Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/232941
BADGERING TYLER BARNES From his highlight-reel goal that made SportsCenter's top-10 plays, to his overtime game-winning goal that helped put him on the NCAA's top plays in consecutive weeks, senior forward Tyler Barnes has been on full display in December with his spectacular and clutch goal scoring. Barnes has been one of the reasons the Badgers rank in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense through the first three months of the season. He shares third on the team with five goals and ranks fourth with 12 points in 14 games played. "The hockey community is a very tight-knit community. When you're growing up, everyone talks about going to watch their brother or sister play, playing mini-sticks in the corner of the rink. I think it's more of a tight-knit community, so if you get one guy in it the whole family plays it, so it becomes like a tradition." On family connections in hockey: "I walked in right as she got a checking penalty; I was pretty proud of her. I go to see her when she comes here, and one time last year when they were home and we were there (in Mankato). I was able to see part of one of her games there too. Anytime I can, I go ― it's always good to support your siblings, to see them play. "I was never on a team with her. Some of the girls she grew up playing with played with me when we were really young. We have a pond in our backyard so we always have boot hockey tournaments over Christmas ― us, the neighbors, a bunch of our friends. She was my first round draft pick (last year). I played goalie and got her a hat trick. She just cherry-picked and scored a hat trick for us for the win, so that was fun." On watching his younger sister play against UW a couple weeks ago: "We all have these checklists that we look back on the weekend and there's goals you want to him. For me, one of them is obviously being on the score sheet. That's something that I need to bring to the team. Another big one for me is battles in the corners and checks. Chances for and chances against, making sure I'm positive in that category. Not only being on the scorer's sheet but keeping the other team off is another big goal of mine." On what makes him satisfied with his play: "Personal finance is financial planning, stuff like that. Being able to help people, whether it's insurance or investing or whatever they need for people who may not be well-versed in that category, you can help them out." On his major, personal finance: "That's tough. There are so many things that I'm going to look back on, talking to these guys for the rest of my life about the three or four years that we spent together. It's hard to pick just one." On his best memory from his time at UW so far: "It was probably a group gift for me, my brother and sister. We got the original Nintendo, and we had Super Mario and we always used to sit and play that every morning before school." On the best Christmas present he's gotten, or given: 26 // VARSITY December 26, 2013 QUICK Q'S WITH TYLER "Probably Tiger Woods." Favorite athlete growing up? "Facebook. I don't have a Twitter." Twitter or Facebook? "There's a secret prankster that gets around and no one knows who it is yet. Otherwise, it's pretty much everyone versus the freshmen." Team's biggest prankster? "I'm going to have to go with (Matt) Paape. We've got a few good ones, but Paape's got that orange, that thick orange. It's good stuff." Best facial hair on the team?