Printer Friendly Version - Shutak Ready to Play Soccer at Southern

After earning All-State honors at sweeper for Guilford girls’ soccer squad last fall, recent graduate Taylor Shutak is eager to join the team at Southern Connecticut State University, where she will major in nursing. Photo courtesy of Taylor Shutak

Taylor Shutak learned the value of teamwork and commitment while playing multiple positions throughout her four seasons with the Guilford girls’ soccer squad. Now, Taylor is ready to apply everything that she absorbed as a member of the Indians during her the next chapter of her career on the pitch.

Taylor, who has been playing soccer since she was seven, capped off a four-year varsity tenure with the Indians last fall. After playing outside midfielder in her first two years, she moved to defense and played sweeper for her final two seasons. In her junior campaign, Taylor made the All-SCC Hammonasset Division Team and the All-SCC Second Team. As a senior captain last year, she earned a spot on the All-SCC First Team, along with garnering All-State honors for Guilford.

This fall, Taylor will continue her career at the collegiate level by playing for Division II Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in New Haven.

“I got used to training during the summer to be ready for the beginning of the year at Guilford, and being prepared will be a big part of college,” Taylor says. “As far as the teamwork aspect, as a senior captain, I got used to speaking up and focusing on what the whole team needed, and the saying, ‘We before me.’”

Playing in the backfield, Taylor took great pride in functioning as a field general who was constantly communicating with her midfielders and fellow defenders. Taylor had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders while serving as the last line of defense before the goalie, especially in those pressure-packed postseason moments. However, she was always ready for the challenge.

“I loved seeing the entire field and communicating with teammates to make sure everyone is marked and thinking ahead,” says Taylor, who helped Guilford win the SCC Tournament title in her freshman year. “It was demanding in the postseason, because you are the last person between the forward and the goalkeeper, and you have to keep up with the fast forwards.”

Through the course of her high-school career, Taylor grasped the importance of putting in the work during the dog days of summer in order to help the Indians excel in the fall. Taylor’s extra effort was a big reason why she was named a captain for her senior season.

“I got used to doing the summer workouts and being 100 percent heading into the season, and I wanted to keep improving. I also learned to get used to playing against players more experienced than me and not let it get to me,” Taylor says. “I remember the moment [Head Coach Scott McMahon] told me I would be captain, and it was so exciting. It was a great experience to have that leadership role under my belt.”

It didn’t take long for Coach McMahon to realize that Taylor was going to provide a ton of talent and plenty of passion for his squad. McMahon says that SCSU is getting a great asset in Taylor—no matter what position she winds up playing.

“Taylor has an innate feel for soccer. She plays simple, makes great decisions, and reads the game one play ahead of other players,” says McMahon. “I took a peek at the freshmen on the first day. I could see her quality play and attitude. Within two weeks of preseason, she went from virtually unknown to a starter on an SCC-champion team. She will be remembered as one of our greats. When Southern asked me about her, I confidently said she’d fit right in. She can do whatever is needed, play any position, work hard, and be a complete player for them.”

Balancing soccer with school is nothing new to Taylor, who plans on bringing the same work ethic to SCSU that she displayed as a student-athlete at Guilford. While Taylor is aiming to etch her name in the starting lineup, she’s also simply looking forward to the experience of playing soccer in college.

“I will be a nursing major, and they have an amazing and competitive program there. I will get into a rhythm of doing schoolwork and going to practices and games, because it was something I did in high school,” says Taylor, who thanks her mother, Victoria Corsini, along with her coaches. “I’m hoping to grab playing time and be a starter. It is such a high level of play, so I am looking forward to being on that field.”