GETTING TO KNOW: Taylor Robinson

Taylor Robinson closes out her sophomore year at Southern High School in Durham, North Carolina with both momentum and a vision.

While it helps to have a family background in sports, Robinson is not leaning on her family’s name. In fact, she straddles the balance of chasing her own goals while bringing honor to the Robinson name with aplomb.

Being the daughter of Darius Robinson, a former football player at North Carolina Central and the current head coach of the football program at Southern Durham, and the sister of Daria Robinson, a three-year letterwinner for Delaware’s volleyball program, means the Taylor might have a lot to live up to.

She is doing fine. Robinson was a key cog in the Spartans’ success 2017-18 season. Southern Durham finished 19-8 on the campaign, including a 12-2 mark in league play.

Now she is honing her game with the Team Phoenix under-17 squad coached by Delaney Rudd. Her team is gunning for bigs things over the spring and summer, with sights set on competing for titles in both the Nike EYBL Tournament of Champions in Chicago and the Big Shots National Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina both on her radar.

Elite Hoop Report recently spoke with Robinson. She shares her goals, background and advice for young girls among other things.

EHR: Your family has quite a sport-related background, doesn’t it?

Robinson: Yes it does. My mom ran track. My dad played football and he coaches football. My sister played volleyball at Delaware. I definitely want to follow in their footsteps and earn a scholarship one day.

EHR: When the basketball become a thing in your life?

Robinson: Honestly, I didn’t take basketball seriously until the seventh grade. I have been playing at the YMCA since I was three but my first full year of playing AAU was the seventh grade. That is when I began to take it seriously and start to establish goals.

EHR: Are there any players you admire or try to emulate with your game?

Robinson: The player I look up to is Kyrie Irving. I also really like Maya Moore and Candace Parker.

EHR: What do you hope to do if you get a scholarship in terms of study and a future career?

Robinson: I want to be a sports agent, so maybe business as a major. I like the idea of a life involved in sports.

What I really want to do is be like our old AAU coach. He is a sports agent and he has his own AAU team. That is kind of what I want to do.

EHR: What is your message to younger girls that strive to be the best they can on and off the court?

Robinson: Always work hard. Just keep working hard, Hard work beats talent any day. Work hard in whatever you do.