Profile: Willie Taylor

#2 posting 10.7.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

PROFILE: Willie Taylor
Starting today (and periodically throughout the year) gbbrecruit will be running profiles of coaches--past and present. Today we tip off the series with Willie Taylor, two time defending Minnesota AAAA state champ.

schooling: UMD, U of MN, Metropolitan State

mentor coaches: Tom Gunderson, Clem Haskins, Gerald Kenan, Ziggy Kauls, Doug Fields

basketball coaching jobs: St. Paul Central, DeLaSalle assistant, Mounds View, St. Paul Harding

Favorite basketball movie: Glory Road

Favorite game venues: Hopkins, St. Paul Arlington, Rochester Civic Center, Target Center

favorite team growing up: New York Knicks

Meal before a game: a small light meal two hours before the game

starting five from your high school career
1-point Kia Carlisle, Angel Robinson
2-Theairra Taylor, Jenny Cafferty
3-Ebony Black, Kiara Buford
4-Stacy Fields, Ashley Ellis-Milan
5-Whitney Winberg, Geoegiedda Jones
From Harding 3-Shannon Loeblein; 4- Cara Pearson

opponents starting five from your high school career
1-Farah Williams, Kate Townley, Carolyn Keiger
2-Miller Twins, Mia Johnson
3-Tayler Hill, Tia Battle
4-Leslie Knight
5-Sherrie Stafford

starting five from your AAU career
1-Farah Williams, Erica Haugen
2- Maurie Horton, Rashida Gales
3-Anna Heikannen, Megan Vogel
4-Brenda Stackowski, Molly Hayden
5-Haley Sammes, Jennna Smith

opponents starting five from your AAU career
1- Susan King
2-Kelly Miller
3-Coco Miller
4-Megan Walseth
5-Liz Podomonick

favorite opponent: Minneapolis South, Woodbury, Hopkins

Best opposing Coaches: Dave Preller, Faith Johnson

trend you like in high school basketball: I like that more schools have moved their start times for games to 7:00

trend that needs fixing in basketball: Shot clocks would make the games more exciting

most memorable game you coached: South (06-07 State Championship), South (07-08 State Championship)

most painful loss: As an Assistant at Harding (1990-91 State Championship) Harding Lost to Burnsville in Overtime. Mounds View (1992-93 State Championship) lost to Burnsville

If you could go to a college to assist which one: Stanford, Texas

Favorite Minnesota female athlete in another sport: Lauren Gibbemeyer (Volleyball), Shani Marks (track and field)

biggest change in basketball since you started coaching: Less turnovers, better shooters

Favorite value in others: Happiness and a big smile

Thanks coach Taylor.

Next up: tomorrow or when news breaks.