Wranglers Abroad: Mark Tomasovic

In 2011 Mark Tomasovic started as a freshman at The University of Texas at Austin and hit the ground running, joining the Texas Wranglers as a member of the class of Fall 2011. His willingness to succeed and outstanding leadership earned him the Jimmy Green Award during his Maverick semester. An exceptional and dedicated student, Mark is described by his peers as an outstanding friend who lives life to the fullest and enjoys giving back to the community. These characteristics were exemplified last summer when Mark took off the last week of his internship to travel to Kenya.

Mark and his friend Kevin organized the trip through Arrive in Kenya, an organization that takes children off the streets and gives them a second chance of a fulfilling life. While staying at the Keumbu Rehema Childrens Home (KRHC), the orphanage associated with Arrive in Kenya, the children are well taken care of, receive a quality education, and are taught skills such as farming, computer skills, and mechanical training. KRHC also assists many of the children in their battle with drug addictions. The specific project that Mark and Kevin undertook was the construction of a fish pond. During their stay at the KRHC, they designed a plumbing system that would collect rainwater for the pond and drain the old nutrient-rich water into the garden to support plant growth. The additional nutrients from the tilapia and catfish will help the kids grow and develop, as well as add some variety in their diet.

Prior to their stay at the orphanage, Mark and Kevin tackled the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. They opted to take the 5 1/2 day Machame Route, or “Whiskey Route”, known for being the most scenic, but one of the more challenging routes. “The last day of the ascent was the hardest part,” Mark recounted. “We began our last day at 12 am, made it to the summit (19,341 feet) at 6 am, saw the sunrise, and then returned to lower camp at 12pm.” Battling altitude sickness, knee pain, and overall exhaustion, Mark and Kevin finished the entire descent in 1 1/2 days. When asked if he wore his Black-and-Gold at the summit, Mark smiled, “I had it in my day pack the entire trip. I took it out at the top and took a ton of pictures with it.”

When asked if he would return to Kenya, Mark said, “I would love to go back to Kenya to work with Arrive in Kenya again. Right now, I want to continue to support the organization from Texas, and do my best to spread awareness of the current political and socioeconomic issues in Africa. The trip was the single most eye-opening experience of my life and I would love to see Arrive in Kenya grow exponentially in the near future.”

“Wranglers strengthened my understanding of how volunteering really impacts the community. While working at Easter Seals of Central Texas during my time as a Texas Wrangler, I was given an opportunity to get involved with those who need it most. Community involvement made me realize that I am blessed to be a student at the University of Texas. And because I believe that we, as humans, are a global community, I wanted to extend my reach to Kenya.”



Texas Wranglers make an impact on their peers, community, and the world, both as an organization and individuals. Mark Tomasovic’s commitment to help others is the embodiment of the Wrangler spirit, and we are proud to have him as a brother. 

Service Spotlight: Sandbox at Madeline's Place

The Sandbox at Madeline’s Place is a plan for a recreational center that will serve teen’s emotional and physical needs. Its mission is to support teenagers as they navigate adolescence and to ensure their experiences to be safe, happy and reassuring. It will feature places to play and have fun including a building for schoolwork, tutoring and spending time with other students and mentors. By creating both indoor and outdoor volleyball courts, the facility will be able to sustain itself from the profits brought in by competitive leagues and team events hosted by The Sandbox.

Just a few weeks ago the Texas Wranglers and Texas Darlins had the opportunity to visit the facility, which is still in stages of planning and construction, to help the crew build benches and learn more about their vision. The afternoon was spent cutting wood, putting all the pieces together, sanding and staining the benches and meeting The Sandbox’s supporters.

Their mission was an inspiration to all of the volunteers, and their vision was exciting and realistic. We hope to visit The Sandbox soon to show our support for the construction of the site and the realization of an important mission. We look forward to seeing the finished courts and headquarters of The Sandbox, and can’t wait for the service they will be providing to several high schools around Hutto.

For more information, visit their website at http://www.thesandboxatmadelinesplace.com/ or contact The Texas Wranglers. Any donation or volunteer work is welcomed! Keep an eye out for upcoming volleyball tournaments-they will offer one of the only indoor sand volleyball facilities in central Texas. We look forward to future opportunities to help them grow and expand this facility.

This one of many service events that the Texas Wranglers complete throughout each semester, stay tuned for information on other events and happenings.

Alumni Spotlight: Taylor Hale

As a student at The University of Texas at Austin, Taylor Anderson Hale joined Texas Wranglers in the Spring of 2010, followed a few years later by his graduation in the Spring of 2013 with an International Relations major and Spanish minor. As well as being a Texas Wrangler, Taylor was a member of the University Air Force ROTC. 

In both organizations, Taylor showed leadership and determination from Day 1. Within his Maverick class, his brothers called him a motivator and frequently looked to him as role model in all aspects of the program including; workouts, service, and academics. Taylor was always one to push his Maverick brothers to reach their full potential - earning him the Jimmy Green award for excellence during the Maverick semester. As an active Wrangler, Taylor made an impact through various officer positions, one of them being Secretary. As Secretary Taylor never failed to keep the meeting room in continuous laughter from his always-entertaining slideshows. In all roles he held, his knack for organization and leadership allowed him to keep the active Wranglers focused and determined throughout each semester.

Today, Taylor is serving our country in The United States Air Force, as an Officer in the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). TACP is one of three elite special operations groups within the Air Force. His responsibilities include commanding and controlling air assets from the ground and advising the Army ground commanders on which air assets should be used on specific missions. Taylor explains, "The biggest asset we bring to the battlefield is being able to be attached to any unit and establish communications for air support for that team."

When asked how his time in the Texas Wranglers has impacted his training and experience with the Air Force, Taylor replied, "A significant amount. I was the team lead for our platoon from day one and I made a team message board for the guys to put important info up on." On that board he wrote at the top: 'Willingness to strive, to persevere and to be the best that I can', along with other lines that are represented in the Texas Wranglers creed.

"Wranglers has a much stronger bond and purpose than you ever realize while you're at UT. I have been able to apply so many lessons I learned from not just the Maverick semester, but from what it means to be a Wrangler after you earn that black and gold and the responsibility that comes with that. Once you earn your beret here, it's on you to decide how good of a TACP Officer you want to be."

Always humble, Taylor mentioned, "I've got an opportunity to have a huge impact on the battlefield and I'm thankful to have a brotherhood like Wranglers to back me up."

It is an honor to have Taylor Hale representing Texas Wranglers in the armed forces. We offer our most sincere thanks to Taylor for his service, loyalty, and commitment to The United States of America.

Longhorn Basketball is in Full Effect

As Texas Wranglers, in addition to priding ourselves on scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability…we also pride ourselves on our ability to support UT Athletics. Although we are very active among all UT sports, we are especially committed to Texas Men’s Basketball, as we are the official spirit group of the Men’s Basketball Team. 

This relationship has been established since the existence of our organization, and it is a relationship we continue to foster as the years go on. Apart from having a major ongoing history with UT Basketball and their successes with the likes of T.J. Ford, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Kevin Durant…our organization aims to maintain the highest of efforts in regards to attendance and support, no matter the outcome of each and every game. 

In recent weeks, Texas (16-4 overall) has gone 5-0, beating three ranked teams in Iowa State, Kansas State, and Baylor in a row - a new school record - to cap off that winning streak. As Texas Wranglers, we could not be more excited for the future of this team and the high possibility of making the March Madness tournament this year. This team has plenty of talent with standout players like Javan Felix, Jonathan Holmes, and Isaiah Taylor, and our organization could not be more prepared to see them put up huge numbers this upcoming weekend against Kansas. So if you love Texas Men’s Basketball, and if you love your fellow Texas Wranglers, come out to the Frank Erwin Center this Saturday, February 1st at 3:00pm and join us as the Texas Longhorns take on the Kansas Jayhawks!

-Karan Ramchandani, Texas Wranglers Basketball Liaison