in high jump as well, earning an All-Conference spot with a 1.94-meter jump, and just missed out on attending the national meet in high jump this year. Making the national meet will be a big goal as he continues his college career.

“I was about two spots away and I needed a centimeter PR to make that spot in nationals,” Flunker said. “Definitely have the motivation with missing nationals this year to making it next year. And along with high jump, I also started long jump this year. I’m currently the best long jumper on the team, so with those two events, I think just improving in those not only in marks but also just as an athlete, getting stronger and having more fun with it as I go is really the goal.”