In a Family Full of Athletes, Karlyn Dyal Makes Her Own Path
Karlyn Dyal comes from an athletic family, including her father who played tight end in the NFL for five years and two older siblings who also played college sports. The sophomore on South Carolina’s beach volleyball team is making her own path in the sand.
“I never grew up with the pressure to be an athlete,” said Dyal, who grew up in Kerrville, Texas and is in her second season with the Gamecocks. “My dad was always humble about his career. We all went to the same high school that he did, so we were known as Mike Dyal’s kids. My sister is ten years older than me, and my brother is eight years older. I was the baby, by a lot! I grew up going to all of their games. It didn’t feel like an expectation, but I just thought I was going to be an athlete, too.”
Her father, Mike, played football in the NFL with the Raiders, Chiefs, and Chargers in the late 1980s through the early 1990s. Her brother, Cade, played football at Texas A&M-Kingsville, and her sister, Kendall, played basketball at Schreiner University in her hometown.
“It took some pressure off of me too where I didn’t have to be who my sister was or who my dad and my brother grew up to be.”
After playing indoor volleyball most of her young life, Karlyn started playing beach volleyball as a sophomore in high school.
“I originally wanted to play basketball like my sister,” Dyal said. “I wanted to do everything she did. Then I switched to volleyball.
“I had played indoor volleyball since the fourth grade, and then in high school I wanted to try beach to see if I liked it. I always found it interesting. I loved it! It’s outside, and it doesn’t hurt as much when you dive. It’s more ‘chill,’ and the vibes are always fun.
“It was interesting in teaching my family what volleyball was all about. They’re still learning. It took some pressure off of me too where I didn’t have to be who my sister was or who my dad and my brother grew up to be.”
While her siblings stayed close to home for their collegiate opportunities, Karlyn opted for an opportunity further from home and didn’t look back.
“They told me that if this is where I wanted to go, they would support whatever decision I made,” say Dyal, who is studying applied sports psychology and counseling. “It was a little hard on my parents to see me go this far away, but when we came here, and they saw all the resources we had, they were very comfortable with it and excited for me. They come to all of the home matches, and depending on where we travel, they’ll come to some of those, too. I’m very fortunate that they can do that.”
After originally wanting to be a teacher like her mother (Lisa), she now aspires to become a mental performance consultant, preferably in the NFL.
“I’d love to do that in the NFL,” Dyal said. “I was talking to (Associate Athletics Director for Academics) Charlie Ball, and she told me about this new major. It sounded exactly like something I wanted to do.”
In her free time Dyal enjoys reading and baking cookies. Now she is looking forward to her sophomore season and competing for a regular spot in the lineup under a new coaching staff, headed up by Jose Loiola this spring.
“The transition has been very smooth, and we are all very excited,” Dyal said. “The coaches are excited, too. It’s been amazing! I’m excited for growth from last year. I feel like we’ve grown a lot. I really like all the people here.”
