Behind every leader is a story. Most attribute skill and practice, but for Texas A&M disc golf team captain T Taylor, disc golf has become like family, a sort of bonus birdie.
Taylor helped lead the disc golf team to its first appearance in the Texas Collegiate Championship in three years on Nov. 20 in Waco.
Taylor said his faith and leadership roles are the center of his life. Disc golf, Taylor said, has been a different experience.
Brothers T and Scottie Taylor, the founding members of the A&M disc golf team, grew up in a sibling rivalry, Scottie said. The Taylors played and competed in every sport imaginable, from basketball to football to cornhole. Their knack for picking up sports came in handy when a disc landed in their hands during a church youth retreat, T said. It opened a new chapter in their sports lives.
Though always competitive on the field, Scottie said he sees T has always been intentional about making his life worthwhile, especially during his time at A&M. T attended Impact, a ministry retreat for incoming freshmen and transfer students, before becoming a retreat counselor, prayer leader and current trainer.
Despite taking active roles in other campus extracurriculars, T said he realized sports was the one thing missing. While brushing up on his disc golf skills, T said he realized the A&M club sport had faded out in recent years. With the help of Scottie, the Taylors began recruiting players at Research Park.
Senior Chandler Kramer, a newcomer this season, recalled the first time T approached him on the course.
“I was out playing by myself, and T and some other guys on the team were out practicing,” Kramer said. “He saw me throw a few holes and came over to ask if I’d be interested in joining the team.”
Senior Nathan Crosby, who is also new to the team, tells a similar story to Kramer’s.
“T came up to me at Research after he saw me throwing and asked me if I wanted to be on the disc golf team,” Crosby said. “He’s easy to talk to and easy to connect with, which is important being team captain and all.”
Crosby said one of T’s main roles is making connections.
“He does it so easily, it’s crazy,” Crosby said. “He’s an elite disc golfer and team captain. He’s a man who wears many hats.”
T’s teammates said he is in charge of all of the logistics.
“He reaches out to sponsors and promotes the team,” Scottie said. “He does it all by himself really. He doesn’t ask for much from us besides coming out and performing our best.”
Senior Drew Fitzwater, one of T’s closest friends and teammates, said T has been a huge impact on the team.
“He’s one of my favorite people on the planet,” Fitzwater said. “We all have strong values that make this team so great.”
Unlike other sports, disc golf does not have a coach, so T has the final say in all team matters.
“We have an advisor, John Davison, but he’s pretty hands off,” T said.
T makes sure everyone on the team has an equal say in team decisions, Fitzwater said.
“He’s a really good listener and makes sure to hear everyone out before making a final decision,” Fitzwater said. “He’s younger than most of us, but he doesn’t step on our toes.”
Fitzwater said the team is not just a sport to him, but like a family.
“[T and I] have such a brotherly bond. I’m like the third Taylor on the team,” Fitzwater said. “We listen to each other, we are always with each other, we want each other to be better, not only at disc golf, but in life, too.”
T said his family’s faith is his foundation.
“Every morning when I was little, my mom used to say, ‘Do your best, be a leader and show people Jesus,’” T Taylor said. “If I can do that each day, I see it as a success.”