Focused on West Point

There is a back story to the Army T-shirt that Memorial High graduate Krys Kyle wears proudly today.

If you had asked Krys two years ago what West Point means to him, he might have given you a blank look or a neutral response. He didn’t know too much about West Point, N.Y., which was established in 1775 by George Washington as a key post in America’s Revolutionary War period.

Being admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point today is an exceptional honor. It became a goal for Krys when a recruiting coach contacted the well ranked Mustang running back to see if he would visit the prestigious academy located near New York City, and also the West Point football team and coaching staff.

That recruiting phone call and a follow-up visit helped Krys make an important life decision: He was intent on being an Army student athlete. Area U.S. Congressman Ted Poe nominated him for West Point admission and a later Army career.

Krys, however, had a stumbling block. He needed a higher SAT score. He took the test four times. In February, he got the score he needed, but it was too late for West Point football recruiting and admission. Krys pursues his goals, however.

And his West Point dream is still possible. In a few months, Krys will join the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School, also at West Point, where he will join up to 200 other young people seeking full admission to the service academy.

Krys is no quitter, a personality trait he credits to his parents. His dad served as a U.S. Airborne Ranger, an elite military fighting group, and his mom was a Navy service member. Krys now plans to be the first in his family to be admitted to a national military service academy. 

“I credit my parents for making this all happen,” he says. “My dad has never let me quit, and that is how I was raised. He said, ‘You need to do everything possible and be ready for everything.’”

 

His West Point visit made Krys focus on the future. “The coach made it really feel like home. I would like to be part of something bigger than myself, and it felt to me like it was where I did belong. Today, I’m excited about being in the military. Two years ago, West Point or the Army were not something I ever thought that I’d be doing.”

Krys has attended Memorial High for the past two years. Before that, he lived in Houston with his dad and spent two years at Lamar High School.

In addition to Houston, Krys grew up in Romeoville, Ill., in suburban Chicago. Between a Houston and Midwest upbringing, Krys has interned at a hedge fund based in Charlotte, N.C., and has had a variety of other adult-based experiences.

A music fan, he likes to attend concerts. Some of his favorite artists include Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar and Kayne West.

“Having lived the inner city and outer city, Lamar [High] versus Memorial [High], Chicago versus Houston, I think all those experiences have helped me to become what I am today . . . and I’ve really learned to understand people, and why they are the way they are by being here [at Memorial],” he reflects. “For me, more kinds of people means more opportunities.”

Memorial Counselor Stephanie Jackson calls him enthusiastic, optimistic, independent and ambitious.

“Krys has successfully balanced the demands of extracurricular activities, schoolwork and varsity football. The time commitments that are required both during the on- and off-season are significant, yet Krys handles everything on his plate with ease,” she said.

“Whether he is coordinating plays on the field, coaching up the younger players, or putting forth the extra effort in practice, his remarkable guidance makes his teammates better. Krys always pushes himself to the best, and he works hard to help others so they can experience the same success,” the counselor also said.

Krys is looking forward to success at West Point’s preparatory school and then as a West Point student, athlete, graduate and military officer.

“Getting ready for college, football and student life are what the past two years have been about for me. I’ve set and met goals, met a lot of new people, and grown as a student and a person,” he says.

Oh yes, and now he proudly wears an Army T-shirt. He has a new goal to achieve.