GILBERT, AZ — Students, staff and the East Valley are mourning the loss of a beloved high school basketball coach who made a big difference in his community and the lives of his students.
Mesquite High School assistant basketball coach Michael Taylor, or better known as Coach Mike, was killed in a car crash on Interstate 10 near Dysart Road early Monday morning.
“Just shocking and realization that nothing lasts forever. He was a good friend, and now he's gone. It was hard,” said Jake Hammond, a freshman student Taylor coached.
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Young lives have continually been changed in the Mesquite High School gym. But in the days following Taylor’s death, it felt empty without him.
Some of the students he coached didn’t go to school following the news. His colleagues continue to mourn his loss as they try to help his family with the funeral.
“You can tell ball wasn't life. It was bigger to him. It's about pouring into a lot of these kids and not only become better players but make them better people, and also us, too,” James Ward, his friend, fellow basketball coach and teacher said, choking up. “Also, making us better people, too.”
Through the sadness, there are still sweet memories of Taylor they’ll hold onto forever.
“Coach Mike would buy donuts for the whole program and every single practice, he says, ‘Save me a donut, guys.’ Every single Saturday,” Aydin Rauschel, a sophomore student of his.
While there are many different moments they remember of Taylor’s, one of their favorites was when he did a signature dance of his after winning a game.
“We were down ten points at halftime against a rival school, Gilbert High School,” Rauschel explained. “We get motivated in the locker room at half time, and we go in and we win the game. That was the only time we did [the dance] the whole season. It’s his signature thing. And he did it that one game.”
“It was just hilarious, and it was just realization, I'm really going to miss him. He was one of us, really,” Hammond said.
Taylor was on his way to change more lives, set to become a head basketball coach for a charter program.
“That's what makes this so hard. Because the future was very, very bright for this young man and he's just a shining star that was cut short, unfortunately,” Ward said.
Taylor had also started his own organization to coach more young athletes over the years called Taylor Made Elite, which his family now plans to turn into an annual scholarship foundation to help athletes afford travel for basketball.
“Lead your life like he did. To leave an impression,” Ward said. “The biggest thing I looked at about Mike and I, we talk to our kids about this is that we’re really here on this earth to touch others’ lives. I want people to know that Mike definitely touched others’ lives. Young and old. If we can all capture a little bit of that essence, we’ll be in a better place here on earth.”
His Mesquite High family created a GoFundMe to help with Taylor’s family with funeral expenses. Taylor’s service was held Saturday.
Principal and head coach Shawn Lynch sent a statement:
“Coach Mike was a good man. He gave of himself to others and had a positive impact on our players, parents and staff. He will be missed greatly.”
Gilbert Public Schools also issued a statement:
“Coach Mike joined our Mesquite High coaching staff in 2021 and was truly great with our kids. The impact he made on our students and the Mesquite High basketball program as a whole was both positive and significant. He will be greatly missed by our students, families, and staff.”
