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06/14/2018 12:00 AMTaylor Scully says that she loves breezing by defenders to either score a goal or assist one of her teammates for a goal as a member of the Hand girls’ lacrosse team. This season, Taylor used her speed to help the Tigers put a plethora of goals in the net during their championship season.
Taylor recently completed her career as a senior captain attacker for Hand girls’ lacrosse after serving as a captain and playing forward for the SCC champion girls’ soccer squad in the fall. Taylor made the All-SCC First Team in soccer and then repeated that achievement on the lacrosse field this spring, in addition to being named the SCC Player of the Year. During the recent postseason, Taylor helped the Tigers claim their fourth straight SCC Tournament title, after which they made their second state final during her tenure with the team. She finished her high-school career as the leading scorer in Hand girls’ lacrosse history with 435 points.
“I like how I can use my speed to beat defenders, and the type of plays you make with your teammates are also special. I like to do a 1-2 step and beat defenders on the side, but I also used the back of the net to help change direction sometimes,” says Taylor. “I’m more of a driver than a cutter, and I also love assisting and setting others up for goals. It’s an awesome game for me when I have six or seven assists.”
Taylor says that the speed of her shots and fancy footwork on offense didn’t all come naturally. Taylor has worked around the clock throughout the year to develop her swift, yet precise movements when she has possession of the ball.
“Since I was little, I’ve been quick on my feet, but I also did a lot of speed and agility training,” Taylor says. “I worked a lot on moving with the ball with quick feet. The little things add up in games, like with learning how to run with the ball in a tight game.”
The process of learning how to come through clutch in nail-biting situations helped Taylor and the Tigers reach the top of their conference this season. Along the way, Taylor had the helper on the game-winning goal when Hand earned a Senior Night victory versus Conard.
“It’s all about taking risks and timing when it comes to making decisions out there. It’s all mental and about how you can finish a play,” says Taylor. “In overtime against Conard on Senior Night, I hit one of my teammates and she ripped it in, and it was awesome to be part of that.”
Taylor feels the time she spent at the captain’s helm during the soccer season helped her answer any questions she had about stepping into a leadership role. Consequently, Taylor came into the spring campaign with no doubts about how she wanted to lead the girls’ lacrosse squad.
“Being a senior captain means everything to me. I got the kinks out with being a captain during soccer,” she says. “I learned you must think of everyone else first before yourself and give it your all, so I go into each game with a fiery attitude.”
Hand girls’ lacrosse Head Coach Kevin Siedlecki praises Taylor for her knowledge of the sport, along with the selfless attitude that she brings to the team. Siedlecki adds that Taylor has an ever-present desire to test herself both on the field and in the books.
“Taylor is an incredibly tough competitor, and everyone follows her lead when it comes to hustling for every ground ball and getting in opponents’ faces to create turnovers. She has unsurpassed vision and understanding of the game. She is most proud of her ability to distribute and set her teammates up for success,” Siedlecki says. “Taylor is also an excellent role model for her peers in the classroom, challenging herself with honors and [Advanced Placement] classes, and taking satisfaction in learning as much and performing as well as she can, just like she does on the lacrosse field.”
Now that the dust has settled on her time with the Tigers, Taylor feels extremely thankful for everything that her experience as an athlete at Daniel Hand has given her.
“Being part of Hand athletics has helped me create strong bonds and relationships with people that I will have forever. My time has also taught me dedication, hard work, and perseverance,” says Taylor. “I am going to be sad leaving Hand. I have had amazing coaches, teammates, and a great athletic director in Craig Semple. All of these things have added up to make my time at Hand a memorable one.”