Widgets – Coach Audrey Taylor

Trust the Process

July 20, 202691

Every new chapter asks something of us. Not just new skills—but a deeper trust, a stronger faith, and the courage to become who God is calling us to be. This reflection is about learning that the greatest assignments aren't…

Reflections: The lessons along the way.

Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s a quiet nod from a player who finally…

The Game is Simple. The Pressure Isn’t.

At first, they played for the joy. Then, we added pressure. What if we…

Choose Love: The Theory, The Journey, The Commitment

Love has been my safe place, my teacher, my strength.

I’m passionate about teaching & growing the game I love.

Welcome to the world of transformation, growth, and empowerment with Coach Audrey Taylor! Here,…

The Road to Chicago

Hey, let’s talk about something truly special—my incredible squad tearing it up on the…

The Lady Behind the Photo

Embrace your passion, own your strength, and defy the stereotypes.

Inspire. Believe. Lead.

I BELIEVE I’m here to teach the game of basketball and that will never…

Building EDGE: Why I Could No Longer Coach the Way Everyone Else Was

There comes a moment when you realize you're no longer called to improve the…

Lacing Up for 2026: I Couldn’t Help But Wonder…

2025 was a masterclass in the quiet stuff. After a long, slow yoga flow,…

My Best Rival Became My Best Mentor

I spent twelve years on the opposite sideline from the legendary Coach Mary Klinger,…

While the Community Celebrated, I Was Learning to Breathe Again

Life doesn’t always wait for you to be ready. Grief, loss, setbacks—they show up…

Personal Reflections
February 1, 2025

Choose Love: The Theory, The Journey, The Commitment

Every year, I choose a word or phrase to anchor my spiritual and emotional growth. Last year, it was Intentionality—prioritizing what fuels my growth, sharpening my focus, and ensuring that everything I poured into had a purpose.

Athlete Spotlight
February 5, 2025

Athlete Spotlight: Lexi Carnegie

The court had always been Lexi Carnegie’s sanctuary, her space to shine. But when a knee injury during her sophomore season threatened to derail her basketball dreams, she found herself in uncharted territory. What could have been the end of her journey instead became a powerful story of resilience, determination, and self-belief. Just months before her injury, Lexi had led her AAU team to a 15U Nike National Championship, catching the attention of top Division I programs. The future looked bright, but in an instant, it all felt uncertain. Would she be able to return to the game she loved? Could she ever play at the same level? Lexi admits the doubts crept in, but she refused to let them win. Trusting the Process “In order to prepare myself to be back on the court, it was extremely important for me to recognize all of the work I put in within physical therapy and in the gym,” Lexi shares. “I needed to trust the process, and myself, to know that going into the season, I was not a step behind. This also allowed me to realize that my knee was ready, so I didn’t need to second-guess myself.” Recovery wasn’t,...

Culture
August 2, 2024

Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing

They say, “they wish more could be like me.” “Think like me,” because I keep the main thing, the main thing. Well, there are many more like me if you are looking for it. I come from a place of confidence, fulfillment, spiritually connected to my purpose. I appreciate the journey that I traveled to get here. I’ve been able to appreciate ALL of my blessings, big and small. As a young lady, living through a tough time, I’ve grown to value and appreciate the little things in life. The small gestures, energy transferred through a high-five, hug, or words exchanged of gratitude & appreciation. I’m able to pour that into the youth and always be intentional with their experience. Keeping the main thing, the main thing is simply knowing your purpose & main reason for doing what you do. To sit on the sideline and coach young teenagers who come from all different experiences of coaching & life, it takes an intentful focus and determination to teach the game I love the correct way. I never get caught up in the accolades, expectations of others and the external celebration of success. Through the process of teaching the game, I’m,...

Culture
April 17, 2025

I Hate to Lose, But I Love to Grow

There’s this thing I do after every tournament. I sit in silence for a few minutes. I let the gym noise fade, the sound of sneakers squeaking and parents shouting turn to stillness. And in that quiet, I begin the replay. Not the film. Not yet. The mental one. I go through every moment—every timeout, every sub, every play call. I pick it apart like a coach should. But sometimes, I go too far. I forget the part where I’m human. I forget to choose love… for me. This past weekend we went 2-2. Our first game was a true test—aggressive team, fast pace. We had a slow start, but we fought back and took the win. I saw heart in them. Grit. The kind that makes you pause and remember why you love coaching. Second game? Same slow start, stronger finish, but not enough. Turnovers and lack of rebounding cost us. Sunday came. First game—easier, but useful. Everybody got in. Everybody touched the ball. Confidence reset. It’s what we needed before the storm. And then came the last game. The one that sticks to your ribs. The one you think about all week. Winnable? Absolutely. Lost? Yes. But what,...

Culture, Personal Reflections
June 30, 2025

While the Community Celebrated, I Was Learning to Breathe Again

I’ve never really spoken about this out loud. I’ve carried it quietly. Prayed through it. Worked through it. And in some ways, I’m still working through it. But I believe it’s time. I remember the season my life turned sideways, the world kept spinning — but I stood still. It started August 2018.My father passed away.He was my guy. My sideline presence. The man who never missed a game, even if he was running between two homes and juggling his own life. I used to look for him in the bleachers before every tip-off — and he was always there. Always cheering, even on my worst days. That’s the way he loved me. But life didn’t slow down. Basketball fall league had started, and I leaned in, because the gym was always my safe haven. We started the season, set our goal to get back to Tournament of Champions and win. We were deep in the middle of the season. My girls were focused, determined, still nursing the sting of the previous year’s loss in the TOC finals. We set high standards in practices, treated every game like it was win or go home— but then the tragic loss of,...

- Build the EDGE, Coaching philosophy, Culture, Legacy
- July 20, 2026
Building EDGE: Why I Could No Longer Coach the Way Everyone Else Was

There are moments when God places something on your heart that won’t let you go.No matter how busy you become. No matter how many people tell you, “This is just how it’s always been.” You can’t ignore it. The EDGE was born from one of those moments. It wasn’t because I wanted to build another basketball program.The world already has enough programs. It was because I kept asking myself the same question after practices, games, and conversations with parents:“Are we really preparing young people for life, or are we simply preparing them for the next game?” The more I coached, the more I noticed something that troubled me. Our athletes were becoming more connected than ever through social media, yet many had never felt more alone. They were chasing rankings before relationships.Exposure before development.Recognition before responsibility. The pressure to keep up had become louder than the joy of simply learning the game. Some families were traveling across the country every weekend searching for the “right opportunity,” while others quietly stepped away from the game because they simply couldn’t afford to stay in it. The cost of youth sports wasn’t just financial. It was becoming emotional.Mental.Relational. We were asking young athletes,...
- Choose Love, The Assignment
- July 20, 2026
Trust the Process

Some prayers don’t arrive with fireworks.Sometimes they arrive as a quiet whisper that asks you to trust before you can see. I’ve learned that God’s assignments rarely come with all the answers. More often, they come with an invitation to take the next faithful step. If I’m honest, saying “yes” has never been the hard part for me.Living out the “yes” is. There are days when I wish God would hand me the entire blueprint. Show me every turn. Every obstacle. Every victory. Every lesson before I take the first step. Instead, He gives me just enough light for today. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that lately. The last few years have stretched me in ways I never expected. There were moments when I questioned if I had the right mindset. Moments when doors didn’t open. Moments when it felt like everyone else was moving ahead while I was simply trying to remain faithful to what God had placed in front of me. What I’ve come to realize is this: Faith isn’t proven when the path is obvious. Faith is built when you keep walking without needing all the answers. I’ve always believed basketball was bigger than,...
- Culture, Personal Reflections
- July 19, 2026
Reflections: The lessons along the way.

I’ve been reflecting on the past 2 years… I’m pretty sure the eyes watching saw the glory. No one saw the grind, the dissapointments, the sacrifices—but trust me, it’s what brought me to the moments some envie. For years, I thought coaching was about the grind. The sacrifices. The commitment. The next championship. I wore the title of “Coach” like armor —it gave me purpose, it gave me identity. And don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of everything that title has meant in my journey. 2x TOC (tournament of champions) titles, 5x Group 4 titles, nationally ranked program and All-USA Coach of the year— each season taught me something different. But here’s the truth: titles fade. Records get broken. Spotlights move on. And if all you have is your title, what happens when the whistle gets quiet? When I stepped away from high school basketball two years ago, I learned something I didn’t expect. Slowing down didn’t strip me of who I was. It gave me the freedom to see who I really am. I understood I wasn’t only a coach. I was a mentor. A wife. A sister. A creative. A believer. A small-town girl who didn’t get to,...