East Lake’s Taylor making a name for Eagles boys basketball in Florida
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (BVM) — You always hear that the best athletes aren’t the ones who focus on just one sport, but instead have versatility from playing multiple. Maybe that same rule applies to coaching. Britt Taylor, a former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) track and field athlete now turned East Lake High School boys basketball coach, took his team to the 6A state semifinals in March for the first-time in program history. His Eagles even held a No. 1 ranking among public schools in Florida.
This comes as a remarkable turnaround for a team who, before his reign, was struggling to finish seasons with a .500 record. Even more remarkable is that on top of Taylor’s duties with the East Lake basketball team, he is also a track and field coach. The former Tarheel has been named Coach of the Year for track and field five times (2013-17).
This may not be a surprise though as Taylor comes from a strong sports pedigree. His father, Bruce Taylor, played in the NFL for seven seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Bruce was the 1970 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl cornerback in 1971. His uncle, Brian Taylor, played professional basketball for 10 seasons. Brian won two ABA championships, was a two-time ABA All-Star, and led the NBA in 3-pointers during the 1979-80 season with the San Diego Clippers.
Britt Taylor wasn’t a bad athlete in his own right either. Going to high school at Hinsdale South in the western suburbs of Chicago, Britt was an all-state basketball player and all-state jumper in track and field. With low-major offers to play Division I basketball, Britt chose high-level ACC track and field at UNC. His decision paid off as he ended up being an All-ACC performer. However, life has brought him back to the court and brought success along with it.
“I’ve always loved being in the gym. The game never really left me,” Taylor said. “People say ball is life and for me it truly is.”
This love for the game is what Taylor credits for half of his early success. His family background in sports had him with a ball in his hands at one-and-a-half years old. Sports is all he knows. This is why he feels very fortunate to be in this position.
“I know it sounds cliché to say, but I haven’t worked a day in my life,” Taylor said. “I get to do what I love; so I’ve been able to put the work in because it doesn’t feel like work.”
Taylor attributes the other half of his success to his team. Without them, he claims none of this would have been possible. With the school culture at East Lake having never been centrally focused on basketball, Taylor had plans to change that. After their most successful season in program history, finishing 26-4, they are well on their way. The team has bought into his vision, making it a lot easier.
“All it took was getting a group of kids that cared about my mission, our program, our values,” Taylor said. “They have to truly trust in you and believe in you as a coach, and they have.”
With everyone on the same page, the wins have begun to stack up. The community has gotten behind the Eagles as they start to get recognized for their on-court success. However, one thing is still missing from making this cultural change come full circle – a state championship. After their playoff elimination to the eventual state champs, Bartow, East Lake’s historic season fell short. Yet Taylor thinks this will only help their legacy.
“We had a lot of young guys on that team and were able to compete at this stage … it put the taste in my player’s mouths of what they want to accomplish,” Taylor said. “Now they know how hard they have to work and we will definitely try to emulate the way a championship program does that.”
If Taylor is able to complete this mission, and generate some buzz around his name in the coaching world, moving up to the next level may be in his future. Admittedly, although he loves East Lake, it’s something he has considered. He doesn’t want to put a limit on his career goals.
“Like I tell the kids, dream big,” Taylor said. “I dream big too.”
Until then, Taylor is committed to East Lake and their transformation into a basketball-oriented school. Focused on fundamentals and discipline, the former All-ACC jumper has laid the framework for the Eagles future. All they have to do is remain bought into his vision, and the rest will take care of itself.
“As a former DI athlete, I can tell them the mistakes I made, what I want them to accomplish, what worked and didn’t work for my career. … We will do the best we can to make it back next year and win the whole thing,” Taylor said.