In recent announcements, Kyle Taylor, the head coach of men’s basketball at Salt Lake Community College, will be leaving after five years with the team. Taylor will join Coastal Carolina University after accepting a job offer to serve as an assistant coach.
Time spent at SLCC
Before his departure, Taylor reflected on positive experiences he had while at SLCC, specifically explaining how valuable and rewarding his encounters were.
“Salt Lake Community College [has] had a profound impact on my career,” Taylor said. “I’m grateful for the five years I got to serve as the head men’s basketball coach … they have been some of the most rewarding of my life.”
Taylor said that his players’ ambition, including their aspirations of playing Division One basketball, is something he would miss about coaching the Bruins.
“Working with players who have to go to JUCO is really rewarding,” Taylor explained. “When you see them mature and succeed in the classroom and ultimately achieve their goal of going D1, it’s pretty special.”
Rewards and accolades
Taylor racked up some notable achievements during his five-year tenure at SLCC.
Taylor won the West District Coach of the Year award four times. Under Taylor’s leadership, the Bruins earned two Scenic West Athletic Conference regular-season titles and four Region 18 titles.
All in all, with Coach Taylor at the helm, the Bruins took five consecutive trips to the NJCAA National Tournament, which is played annually in Hutchinson, Kansas. Although Taylor’s teams never won a national title, finishing runners-up in 2022, he achieved a record of 143 wins and 20 losses.
However, when asked about his own favorite accomplishments, Taylor mentioned none of these accolades. Instead, he focused on his players’ successes and how many of them transferred to Division One programs.
“My favorite accomplishment was sending 45 players [to] D1 in five years,” said Taylor. “Seeing players achieve their dreams is really special.”
Final goodbyes
When saying his last goodbyes to the team and the college, Taylor recognized the Bruins’ winning culture, overall environment, and the administrative support he received during his time at SLCC.
“I will miss winning and competing for championships,” said Taylor. “There are very few schools with the tradition, yearly success, resources and administrative support to do what you can do at SLCC.”
To read more about Coach Taylor and his time at SLCC, visit the SLCC Athletics website.
