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03-25-2012, 12:02 PM
Somerset Offensive Lineman/Longsnapper Taylor Speaks has signed an academic and athletic scholarship to attend Georgetown College and play football for the Tigers.
As his Dad I'm excited to watch him continue his playing career. Congrats Taylor.
Below is the text of the Commonwealth Journal article on his signing.
As his Dad I'm excited to watch him continue his playing career. Congrats Taylor.
Below is the text of the Commonwealth Journal article on his signing.
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03-25-2012, 12:03 PM
Somerset's Taylor Speaks Signs With Georgetown College
By TIM HYDEN, CJ Correspondent
Commonwealth Journal
Taylor Speaks has been a fixture in the Somerset High School athletic program during his teenage years. Now Speaks is set to become a fixture on the next level after agreeing this weej to play college football for the Georgetown College Tigers.
“I’m very excited,” said Speaks. “I’m almost at a loss for words because I feel so truly blessed to have this opportunity.”
By choosing George-town Speaks joins a storied program that has brought three NAIA National Championships back home to central Ken-tucky. Head Coach Bill Cronin has turned Georgetown into a model program in his 15 seasons at the helm. Cronin has been named Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year six times, National Coach of the Year twice, and is coming off a 2011 campaign which saw him named as the Regional Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. The Tigers made it to the national semifinals and finished ranked #3 in the nation with a 12-1 record last season. Their most successful run came in the years 1999-2004, which saw them go to four national title games—winning two of them.
Speaks is fortunate in knowing exactly what his role on the team will be when he steps onto campus next fall.
“Georgetown is a championship program, and they got that way by attention to detail,” said Speaks. “They realize the importance of special teams, and they want to focus on my being a long snapper in the beginning. But if I put on some weight and work hard there’s an opportunity to be in the mix for an offensive line position.”
But football is not the only thing on Speaks’ mind right now. Not only has the well-rounded senior been a three-sport star at SHS — he was also a force inside for the basketball team, and is embarking on his senior season in baseball, where he will start at first, pitch, and swing one of the meanest bats in the line-up — but Taylor is also a 4.0 student. He enters intercollegiate athletics will full knowledge that his future will depend on his education.
“The first question I asked about any school I looked into was ‘what is your placement rate in graduate school?’ said Speaks. “I plan to major in history at Georgetown, but my goal is to go to law school. And Georgetown is great athletically and academically. They’re way up there in all the rankings. So my family and I decided that this was in the best interest for my future.”
While many busy athletes struggle with grades because of poor prioritizing or a lack of time management skills, the best way for a high school athlete to meet the demands of sports and studies equally is probably just to find out what Taylor Speaks does, and copy his approach. But even then you may not equal his results.
And surpassing him would be a true miracle. His GPA, after all, is a perfect 4.0. So it’s no surprise to discover that Taylor is a member of the National Honor Society, is a Governor’s Scholar, and is President of the Unite Club. He has also been active in advocating for changes at SHS that have positively affected both students and faculty.
“Taylor Speaks is the kind of kid most parents only dream of having,” said
Somerset Head Coach Rob Lucas. “He is a great young man and a great football player. Taylor Speaks will be a success at whatever he does, and Georgetown is lucky to have him as part of their program.”
While Lucas has high expectations for Speaks’ future he recognizes that the senior’s absence next season will leave a big absence on the field and in the locker room for his Briar Jumper team.
“There will definitely be a big adjustment period on the line for us,” said
Lucas. “Taylor was always working with the younger guys on their assignments and understanding the scouting report. I don’t believe anyone on our team put in more time studying films and preparing for the game each week. He has been a very steady influence on our team, and he has been a great contributor on the field ever since stepping in as a sophomore starter in the State Championship game.”
According to Lucas, Speaks’ biggest challenge may be his weight. After weighing around 230 at the start of his high school career, Taylor’s physique grew leaner along the way and his weight dropped to around 200. If he eventually becomes a more full-time contributor on the offensive line, as Lucas predicts he will, it will be because of added bulk from the work in the weight room. And if he needs the extra incentive of being pushed in the weight room by a familiar face, two Pulaski County sports fixtures will be on the roster at Georgetown with him — Winston Hines from Pulaski County High School, and Allan Williams from Southwestern.
Speaks was joined at the signing by high school football coaches Lucas, Singleton, and Swearingen, and SHS basketball coach Don Daniel. Friends there in support were Josh Stambaugh, Bryson Jones, Andy Manning, and Bridge Smith. The guests of honor were Taylor’s father Jason Speaks, his mother Kelly Leigh, and his younger brother Christian Leigh.
The event was clearly a celebration of a quality young man, his accomplishments, and his opportunities. But there was a small sense of regret that Taylor felt during the occasion and wanted to address.
“It was a great day,” said Speaks. “I only wish that some others could have been here with me for this, but they couldn’t make it because of work responsibilities. I would have liked to share this moment with my baseball co ach Phil Grundy, and our principals —Wes Cornett and Bob Naylor. But most of all, I wish my step-dad, Bruce Leigh, could’ve been able to make it. I respect and appreciate the influence these men have had on my life, and there presence at the signing would’ve been the only thing that could’ve made the event any better for me.”
By TIM HYDEN, CJ Correspondent
Commonwealth Journal
Taylor Speaks has been a fixture in the Somerset High School athletic program during his teenage years. Now Speaks is set to become a fixture on the next level after agreeing this weej to play college football for the Georgetown College Tigers.
“I’m very excited,” said Speaks. “I’m almost at a loss for words because I feel so truly blessed to have this opportunity.”
By choosing George-town Speaks joins a storied program that has brought three NAIA National Championships back home to central Ken-tucky. Head Coach Bill Cronin has turned Georgetown into a model program in his 15 seasons at the helm. Cronin has been named Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year six times, National Coach of the Year twice, and is coming off a 2011 campaign which saw him named as the Regional Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. The Tigers made it to the national semifinals and finished ranked #3 in the nation with a 12-1 record last season. Their most successful run came in the years 1999-2004, which saw them go to four national title games—winning two of them.
Speaks is fortunate in knowing exactly what his role on the team will be when he steps onto campus next fall.
“Georgetown is a championship program, and they got that way by attention to detail,” said Speaks. “They realize the importance of special teams, and they want to focus on my being a long snapper in the beginning. But if I put on some weight and work hard there’s an opportunity to be in the mix for an offensive line position.”
But football is not the only thing on Speaks’ mind right now. Not only has the well-rounded senior been a three-sport star at SHS — he was also a force inside for the basketball team, and is embarking on his senior season in baseball, where he will start at first, pitch, and swing one of the meanest bats in the line-up — but Taylor is also a 4.0 student. He enters intercollegiate athletics will full knowledge that his future will depend on his education.
“The first question I asked about any school I looked into was ‘what is your placement rate in graduate school?’ said Speaks. “I plan to major in history at Georgetown, but my goal is to go to law school. And Georgetown is great athletically and academically. They’re way up there in all the rankings. So my family and I decided that this was in the best interest for my future.”
While many busy athletes struggle with grades because of poor prioritizing or a lack of time management skills, the best way for a high school athlete to meet the demands of sports and studies equally is probably just to find out what Taylor Speaks does, and copy his approach. But even then you may not equal his results.
And surpassing him would be a true miracle. His GPA, after all, is a perfect 4.0. So it’s no surprise to discover that Taylor is a member of the National Honor Society, is a Governor’s Scholar, and is President of the Unite Club. He has also been active in advocating for changes at SHS that have positively affected both students and faculty.
“Taylor Speaks is the kind of kid most parents only dream of having,” said
Somerset Head Coach Rob Lucas. “He is a great young man and a great football player. Taylor Speaks will be a success at whatever he does, and Georgetown is lucky to have him as part of their program.”
While Lucas has high expectations for Speaks’ future he recognizes that the senior’s absence next season will leave a big absence on the field and in the locker room for his Briar Jumper team.
“There will definitely be a big adjustment period on the line for us,” said
Lucas. “Taylor was always working with the younger guys on their assignments and understanding the scouting report. I don’t believe anyone on our team put in more time studying films and preparing for the game each week. He has been a very steady influence on our team, and he has been a great contributor on the field ever since stepping in as a sophomore starter in the State Championship game.”
According to Lucas, Speaks’ biggest challenge may be his weight. After weighing around 230 at the start of his high school career, Taylor’s physique grew leaner along the way and his weight dropped to around 200. If he eventually becomes a more full-time contributor on the offensive line, as Lucas predicts he will, it will be because of added bulk from the work in the weight room. And if he needs the extra incentive of being pushed in the weight room by a familiar face, two Pulaski County sports fixtures will be on the roster at Georgetown with him — Winston Hines from Pulaski County High School, and Allan Williams from Southwestern.
Speaks was joined at the signing by high school football coaches Lucas, Singleton, and Swearingen, and SHS basketball coach Don Daniel. Friends there in support were Josh Stambaugh, Bryson Jones, Andy Manning, and Bridge Smith. The guests of honor were Taylor’s father Jason Speaks, his mother Kelly Leigh, and his younger brother Christian Leigh.
The event was clearly a celebration of a quality young man, his accomplishments, and his opportunities. But there was a small sense of regret that Taylor felt during the occasion and wanted to address.
“It was a great day,” said Speaks. “I only wish that some others could have been here with me for this, but they couldn’t make it because of work responsibilities. I would have liked to share this moment with my baseball co ach Phil Grundy, and our principals —Wes Cornett and Bob Naylor. But most of all, I wish my step-dad, Bruce Leigh, could’ve been able to make it. I respect and appreciate the influence these men have had on my life, and there presence at the signing would’ve been the only thing that could’ve made the event any better for me.”
03-25-2012, 12:09 PM
Congrats to both you and Taylor! Can't wait to see him play at Georgetown!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
LOSERS QUIT WHEN THEY'RE TIRED, WINNERS QUIT WHEN THEY HAVE WON
LOSERS QUIT WHEN THEY'RE TIRED, WINNERS QUIT WHEN THEY HAVE WON
03-25-2012, 02:10 PM
Congrats
03-25-2012, 02:35 PM
papagrit Wrote:Good luck to Taylor! I've known of Speaks since he and my son crossed paths a few times in scholarly programs and athletic competition. My son thinks quite a bit of him and I wish the boy the best!
Thanks papagrit. I think I know your son then too. Taylor has mentioned him several times and thinks a lot of him as well.
03-25-2012, 05:53 PM
Congrats to you both, he is an outstanding ball player. Georgetown got a good one.
03-28-2012, 07:51 PM
LeeCoUKFan Wrote:Congrats to both you and Taylor! Can't wait to see him play at Georgetown!
Thank you. Let me know when you come up to a game.
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