Taylor Brancefield '16 Recruiting Profile

I've always set high goals for myself, and as my highschool career is rapidly coming to an end I look into the future hoping to continue to raise those goals as a collegiate student-athlete. Educationally, I've always had high aspirations for myself, which is why I have continually tried to challenge myself in the classroom. Over the course of my high school career so far, I have taken two A.P courses, A.P. Human Geography, and A.P. European History. I took these classes, because coming into high school I believed that I wanted to be a social studies teacher. All of that changed my sophomore year, when I took a class entitled P-News. P-News, is a journalism course which at first teaches you the basics of journalism, and eventually transitions you into writing for the Pulaski Community Newspaper. I took the class for the duration of my sophomore year, and I was hired as the Sports editor in the summer. Ever since I began this class, I realized that all I want to do is be a sports journalist, so undoubtedly wherever I end up going to college must offer a journalism major. Also I would like to become a football or wrestling coach. My first chance to coach, came when my four year old brother Eli, began his wrestling career. Although he did not compete, I was tasked with the job of teaching him the basics of a sport that I wanted him to love as much as I do. This fall, I got my first head coaching job, coaching my brothers flag football team, which I will once again coach next year. I will continue to work hard in the classroom to hopefully one day become a sports journalist, and one day get to coach my brother again. When it comes to sports, I started my athletic career with football. The first football team I ever played on was when I was five years old and my Dad was my coach. I continued playing flag football with my Dad as coach until fifth grade when I decided to move to tackle football. In my football career, I have played many positions, such as middle linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive line, offensive line and fullback. As a junior, I am a starting offensive guard for my varsity football team. Although my love for football is great, the true love of my life has and will be wrestling, sports wise that is. I started wrestling as a sixth grader, thinking it would help me improve my football skills. I immediately experienced success, going a combined 44-5 over the course of my middle school career, so going into high school I had high expectations for myself. As a freshman I broke into the lineup as an undersized 195 weighing only 175. After battling through a tough season, full of ups and downs I realized that I could compete on varsity. I finished my season as a sectional qualifier, a midstates place winner, and a Pulaski invite placewinner. As a sophomore, I was once again undersized at 185 wrestling 220. My entire season was a battle, but the hours of work in the off season paid dividends when it counted. I advanced to the sectional semifinals, and once again placed at midstates. I also finished 17-10 with all of my loses coming to ranked opponents. Going into my junior, and senior seasons I am for once looking to go into a season at weight, and after an off season of workouts and football, i'm ready to make a name for myself at 220. I will continue to always strive for greatness, and improve not only as an athlete but as a student as well.