My name is Jacob Taylor, and I am a 8th grade student at ACP Middle School in Gilbert, AZ. I am a part of the graduating class of 2027. I have been playing football for 7 years, starting with flag football at the age of 6 and then moving on to playing tackle QB for the past 2 years.
Football is a sport that I enjoy because it tests your mental toughness and you are part of a brotherhood. Being a quarterback is especially rewarding for me because I am able to be a team leader and hold my teammates to a high standard. In my opinion, a great quarterback should be a leader on and off the field, humble, and smart. My favorite current or retired professional quarterback is Joe Burrow because he has strong form, excellent QB IQ, and swag.
When I’m not in school, at football practice, or training, I like to play soccer with my friends for fun. I have attended several QB camps in the past and have enjoyed competing against other kids and being critiqued at a high level to help my development. My goals for the next six months and the next 12 months are to continue training to improve my technique, begin strength training, continue to study the game of football and become the starting QB for my high school team.
One of my biggest challenges as a quarterback was a growth plate injury in my throwing shoulder that I suffered at the start of 2022. I had to stop throwing for 4 months to let the shoulder heal. During this time, I trained hard on my speed and agility as well as my shoulder strength, and came back throwing stronger than ever. My pre-game routine includes taking a cold shower to invigorate me and then listening to music to get me in the right frame of mind. My advice to young quarterbacks who are just starting out is to develop their mechanics by working simultaneously with different coaches who all contribute to your development, work out their arm and shoulder muscles regularly, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. My training routine during the off-season includes playing on 7v7 teams and going to multiple trainers every week.