On Wednesday, April 22, 2015, Pennridge senior Taylor Chapman was recognized for signing a letter of intent to compete in track at the University of Iowa. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/042215_signings_4_mjs
Taylor Chapman – University of Iowa (Track)
Major: Speech Pathology
Final list of colleges: Iowa, Mississippi, Kansas, Ohio State, Pitt, Hampton, George Mason
Reasons for choosing Iowa: “To be honest, (Cheltenham senior) Christian Brissett. I didn’t decide to go there because he was going there. It was more because me and Christian are very close. We talk on a daily basis. He took his visit out there and just had great things to say about the whole place. He just loved it.
“So I took my visit out there, and I definitely understood what he was talking about. Everything just clicked. I really got along with the coaches and the girls. It’s such a small group, and I know I’m going to get individual, one-on-one type (coaching).”
What was the progression that led you to competing in track at the collegiate level? “I started thinking about it when I was a freshman. I actually played soccer for 9-10 years, and I quit my freshman year to take track seriously. Yes, I was a great soccer player, but my potential in running – I would get so much better. I started working with other people. I started lifting and then I started getting faster, so I was like, ‘Let’s do this. Let’s get a scholarship.’
“It’s been a long journey. A lot of tears, a love-hate relationship with track. Track is fun, but track isn’t fun. We’re other sports’ punishment. They get punished, and they have to run. We run for ‘fun.’ I do love track, but I do hate track also sometimes.”
Coach Bill Smith says: “(Taylor) is certainly one of the best sprinters this school has ever had. She set the school record in the 200, she’s a member of the school record 4x100, the school record 4x400. She hasn’t broken the 100 record yet, but we still have time left here.
“She had an immediate impact on our program from day one – from her freshman year all the way through. Obviously, she’s a state champion in the 4x200 relay indoors and a medalist in several (events) indoors and outdoors – 100 medalist last year, 200 medalist last year, multiple medalist in the 4x100 sprint. She definitely has had a tremendous impact. In this year’s senior class, she is one of the big three who really reshaped the program.
“She has strived to get better and better each year, which she has done. She does have natural ability, but in this sport, natural ability only takes you so far. If you don’t work, then you don’t get to the elite level, the level she has put herself in with some of the best in the country. She wants to win, she has a drive to win, and I think that will carry her through to college.”
About Taylor:
Favorite food: “Lasagna but not with normal meat – deer meat or elk meet. My family is hunters. I’m a hunter as well. It’s what we do, it’s what I eat.”
Favorite movie: The Green Mile
Favorite music: R&B
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