Taylor '08

When did you start playing football and what position do you play?

I started playing in eighth grade. I was originally a lineman, because as an eighth grader I was too big to be a running back. I've been varsity slot back, running back, linebacker, defensive end, kicker and punter, along with a little quarterbacking the week before the Cannon Game.

How was that game for you?

The Cannon Game is always a great experience, always a good game. I've won two and lost two during my years here. It's just such a huge adrenaline rush having so many people there. It's what we work towards all season.

What's the hardest thing about playing football?

Trying to tackle a running back who is so much quicker than you. And then there's the pressure that comes with kicking and punting. It's just such an individual thing that if you mess it up, it's all on you—no excuses. Playing under Mr. Hyde for three years, I'd say the hardest thing with him was just getting everything right. You don't make a mistake when Hyde is watching you, and if you do, there's going to be trouble! I've had a ball punted at me before. That's the game of football, though; it's not supposed to be easy. That's what I like about it so much; it is such a challenge; nothing comes automatically.

I've enjoyed the feeling of always getting better, and knowing that I was helping the other kids on my team get better. I loved coaching kids on how to make their individual game better. I love the feeling of being on a team.

In what ways do you think St. Andrew's has prepared you for college?

One area I feel prepared in is dorm life. I understand that the dynamic on dorm is going to be completely different in college, but I am going in with an understanding of how to live with other people on a dorm. The other way I feel that St. Andrew's has prepared me for college is through teaching. I have learned to ask questions at every opportunity to further my understanding of the material—deliberate and intentional questions designed to help me in the best possible way. My St. Andrew's teachers have taught me that the questions themselves are just as valuable as the answers. I think this is going to be a valuable skill in the college learning experience.

Besides sports, what are some of your other hobbies and interests?

I really enjoy getting off campus and going to see things. I also really enjoy what my roommate and I call "excellent adventures," where we just go into the woods or out in a canoe to explore the pond. I really like being outdoors. That relates to my interest in science. I'm in AP environmental science now, and I just love it.

What will you miss most about St. Andrew's?

You're gonna make me start crying. I'm afraid this is something everyone would say, but I'll say it anyway. I'm going to miss the friendships I've made here so much. I've gotten to know my friends so well through living with them; we've become like family. We go to each other with problems; we help each other. I don't think that's something I could have gotten at a day school, where you don't really see your friends past a certain time of day. St. Andrew's has such a strong sense of community, and I just know I'm going to miss that at college, where it's sort of every man for himself. That's going to be a rough transition, from such a tight-knit community to a more independent atmosphere. At St. Andrew's, my teachers are really trying to do the best for me and help me. I don't know if I'm going to find that at college. I certainly hope I will.