SYDNEY TAYLOR
Fort Gibson High School
There are no half-way measures in the way that Northeastern State sophomore-to-be Sydney Taylor approaches soccer or life. Look at her trek through high school in Fort Gibson where she graduated early.
“During the year school was out in the spring for Covid, I took three classes that summer that got me ahead on credits and so I finished all of my academic requirements for graduation by the end of my junior year and just decided to head on to college,” said Taylor.
But her decision on where to go play college soccer wasn’t easy.
“I visited a couple of colleges early on but kind of dismissed NSU because it was so close and I wanted to get away. But when Idid tour NSU and talked with coach (Chase) Wooten, I felt at peace with how he coached the game and how he stressed academics. I’m in pre-med and would like to be pediatric surgeon someday so NSU’s excellent science program was a plus as well.”
Being younger than most incoming freshmen, Taylor had some adjusting to do but again plowed forward with full force.
“Learning how to juggle schoolwork and travel and soccer was a challenge that first semester. A lot of the times that meantstudying on the bus on road trips if that’s what it took to get the assignment done. But the professors have been great at working with me.”
Sydney started all 19 soccer games for the RiverHawks last year scoring three goals, three assists and two game winning goals including a very special one late in the season.
“It was against Rogers State with the scored tied. We got a corner kick and so I took my spot by the goal. Then the ball came in on a bounce and right on to my head and I put it in-what a rush! That won the game for us and got us into the MIAA playoffs,” said Taylor.
Her advice to seniors looking for a college home?
“NSU is big enough that you have lots of options for studies and clubs but not so big that you feel like you’ll drown in a giant pool. This has been one of the better years of school I’ve ever had and I’m happy with my choice of NSU.”
