Coach Brad Taylor is back home at Bearden High School.
The new hire for Bearden football was also the Bulldogs’ coach from 2007-2013, and he graduated from Bearden in 1994.
Bearden athletics director Morgan Shinlever served alongside Coach Taylor during his previous stint as Bearden’s football coach.
“Coach Taylor is always very organized and consistent, and so having those two qualities helped me kind of pick up on those things that I needed to do as I grew as a teacher and a coach,” Coach Shinlever said.
During his previous tenure, Coach Taylor led the program through some of its most successful seasons. Notably, Bearden had six playoff appearances, including a run to the state semifinals in 2007 and the state quarterfinals in 2010.
“The whole experience was special,” Coach Shinlever said. “That was the most successful stint in Bearden High School football history.”
The second era of Coach Taylor leading the program will start with a Saturday game on Aug. 23 at West. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Since his return, Coach Shinlever is hopeful that Coach Taylor will leave a lasting impact on players and the program, the same way that Coach Taylor left an impact on him.
“He understands it’s about the process of developing young people within the school building,” he said. “He understands that football is an extension of the school building, and he uses that tool to teach lessons you couldn’t get in the classroom.”
Coach Taylor said he has built his coaching style on the importance of self growth and development, especially outside of the field.
“I want them to be good people and good students, be consistent at working, and then the football part will take care of itself,” Coach Taylor said.
He also wants to set a standard of success for current and future players. He defines success as “improvement in growth.” He wants growth to stem from the classroom, their attitudes on and off the field, their civility and integrity.
“On the scoreboard, it will naturally happen… if you’re doing all those things right, the scoreboard doesn’t really matter that much either,” Coach Taylor said. “You will win more than you lose, and you’ll feel success.”
Senior wide receiver Grant Cross has also seen Coach Taylor’s positive impact on the team’s morale going into the upcoming season.
“Everybody’s more positive … more lifting others up,” Cross said.
The team spent the summer training for their season, as well as getting to know Coach Taylor. Overall, the response toward the new coaching staff has been undeniably positive.
Cross says that Taylor has prepared him to successfully lead the team as a captain this season.
“He’s made me more of a leader,” he said, “and taught me how to step into a leadership role.”