CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville High’s Taylor Howell has made program history, becoming one of the first Lady Wildcat wrestlers to earn a scholarship and compete at the collegiate level.
“It’s a feeling like no other and I’m constantly wanting to be on the mat,” Howell said. “It’s so meaningful to me because it shows that even as a first-year wrestler you can accomplish anything if you put the work in.”
Howell will attend Campbellsville University in the fall.
“When I went there to visit, I knew that’s where I wanted to go because I loved everything about the team,” Howell said of her decision. “They were really welcoming and the campus was the perfect size.”
In 2019-20 under the leadership of their head coach Lee Miracle and assistant coach Paulina Biega, the Lady Tigers captured their second WCWA National Championship in school history.
“They’ve been really helpful,” Howell said of the coaching staff. “I haven’t had very much experience in freestyle, so Coach Paulina has been sending me video of some drills to help me get more comfortable before I get there.”
In her final Lady Wildcat campaign, Howell wrestled at 125 pounds and capped off her high school career with a state tournament runner-up finish.
“My main influence throughout the season was my assistant coach Sonia Smith,” Howell said. “I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without her. I didn’t even know that I could wrestle in college and she’s bent over backwards to make sure that I was able to practice and go live. Kirk Landon, Sharrock Cobb and Tommy Badon the boy’s coach, were also really helpful. He (Badon) actually coached my brother and knew I wanted to wrestle, but I just wasn’t able to start until my senior year.”
Howell may have just one year of wrestling under her belt, but intense competition on the mats is anything but new to her.
“I’ve done Jiu-Jitsu since I was five, but really this was my first year wrestling,” Howell said. “They’re both physical sports and you have to be aggressive. My dad actually coached me in martial arts and has always been there to help me practice. There are some bad habits that come with it. Obviously in wrestling you never want to be on your back and in Jiu-Jitsu that’s where some people are most comfortable. It was just a little bit different having to switch gears.”
Fortunately for Howell, her current training regiment hasn’t been affected much, as she prepares to make the leap to collegiate wrestling.
“I’ve kind of kept the same routine,” Howell said. “I lift early in the mornings and I condition in the afternoons. My mom is a personal trainer, so she also helps me work out and keep my schedule together.”
Howell has decided that she will major in Nursing while at Campbellsville University.
“I think it’s definitely what I’ll be doing,” Howell said. “I want to get my Master’s Degree and specialize in Pediatric Oncology. When I was younger I had a friend who had cancer, so that’s kind of the reasoning why I want to pursue that.”
Howell’s Lady Wildcat teammate and classmate Kaevon Burney will also continue her athletic and academic career when she joins the Umpqua RiverHawk women’s wrestling program this upcoming season.
“No matter how physically and mentally demanding wrestling is, the process is so addicting,” Howell said. “I want every girl that wrestles to be as passionate about the sport as I am and to know that if they put their heart to it, they can make it to the collegiate level and beyond.”