College Athlete Profile: BFA-St. Albans grad Taylor Yates seized an opportunity to play basketball for Endicott his senior year

Only a few high school athletes go on to play two sports in college, but BFA-St. Albans grad (Class of 2020) Taylor Yates, a senior at Endicott College, has played baseball and basketball for the Gulls.

Yates will graduate with his Bachelor's Degree this spring and return for a Master's in Business in the fall of 2024, and while earning that degree, he's planning to continue to compete in college athletics.

Q&A with Taylor Yates

Was it a dream come true to play two sports in college? I think it was a mixture of both a dream and an opportunity. Opportunities presented themselves, and I jumped on them, but looking back, it's like a dream come true. My freshman year was a COVID year, and I didn't play any sports. The way this developed with the basketball team almost feels like a storybook scenario since I went from being a manager to a player.

What motivated you to try out for the Endicott basketball team? I had managed the basketball team since freshman year, so I was with them, and I played with my team for fun. I believe someone related to our head coach saw me playing and messaged me the winter of my junior year. When the team's numbers came down due to injuries, I started playing with the team. In the winter of my senior year, I joined the team as a player.

What was it like joining the team after not playing competitively for three years? It was a unique experience, and it was weird to go from being the manager helping the team while they played to a player on the court. I had good relationships with them, and they were all into it, which made it easy. It was tough basketball-wise at first. I worked over the summer to prepare for the college basketball season and get myself back up to where I was in high school.

What did you find to be different about playing at the college level? The biggest thing for me was the passion that people have while playing. People love the game in high school, but some play for other reasons. Everyone loves the game in college, and each player was one of the best on their high school team. The competitiveness is crazy, and seeing how much everyone improves throughout the season and year to year is cool.

What was your biggest challenge coming back, and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge was getting back to the physicality. I've been training for baseball for the last three years, which is a completely different kind of training. The hardest part was getting my body back to compete in a basketball game for a full 40 minutes. My athletic training coaches and my coaches for both baseball and basketball created a custom training program to help me prepare for both sports.

What did you enjoy most about returning to competitive basketball, and what surprised you? I thought I was done playing basketball competitively after high school; getting to play again is great. The competitiveness, the drive to play in games, and the feeling you get in a close game when it matters can't be matched in intramurals. Those feelings that you get in intense situations are the best part.

I was surprised by the skill level at D3. I'd seen the teams and watched the games but never played against them. The skill level was very impressive.

How did your coaches and teammates support you on the journey? My teammates were a huge support for me. I had participated in some games, and they knew I was skilled, and they'd wanted me to try out before. They knew I'd struggle to return after three years off, but they were there for me, telling me it would get better. My coaches were a huge part. My baseball coach, Bryan Haley, was probably even more excited than I was to have me play basketball. He kept telling me I'd be a good addition to the team. That gave me confidence as well. The basketball coach, Kevin Bettencourt, was also great, helping me do what I needed to make the schedules work.

What's your most memorable moment with the basketball team? I remember when we returned from winter break. The basketball and hockey teams were the only ones at school. We hung out together; there was nothing else to do. It was all the off-court stuff that I'll remember.

I'll also remember the playoff game we played at home. Seeing the crowd and feeling the excitement of the game was amazing.

What do you love about basketball? I love the game, and I've played and coached through high school and now into college. I love the competitiveness. I love competing and watching others compete at a high level.

Would you like to give a shoutout to your BFA-St. Albans' high school coaches? My coaches combined did a good job; they kept it fun, and I didn't lose love for the game while playing.

What does your parents' support mean to you? My parents, Randy and Cathy, have been there for me my whole life. They helped me get to where I wanted to be. They prepared me to succeed in college athletics and always encouraged me to be my best.

Do you have any wise words for younger athletes? Don't give up, and don't quit. I was prepared to be done with basketball when I graduated from high school, but I stayed mentally loving the game, and that prepared me to step back into it when an opportunity arose.