Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month: Jeff Taylor

Steve Virgen

In men’s volleyball, a game of momentum, adrenaline and emotion,

Jeff Taylor’s laid-back personality sticks out like an opera fan at a

rock concert. It’s no wonder regret easily rolls off him when he ponders

his first year at Orange Coast College, after turning down a chance to

play for Cal State Northridge.

“I’m really happy with that decision because I’ve grown a lot,” said

Taylor, who received a full scholarship, which included half for soccer.

“I don’t think I was ready for Northridge or any other school.”

Taylor, the Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month, uses his calm,

yet aggressive demeanor to his advantage. The 6-foot-3 freshman outside

hitter never let emotion control him as he finished third on the team in

kills and was essential in the Pirates’ run to an Orange Empire

Conference championship and the state-title match Saturday. He finished

with 12 kills and one service ace in the four-game loss to L.A. Pierce

Saturday at Long Beach City College.

“I’m just a really laid-back kind of guy,” Taylor said. “Not a lot of

things bother me. That helps out in volleyball. If the referee makes a

bad call, I’m not going to complain. I’m going to try to keep things

smooth for the team. I want to keep everything cool because you don’t

want to get out of control.”

Taylor was certainly in control April 13, when he hammered a team-high

16 kills, without a single hitting error. His performance led the Pirates

to a 25-16, 25-21, 25-23 victory over rival Golden West.

Taylor’s 10 kills also led the team in April 11, in a three-game sweep

over OEC runner-up Irvine Valley College.

“I had been having some trouble in the past two games with my

spiking,” Taylor said of facing Golden West, a contest he called his best

match of the month. “My timing was just off. But, in that match, it all

just came back to me. I was feeling really confident about my playing.

That was just the best feeling. Sometimes, you get those doubts that

you’re not good. But, once you start playing your game, it’s just fun.”

The season didn’t start with much fun for Taylor. He began the season

on the bench. He made the most of his playing time and he went all out

during the Pirates’ practices. Still, after turning down Cal State

Northridge, Taylor endured some humility when he spent time as a

substitute. The experience taught him to be even more of a team player,

he says.

“That was kind of hard because I never really sat on the bench

before,” said Taylor who was named to first-team All-South Coast League

twice while at Mission Viejo High. “But, that made me want to work hard

to get more playing time.”

With a tireless effort and the support of his best friend and

girlfriend, Shannon Cottrell, Taylor thrived in his role early in the

season and would soon break into the starting lineup.

Cottrell can also take much of the credit for Taylor being at Coast.

After Taylor decided not to attend Northridge, he almost went to Irvine

Valley because the Lasers had his friend, Greg Ford, who played with him

at the Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club.

“She was actually a big factor (in coming to OCC),” Taylor said of

Cottrell, whom he met in a ceramics class a year ago at Mission Viejo.

“She came back from Senior Day wearing an OCC sweater and I thought I

could go there too. They have such a great volleyball program.”

Taylor has been doing his best to carry on the winning tradition at

Orange Coast. His role of the patient, versatile hitter should get bigger

next year. And his maturity combined with his good-guy character gives

Coast Coach Chuck Cutenese hope that the Pirates can return to the state

title game next year.

“He’s that All-American boy next door,” Cutenese said of Taylor who

works three days a week at a fast-food burger restaurant in Laguna

Niguel. “He’s really serious about his girlfriend, really serious about

school and really committed to the team and his teammates. He may be only

18, but he’s serious about volleyball and he’s extremely coachable. He’s

a steadier player now than he was before and I think that comes from

being around the players that are equally talented as he is.”