Elon freshman kicker Leo Taylor's athletic career has been shaped by learning to not let other people’s expectations determine what he can do.
Kicking the ball at the Division I level is the latest step in a journey that began with soccer, playing throughout his childhood before turning to football as a way to stay involved with sports without feeling the pressure he began to feel playing soccer at a high level.
“I was starting to really stress with soccer and wanted to find other ways to enjoy myself still in sport,” Taylor said. “And so kicking kind of came up.”
Taylor first tried football and soccer during his freshman year of high school. As he played both sports he found he enjoyed the football environment more.
“I really loved the spirit in the team,” Taylor said. “It was just fun to be with people and play.”
His path to Elon was not immediate.
Taylor said his recruiting process included “a lot of ups and downs” and moments where he felt disappointed.
Taylor was born with a congenital limb difference that stopped the growth of his right arm. This was one factor, he said, that some schools struggled to understand during the recruiting process.
Elon’s coaching staff took a different approach.
Elon assistant special teams coach Mike Nall first heard about Taylor through a kicking and punting coach in the Chicago area. Nall initially did not expect the recommendation to be different from the others he’d received, but after watching Taylor’s film, he saw potential.
Nall said Taylor’s arm did not affect his ability to kick and that his kicking ability, work ethic and commitment to improving stood out during the recruiting process.
“As far as I'm concerned, that right arm has nothing to do with being a good kicker,” Nall said.
Taylor said growing up his parents encouraged him not to treat it as something that should prevent him from trying new things. That mindset allowed him to enjoy his childhood without constantly focusing on his arm.
That perspective has carried into his friendships. Taylor said even his closest friends sometimes forget about his limb difference.
“I don't make it as much of a way of life as maybe people would think,” Taylor said.
When he arrived at Elon however, Taylor had concerns about whether his teammates and coaches would see him differently.
“I didn't want to be seen like a mascot,” Taylor said. “I didn't want to be a promotional tool.”
Instead he wanted to be treated like any other member of the football team.
Nall said that has been the approach from the coaching staff. Taylor has participated in team activities and has even worked as scout-team receiver at practices.
“He doesn't use that as an excuse at all,” Nall said. “He can catch the ball, he can actually punt the ball, so he hasn't let that arm be any kind of an inconvenience.”
Taylor’s biggest concern entering college football was not whether he could kick, but whether he could handle the physical demands of it.
He had not done much lifting in high school, particularly upper body workouts and was nervous about keeping up with the team's training.
Elon's staff worked with him to find alternative exercises, including single-arm workouts, that allowed him to train alongside his teammates.
Walking into the season he knew his opportunities would be limited so his goal was to continue improving, contribute to the team and make the most of his opportunity on the field.
Taylor currently handles kickoffs for the team. Elon is first in the conference with 15 touchbacks.
“To be able to do kickoffs is everything I could have wished for so far,” Taylor said.
As a young athlete, Taylor saw another kicker, Drew Combs from Texas Christian University, competing with a limb difference at a high level. Combs showed him that athletes with limb differences could find a place in competitive sports.
“I would like to inspire more of the people like me and the younger generations to kind of step out of their comfort zone and take a shot at life,” Taylor said. “You can't really wait for life to give you that opportunity.”
Taylor said he hopes young athletes see him on the field and recognize they do not have to limit themselves based on what other people may think they can do.
“Just be free, be yourself, have fun, enjoy it,” Taylor said, “because most people think about themselves a lot more than they're going to be thinking about you.”
Nall said he sees a future at Elon that could extend well beyond his freshman season.
“I think Leo has a chance to be a phenomenal kicker,” Nall said
Nall said Taylor has the work ethic, discipline and talent to become one of the program's standout kickers by the time he graduates.
But Taylor is not looking that far ahead. Each kickoff is another opportunity to compete, improve and another chance for a younger athlete watching from the stand to see what's possible.
Kathan Gandhi contributed to the reporting of this story