First Posted: 3/23/2015
Taylor Powers will admit that she wasn’t the greatest softball hitter or fielder growing up. She was, however, known by her teammates as “wheels.”
That’s one of the reasons Powers, a 2014 Pittston Area graduate, made a transition to track and field once she began high school. Those “wheels” ended up taking her to East Stroudsburg University’s track and field team for her freshman season.
During her first indoor season for the East Stroudsburg Warriors, Powers was able to qualify for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships. With a time of 8.15 in the 60-meter dash, Powers set her qualifying time at Lehigh University in January. That gave her a chance to compete on the conference’s biggest stage.
“To have a chance to go was amazing as a freshman,” Powers said. “When I went there it was a little overwhelming. I didn’t know too many people. “
At the PSAC championships held in late February, Powers actually ran the same exact time as her qualifying mark, which is her personal best. She finished 18th in the prelims and did not advance to the finals. Her teammate, Danielle Smith from Whitehall, won the championship with a time of 7.62.
“I expected to get a new personal best,” she said. “I didn’t run the greatest.”
As the indoor season has come to a close, Powers looks back on it as a tough transition. Pittston Area doesn’t have an indoor track to practice on. Therefore, Powers’ transition to the college indoor season was a difficult one. There were some injuries along the way because of it, but she got through them.
“Taylor obviously has some wheels,” East Stroudsburg women’s coach Chris Merli said. “Like most young ladies, they are nervous and shy. They get by on their ability and the training here is much more intense. She’s made a great adjustment and is being patient with the process.”
East Stroudsburg has had one outdoor track meet so far this season.
In the season opener at Washington & Lee University, Powers ran a sub-13 second time to finish sixth in the 100. That was her best race coming out of high school.
According to Merli, this will be a nice change of pace for Powers. The outdoor season is much different than the indoor season.
“She’s more familiar with the outdoor season,” Merli said. “There’s not that hesitation or wondering what’s going on. The big thing is to just make sure she’s learning something.”
When Powers was a junior at Pittston Area, she ran a 12.6 to qualify for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association championships. According to her, she hasn’t been close to that mark since.
“I made states both indoor and outdoor when I was in high school,” Powers said. “I’d like to get back to those marks. If you do work hard and try to set a goal, it can happen.”
She also competed in the 200 at Washington & Lee. In that event, Powers finished 19th with a time of 27.82. Her goal is to get that number down to the high-26s by the end of the season.
She is also a member of the 4×100 relay team where she runs the first leg.
In 2014 Pittston Area, Powers was part of the team’s first District 2 girls track and field championship since 1988. She misses many of her teammates and coaches, she said. That championship, however, will be something she’ll never forget.
“It was the best feeling in the world,” she said. “There aren’t really words to put in it. I miss my old teammates tremendously. Just to be back with them when I can is fantastic.”
Since her track season has started at East Stroudsburg, Powers’ biggest supporters, her parents, have been there for every meet, including the PSAC championships in Erie — a four-hour drive.
Powers is the daughter of Tammy and Robert Powers, Duryea.
“They come to every single meet,” Powers said. “They traveled four hours to see me run for eight seconds. It’s pure dedication.”
Currently, Powers is studying biology with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. Prior to choosing East Stroudsburg, Powers had Temple and West Chester on her short list. She fell in love with the East Stroudsburg campus and her coaches. The best part is she gets to run, she said.
“The coaches at ESU were so nice and always kept in contact with me,” she said. “I knew they were looking out for their athletes. I wanted to stay close to home. I couldn’t leave my parents totally.”
