One word comes to mind where Taylor Reed is concerned: Humility. Being humble makes #6 a human stealth jet, flying under the radar. He can be seen in attack-mode on Friday nights for the District Champ Bruins. He is also air-striking in his other endeavors. Reed is a devout Christian, who walks his talk, an academic striving toward his professional future and a self-disciplined coach’s favorite, working quietly and without complaint. He is balanced in a diversity of pursuits, a real find for prospective colleges. But, you would never know it. Being humble, he keeps his successes confidential.
Faith drives Reed to help people. For the past three years, Reed has volunteered his time through the church to take part in the BRI “Paint-a-Thon”. This is a volunteer project to paint the homes of the elderly, who are unable to afford to have their homes painted professionally. (For more information: http://www.briathome.org/paint-a-thon.htm ) He recently read, Dr. Myles Monroe’s Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer. Taylor describes it as “practical answers about communicating with God.” He can also be seen on Sundays serving the congregation at Antioch Missionary Baptist, working the TV camera during services. Some of this information came from people more willing to exult in his character traits than him.
To be all he can be, he is open to new subjects. Reed identified Coach Kirby Jones as a teacher who sparked Reed’s interest in History. However, he believes that his future lies within the realm of architecture. His brother Travis is an architect who has motivated Taylor to try and follow his footsteps. The West Brook Linebacker does very well in his other course work. Coach Arthur Lewis, Jr. is buoyed by the responsibility shown by this young man. “He’s always on the Honor Roll. You don’t hear from him. But, you never have to worry about him.”
West Brook’s #6 will not be limited by physical pain. Coach Chad Johnson has been impressed by Reed because he quietly applies himself, usually without comment, always without complaint. Johnson praises his player because he played the entire first half of this year in pain with a muscle injury. The coaches never found out about the injury until it was almost fully healed. With his typical modesty, Reed plays down the injury. His focus is on the mission to win, not himself.
Taylor Reed is a tough, rapacious athlete as a football player. A stealthy attacker, his target is the ball carrier, not the resulting adulation. Off the field, he has a commensurate desire to help people. He embraces his education as an opportunity. A volunteer painter, history buff, reader, aspiring architect, impervious to pain, WB’s #6 seems to launch into whatever he does. Silently, wherever, whenever. But, you might never know it. He’s sure not going to tell you.
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