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Chase Taylor at bat in an HPU game. Image By HPU team manager Cricket Pera
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Chase Taylor (right) with teammate Skyler Agnew. Image By HPU team manager Cricket Pera
Chase Taylor, a student-athlete committed to engineering studies and baseball, followed his passions to HPU. While working towards his dream career and following his athletic ambitions, he’s found the key to perfect balance throughout busy schedules. Not only that, but he’s also sought out Hawaiian culture and made long-lasting memories. All the while, he never forgets the support and love of his family. Taylor reflected on his time and journey to HPU.
Coming from a baseball family, Taylor has been playing the sport since he was just three years old. Fast forward 20 years, and he’s still playing the sport he loves for the HPU baseball team. When he got an offer to play baseball in Hawaiʻi, it seemed like a no-brainer. “So, I was actually very excited once I got the opportunity to come play here. I had never been to Hawaiʻi. This was my first time coming out.”
Chase Taylor signing baseballs at the HPU Youth Baseball Clinic. Image By Haydon Huff .
Taylor had always wanted to visit Hawaiʻi, especially with his family, who had a closer connection to the island than he had realized. “My family has always wanted to come on vacation here because my parents actually got engaged on Waikiki Beach. That's where my dad proposed to my mom, which is kind of a cool thing. When we first got out here, they showed me where it had happened, and that was a really cool experience.”
Through playing baseball at HPU, Taylor has been able to meet new people. His teammates have been supportive and encouraging of one another, even acting as a brotherhood. From beach workouts, arriving to practices early, or defending teammates on the field, Taylor has made close connections and unforgettable memories. He even learned to bodysurf from a few of his teammates who grew up around the beach. “Coming from Utah, there’s no ocean at all, so I’ve been able to learn a lot about the culture from these guys that live by it every day,” he shared.
Playing as one of HPU’s catchers last season, he’s been able to play first baseman this year. As the team has played more doubleheaders this season, Taylor has been able to stay in the lineup more, playing every game, and getting to practice his hitting. “Normally, when you're playing college baseball, you have your position, and you stick to that spot. So, it's been really exciting to be able to play a couple of different positions. It's something that doesn't happen too often.”
At HPU, Taylor has enjoyed playing the sport he loves and exploring more of his future goals through his engineering major. “I've always wanted to be an engineer, which is something that HPU was also able to offer me,” he shared. Throughout his college career, Taylor has learned to master time management skills: balancing practices, games, academics, and exploring all that Hawaiʻi has to offer. “I think a huge positive that HPU has that some of the other schools don’t is the classroom sizes. The two engineering classes I'm in this semester have about 10 to 15 people in them, which is nice because I'm able to get access to the teachers. And if I need extra help, I'm able to do that. In my digital hardware class right now, we get to design and create a project, so it’s hands-on, and it’s been fun so far to work on that creatively.”
Chase Taylor (right) with teammates Cooper Donlin and Daniel Johnson at HPU's First Pitch Pa'ina. Image By Chase Taylor .
While his friends and teammates have been there to support him through it all, Taylor has stayed connected to the people he values most: his family. His dad, a baseball player throughout his life, has been around to encourage and coach Taylor, ultimately helping him to discover his love for the game. “My mom has been such a blessing in my life,” he shared. “There have been times when I've been pretty hard on myself for my performance and stuff in baseball, and my mom's always been there to tell me that I’m doing better than I think or point out the positives. She's always been super supportive of me and able to help me out, not only with baseball but with everything else.” On top of that, he can count on the support of his grandparents. They make it to every game they can, with his grandpa bringing his camera for photos and his grandma, whose whistle can be heard throughout the stands as she cheers him on.
Through the support of his friends, teammates, coaches, and family, Chase Taylor has been able to play the game he loves while studying for his dream career. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity I've had to play here at HPU and for them to put some faith in me, to be able to come in and be a part of this program.”
