Clay Freshman Carries Father’s Legacy

Maturity is not often associated with a freshman entering high school; however, Clay Blue Devils wrestler Dylan Taylor breaks the mold.

He was first introduced to the art of wrestling around the age of 4 by his father, and the passion he felt for the sport has continued to grow since that time.

“It’s one-on-one, and you don’t have to worry about other people,” says Clay wrestler Dylan Taylor. “All the responsibility falls on you.”

Taylor helped kick-start a wrestling club in Clay County and, despite his young age, was already doing what he could to expand the sport by creating opportunities for those looking to get involved.

When Taylor was 10 years old, his dad was involved in a car crash that took his life. Suddenly, the world that Taylor knew was turned upside down, and he was forced to grow up. Clay Junior High continues to remember his father with its annual Greg Taylor Memorial Duals.

“People ask me if I’m his son all the time,” Taylor says. “It’s pressure to live up to, but that’s fine with me.”

The adversity that he has had to battle has gone a long way in making him the wrestler and the person that he is today. His father’s teachings can be seen as if he is still in the coach’s corner.

“It’s not so much experience as it is instinct,” Taylor says. “You have to take what you learn and practice it more than once. That repetition will take to the mat.”

Helping along the way has been the support within the close-knit nature of the Blue Devils community. From school and athletics to life in general, the people of Green Cove Springs, Fla., have made it a priority to look out for their own.

“Coach [Jim] Reape and Coach [Hunter] Hill were really good friends with my dad, and they are there if I ever need a ride or if a situation comes up,” Taylor says. “It really helps that they are supportive. It feels comfortable.”

Over the past two seasons while at the junior high level, Taylor finished with an undefeated record of 34-0. He looks to maintain that degree of success as he transitions to the next step in high school competition.

“That was my first team experience, and it was pretty cool to be the captain and help others do well,” he says. “That was me growing as a wrestler.”

As part of his training for the upcoming regular season, Taylor went through his first offseason program. He competed in 48 matches, second-most on the team, and finished with a record of 40-8 in those contests.

“You learn something new from every match,” he says. “It helped me to build my technique and the intensity that if you lose, then you’re out.”

Taylor does not shy away from the goals that he has set for himself heading into the season. His first goal is to make the varsity starting lineup, followed by making it to the state finals in the 120-pound weight class.

“You want to basically think of yourself as a new guy coming in,” he says. “You’ve got to push your way up to the top.”

Despite his lofty expectations at the varsity level, he continues to be a leader at the junior high. His familiarity with the program gives him an appreciation of the legacy that has been established.

“My plan is to go over after practice and help them [junior high], because we’ve won two titles in a row which had never been done before,” he says. “I want to keep building that mindset.”

In the Clay wrestling room is a wall that holds the names of all the state placers and champions that have come through the storied Blue Devils wrestling program.

“I want to be on that wall,” he says. “It’s good to know that you’re at the best [school] around so that you can get the most out of it.”