Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Profile: Kyle Ahrens
11/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Kellie Van Maele, MSU Athletic Communications
It's March 29, 2015, and Kyle Ahrens is pacing back and forth in his Versailles, Ohio, living room. Michigan State had just advanced to the Final Four, giving Ahrens just a taste of what it would be like to be a Spartan.
Fast forward to Nov. 4, and reality had set in. Ahrens scored his first basket against Northern Michigan University during his debut donning the green and white.
"It's a real blessing to be here," said Ahrens, a freshman guard. "When I first stepped foot on this campus, that's when it really hit me. My mom even told me that the first practice she came to she watched me with tears rolling down her cheeks because she knew that I loved it so much. I knew this was the place for me."
Growing up in a town of fewer than 3,000 people, Ahrens is very family-oriented, especially when it comes to basketball.
"I played for my dad in high school," Ahrens said. "He's always pushing me to get better each and every day. I mean, there would be Sundays that we would go to church and right after we would look at each other and say ‘Let's go to the gym.' He would work until 5 p.m. every day and every day at 5:30 p.m. he would be coming down the stairs â€" I wouldn't even have to see him â€" and he would be ready to go to the gym."
In his role both as a father and an assistant coach, Kevin Ahrens also played a major role when Kyle suffered a season-ending leg injury his junior year â€" the year that his Versailles team was projected to make it to the state finals.
"We had four of our five starters back and then I went out, then our second leading scorer went out with a torn ACL â€" that year didn't turn out so great," Ahrens said. "I learned a lot from my dad that season. We always watched film together and studied the game more. I went through my whole junior year watching the game and studying the game, not as a player but as a coach."
Ahrens remains humbled by the support from his family and his friends, something that he knows will continue through his time at Michigan State.
"It was a major transition coming from Versailles to MSU," Ahrens said. "The fan support back at home â€" everyone knew everyone â€" so the crowds were phenomenal. On Friday and Saturday nights the gym was always packed. I remember there were games where cars were parked all the way down the roads and people couldn't even fit in the gym â€" those were fun nights."
Ahrens understands this support will continue to grow at MSU â€" tenfold.
"Obviously there's a lot more Michigan State fans," Ahrens said. "Now I get to go into an arena with 15,000 people watching â€" that's going to be an adrenaline rush."
Ahrens' transition has been difficult, but it has been rewarding because of everything he's already experienced. He credits the team's trip to Italy for much of the success he's had thus far.
"It built chemistry between us," Ahrens said of the Italy trip. "I loved the trip because when we first got there, I mean, we knew each other, but by the end of the trip we were all a team. We definitely built a close bond and they all really took me under their wing."
Ahrens did not forget to credit Lourawls ‘Tum-Tum' Nairn Jr. for welcoming him â€" mostly by telling him to get in the gym. "Tum-Tum is always the one talking to me and telling me to get on the court," Ahrens said. "Everyone is telling everyone to get in the gym. Here we're all focusing on getting better together, so if one of us is going to work out, we're going to bring two or three other teammates with us. It's really what we are all doing for each other, not just ourselves."
At the heart of this team mentality is Tom Izzo, whom Ahrens is positive will mold him into the person he desires to be.
"I really am blessed," Ahrens said on playing for Izzo. "I know coach Izzo will build me into the man that I want to be later in life. He is going to make me as successful as I can be, whether it's on the court or off the court. I knew that right from the beginning. My mom and dad knew that. I understood it was going to be tough to play for him, but whatever he says I'm going to do. I know he will build me into the best person I can be."
As Ahrens now begins his journey at MSU, he could not help but to think back to his first dreams of playing college basketball.
"Being able to play college basketball at such a high level, it has been a dream ever since I was a kid," Ahrens said. "I remember going to the YMCA to play. I would act like there were hundreds of people watching me take a last second shot â€" it's really a blessing to see how things work out."
