Junior forward, BJ Pugmire drops some of his writing skills on the blog with his weekly look at the different aspects of the BYU soccer program.

As most kids do, Tyler Christiansen, a junior defender for the Cougars, grew up playing basketball, baseball and soccer. Unlike most kids, Christiansen dedicated himself to soccer at the young age of eight.

Christiansen said his father was the most influential figure is his sports career.

“My dad served his mission in Argentina in 1978 when they hosted the World Cup,” Christiansen said. “He fell in love with the game there, and we have pretty much been a soccer family ever sense.”

Being a soccer family, the Christiansen’s were excited when the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup. Tyler and his father were attended three matches and that’s when Tyler decided he loved soccer more than any other sport.

In junior high, Tyler’s family moved to Salt Lake City where he attended high school. Christiansen claims that he never planned on attending BYU during high school, but after an email written by his father to coach Watkins, the Cougars started to show interest in the defender.

Coach saw me play at the Far West Regional tournament,” Christiansen said. “I later received an email from him stating he wanted me to attend camps, so I did. I committed at the beginning of my senior year.”

Christiansen said his he has grown a lot as a result of attending BYU.

“I never had to fight for playing time before I attended BYU,” Christiansen said. “I have had to come to grips with coming off the bench and try and make a difference, but it has made a better player as a result.”

Christiansen said he will pursue soccer as long and as far as possible.  As of now he enjoys spending time with his wife and high school sweetheart Mackenzie, wakeboarding and coaching his Celtic Storm soccer team.  With the World Cup just on June 11 I asked Christiansen who he thought would win.

“Of course I wan the U.S. to win, but my money is on Argentina,” he said.

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