University of North Carolina Athletics
Taylor Day and Coleman Scott
GoHeels Exclusive: A Special Kind Of Care
December 15, 2018 | Wrestling, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
The first time Taylor Day fractured his back, he was just 11 years old, about two years into his wrestling career.
That injury led to others, and he'd sit out a few weeks each year. He'd even miss two seasons in high school. No matter how long he was sidelined, though, he always returned. And upon graduating from Carrboro High in June of 2017, a few months after helping the Jaguars to their first wrestling state title, he enrolled at North Carolina, with plans of joining the wrestling team.
But following his pre-participation physical exam, doctors told Day they couldn't clear him to step on the mat for the Tar Heels. The risk of him further damaging his back was just too high.
"It just kind of stopped there," said Day of his wrestling career.
Coleman Scott was aware of the possibility that Day wouldn't receive medical clearance. After all, he's known Day and his family since 2008, when he started serving as Day's Little League coach in Stillwater, Okla. But Scott didn't expect Day to never wrestle at UNC.
Day isn't the first wrestler whose career ended because of an injury during Scott's time as Carolina's head coach. And as he's done with the others, Scott immediately met with Day to discuss how he could stay involved with the team.
Ultimately, that conversation helped lead to Day becoming the Tar Heels' manager, a role he held last season and has maintained this year. But he's regarded as much more.
"He's comfortable with us and the staff and knows what we need and want and is great at being a teammate, a friend, everything," Scott said. "And that's what you've gotta have; you've gotta have people around you who care about you."
Developing a bond
Before their relationship began, Day's first interactions with Scott came from attending Scott's dual meets at Oklahoma State, where he was a four-time All-American from 2004-08.
After capping his college career by winning the 2008 NCAA title at 133 pounds, Scott stayed in Stillwater and trained. He also helped run the OSU kids club. Around that same time, Day and his family moved from Waurika, Okla., to Stillwater. And Scott became Day's coach.
It didn't take long for Scott to form a bond with not just Day, but his entire family, including his father, Scott Day.
"His dad mentored me, helped me through a lot," Scott said. "Right out of college, you struggle with certain things, especially when I was training. I didn't have really a job; I just wrestled. So, (it helped) bouncing a lot of things off his dad, who is a very successful business guy. … He'd been through a lot, ups and downs, and knew what it was about. So, it was great to have that."
Similarly, Day found a role model in Scott. But his coach's wrestling accomplishments weren't all that inspired Day.
"It was really seeing Coleman's character on the mat," Day said. "He has something to brag about. But he doesn't. He's one of those people who can talk to anyone no matter how good of a wrestler they are, or if they've never even won a match. He's just a people person."
As Scott continued wrestling at a national and international level, Day's family supported him. His mother, Stacy, and sister, Cassidy, often babysat Scott's daughter, Leighton. Day and other family members even attended the London Olympics in 2012, when Scott won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at 60 kg.
Two years later, Scott and his family left Stillwater for Chapel Hill, where he became an assistant coach. He was then named head coach before the 2015 season.
Scott stayed in touch with the Days from more than 1,100 miles away. And before his senior year of high school in 2016, Day joined Scott here. His family rented a house in Carrboro for 10 months, allowing him to train nearby before enrolling at UNC.
"He's the kind of guy you want to surround yourself with, especially with the coaching staff here," Day said. "They all have that similar value set that we connected with the first time. And I knew he wouldn't just care about what I did on the mat, but he'd care about what I did off the mat, as well."
Perhaps even more than he initially thought.
'Part of the team'
At first, Scott wasn't sure how Day might fill the void created by not being medically cleared to wrestle. But as last season progressed and the team started traveling more, Scott saw how much Day enjoyed being at the matches and assisting his teammates.
His position as manager came naturally.
"Before, if I wasn't injured, I'd be training for a national title, I'd be doing whatever I could be doing to the best of my ability," Day said. "Now, I'm kind of restricted, but I'm still trying to help out the team in whatever way possible."
Among his primary responsibilities, Day helps lead the team Bible study and films the matches. He also purchases groceries before the latter and sets up a table that his teammates flock to for food and drinks after weigh-ins.
Tournaments and dual meets require different foods. He's learned that and developed a system that expedites his grocery store trips. A few frequent purchases are fruit snacks, bagels and lunch meats. Mayonnaise isn't. He doesn't buy it because assistant coach Tony Ramos says it's bad for the wrestlers. Still, that doesn't keep some of Day's teammates from constantly asking for it.
Scott said he doesn't mind if Day purchases mayonnaise or not. He just hopes Day gets the necessities. At this point, he doesn't expect anything less.
"I never ask him, 'Hey, did you get this?'" Scott said. "No, it's done. For me, that's the best thing, when you have people you can trust and just expect it's being done and it's done."
"We can't do what we want to do without him and the team …" he added. "It's not a manager role; that's his title, but he's part of the team. Ask anybody. Taylor's always with us. If they need anything, I can tell you who they're calling – Taylor."
Scott also knows if he and his wife, Jessica, ever need a babysitter, they can call Day. Likewise, Day understands he can go to Scott's house if he needs anything. And when Day's father is in town, the three of them can likely be found eating at their go-to restaurant, Spicy 9.
Anywhere else, Day might've struggled to move on from his wrestling career as seamlessly as he has. But not here, not with Scott.
"It would be a totally different experience if I didn't have people who actually care about my situation, not just if I could start or not," Day said. "They really care about my actual health and well-being. They care about me as a person."
And that's what you've gotta have.
Â
The first time Taylor Day fractured his back, he was just 11 years old, about two years into his wrestling career.
That injury led to others, and he'd sit out a few weeks each year. He'd even miss two seasons in high school. No matter how long he was sidelined, though, he always returned. And upon graduating from Carrboro High in June of 2017, a few months after helping the Jaguars to their first wrestling state title, he enrolled at North Carolina, with plans of joining the wrestling team.
But following his pre-participation physical exam, doctors told Day they couldn't clear him to step on the mat for the Tar Heels. The risk of him further damaging his back was just too high.
"It just kind of stopped there," said Day of his wrestling career.
Coleman Scott was aware of the possibility that Day wouldn't receive medical clearance. After all, he's known Day and his family since 2008, when he started serving as Day's Little League coach in Stillwater, Okla. But Scott didn't expect Day to never wrestle at UNC.
Day isn't the first wrestler whose career ended because of an injury during Scott's time as Carolina's head coach. And as he's done with the others, Scott immediately met with Day to discuss how he could stay involved with the team.
Ultimately, that conversation helped lead to Day becoming the Tar Heels' manager, a role he held last season and has maintained this year. But he's regarded as much more.
"He's comfortable with us and the staff and knows what we need and want and is great at being a teammate, a friend, everything," Scott said. "And that's what you've gotta have; you've gotta have people around you who care about you."
Developing a bond
Before their relationship began, Day's first interactions with Scott came from attending Scott's dual meets at Oklahoma State, where he was a four-time All-American from 2004-08.
After capping his college career by winning the 2008 NCAA title at 133 pounds, Scott stayed in Stillwater and trained. He also helped run the OSU kids club. Around that same time, Day and his family moved from Waurika, Okla., to Stillwater. And Scott became Day's coach.
It didn't take long for Scott to form a bond with not just Day, but his entire family, including his father, Scott Day.
"His dad mentored me, helped me through a lot," Scott said. "Right out of college, you struggle with certain things, especially when I was training. I didn't have really a job; I just wrestled. So, (it helped) bouncing a lot of things off his dad, who is a very successful business guy. … He'd been through a lot, ups and downs, and knew what it was about. So, it was great to have that."
Similarly, Day found a role model in Scott. But his coach's wrestling accomplishments weren't all that inspired Day.
"It was really seeing Coleman's character on the mat," Day said. "He has something to brag about. But he doesn't. He's one of those people who can talk to anyone no matter how good of a wrestler they are, or if they've never even won a match. He's just a people person."
As Scott continued wrestling at a national and international level, Day's family supported him. His mother, Stacy, and sister, Cassidy, often babysat Scott's daughter, Leighton. Day and other family members even attended the London Olympics in 2012, when Scott won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at 60 kg.
Two years later, Scott and his family left Stillwater for Chapel Hill, where he became an assistant coach. He was then named head coach before the 2015 season.
Scott stayed in touch with the Days from more than 1,100 miles away. And before his senior year of high school in 2016, Day joined Scott here. His family rented a house in Carrboro for 10 months, allowing him to train nearby before enrolling at UNC.
"He's the kind of guy you want to surround yourself with, especially with the coaching staff here," Day said. "They all have that similar value set that we connected with the first time. And I knew he wouldn't just care about what I did on the mat, but he'd care about what I did off the mat, as well."
Perhaps even more than he initially thought.
'Part of the team'
At first, Scott wasn't sure how Day might fill the void created by not being medically cleared to wrestle. But as last season progressed and the team started traveling more, Scott saw how much Day enjoyed being at the matches and assisting his teammates.
His position as manager came naturally.
"Before, if I wasn't injured, I'd be training for a national title, I'd be doing whatever I could be doing to the best of my ability," Day said. "Now, I'm kind of restricted, but I'm still trying to help out the team in whatever way possible."
Among his primary responsibilities, Day helps lead the team Bible study and films the matches. He also purchases groceries before the latter and sets up a table that his teammates flock to for food and drinks after weigh-ins.
Tournaments and dual meets require different foods. He's learned that and developed a system that expedites his grocery store trips. A few frequent purchases are fruit snacks, bagels and lunch meats. Mayonnaise isn't. He doesn't buy it because assistant coach Tony Ramos says it's bad for the wrestlers. Still, that doesn't keep some of Day's teammates from constantly asking for it.
Scott said he doesn't mind if Day purchases mayonnaise or not. He just hopes Day gets the necessities. At this point, he doesn't expect anything less.
"I never ask him, 'Hey, did you get this?'" Scott said. "No, it's done. For me, that's the best thing, when you have people you can trust and just expect it's being done and it's done."
"We can't do what we want to do without him and the team …" he added. "It's not a manager role; that's his title, but he's part of the team. Ask anybody. Taylor's always with us. If they need anything, I can tell you who they're calling – Taylor."
Scott also knows if he and his wife, Jessica, ever need a babysitter, they can call Day. Likewise, Day understands he can go to Scott's house if he needs anything. And when Day's father is in town, the three of them can likely be found eating at their go-to restaurant, Spicy 9.
Anywhere else, Day might've struggled to move on from his wrestling career as seamlessly as he has. But not here, not with Scott.
"It would be a totally different experience if I didn't have people who actually care about my situation, not just if I could start or not," Day said. "They really care about my actual health and well-being. They care about me as a person."
And that's what you've gotta have.
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