In just over two years, the 2016 Olympic Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro. Hundreds of athletes from around the globe will gather to compete on the world’s biggest stage. With hard work, good fortune, and community support, one of those athletes could be Waycross’s own Andrew Taylor.
Taylor is a senior at Ware County High School and a third-degree black belt at Pak’s Karate of Waycross. For the past several years he has gone to tournaments, gaining experience and earning the respect of fellow competitors, with the dream of competing in Taekwondo in Rio in 2016
Taylor came up studying traditional Korean Tang Soo Do under Master Ronnie Crews and competes in Taekwondo tournaments, which emphasize kicking above punching. “When I was younger I was always kicking things so my parents signed me up in martial arts,” he says. Now 5’11” and 146 pounds, his lanky frame hides a potentially lethal kicking ability that comes from years of training. Since the beginning of his senior year, Taylor is a perfect 16-0 in tournaments.
Growing up, Taylor played lots of sports: soccer, T-ball, baseball, basketball, football, tennis, wrestling and running cross-country. In 2001, he started taking martial arts from Pak’s in Waycross. Five years later, he earned his black belt and is expected to test for master next year. Because there are no traveling teams in Taekwondo, it is up to parents and instructors to load up vehicles to drive for hours to get to tournaments. Preparation for a tournament takes a lot of work – constant stretching of the legs and hips enable kicks to go high, but multiple repetitions make the legs steady and the kicks strong. Taylor must prepare for sparring, which requires tactical planning, speed and kicking ability. Thus far, Taylor has won 63 medals and trophies and has 44 wins to his credit.
Eight years after competing in his first tournament, Taylor took top honors at the AAU National Championship in For Lauderdale, Florida. After winning the gold medal, Taylor was invited to be on the AAU USA National Cadet team, where he had the opportunity to go the Spanish Open to compete in Allcante, Spain. “I was the only cadet of seven members and one of two AAU USA national team members to bring back a gold medal.” That is also where he met his future coach, Master Patrice Remarck. They met again at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado and came upon the idea that Taylor should train under Remarck to give him an edge in getting to the Olympics.
Remarck had three taekwondo athletes in the 2012 London Summer Games, and his school in Virginia is the only one in the United States recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a “High Performance Training Center.” He is now the head national coach for USAT and is one of the U.S Olympic coaches. It is Taylor’s hope to work with Remarck while he is attending college. This will allow him to continue working toward the Olympics while also majoring in the medical field as a nurse practitioner.
Like most of its students, martial arts has had a positive influence on Taylor. He now has more respect for others and is more of a leader rather than a follower. “He disciplines himself in everything he does,” says his mother, Wanda Taylor. “He sets goals for himself.”
Recently, Taylor competed in Georgia’s AAU qualifier, which is a big step on the road to the Olympic trials. Taylor’s undaunted winning streak continued as he took home top honors in the adult black belt division.
“Our goal is the Olympics and I’m doing anything the Lord wants me to do to get him there,” his mother says.
Anyone who would like to help Drew Taylor make it to the Olympics can make a donation at http://www.gofundme.com/89gd3o
SE-SF-0514-Drew Taylor
Special Feature/ Southeast / May 2014
Drew Taylor
Taekwondo
Ware County High School
Waycross, Ga
By Rob Asbell
Homegrown Olympic Hopeful
