Rocklin pays tribute to coach Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor hasn't been drawing up many out-of-bounds plays lately. Instead, the longtime Rocklin High School boys basketball coach has been making the most of his so-called "retirement" by working part-time at Whitney Oaks Golf Course, rehabbing from knee replacement surgery in December, subbing occasionally on campus, and most importantly, embracing his newest role as a grandfather. On May 10, Taylor and his family welcomed his first grandson, River. "He's brought a new level of joy and love to all of our lives," Taylor said before Friday night's game between Granite Bay and Rocklin, where he was honored in a pregame ceremony celebrating his coaching career. Nearly a year removed from the sideline, there's still one thing he hasn't replaced. "Do I miss coaching? I'd be lying if I said no," Taylor told a packed Thunderdome crowd during his speech. "I miss the games and the competitive atmosphere." That competitive edge fueled one of the most successful coaching careers in Sac-Joaquin Section history. Taylor retired with a 543-288 career record, including a 499-254 mark at Rocklin. His résumé features seven Sierra Foothill League championships, four Sac-Joaquin Section titles and a 2009 NorCal championship. Last season, Taylor celebrated his 500th career win against Granite Bay. Friday night, however, the script flipped as the Grizzlies exacted revenge, edging out a 70-65 victory on the road. "If the season was only four months, I'd probably still be coaching," Taylor said. "But it's not. After last season, I just felt it was the right time to step away." The ceremony drew former players from multiple eras, with members of Rocklin's first Sierra Foothill League championship in attendance as well as some of the stars from last season's section championship squad. One of the most notable players in attendance was Brendan Lane, who was the star of the 2008-09 NorCal championship team. Lane, widely regarded as one of the best players in program history, was a highly touted recruit, ranked No. 69 nationally by ESPN in his class. He went on to play at UCLA and Pepperdine before pursuing a professional career overseas. Friday marked his first time attending a Rocklin basketball game since graduating. "I think it's great," Lane said of the school honoring Taylor. "He's put so much into this community over 30-plus years now. I went through the Little Thunder program as a kid, and he coached me all the way up through high school and supported me well beyond that. So it's really special that we're able to celebrate him here tonight." When asked for his favorite memory with Taylor, Lane didn't hesitate for long. "We had a lot of good memories," he said. "But obviously it has to be winning that NorCal championship." Taylor's coaching influence has inspired the next generation of Rocklin athletics. JJ Barnette, a member of the 2008-09 team that is now the head coach of Rocklin's girls soccer program, said Taylor's influence extends well beyond basketball. "He's put so much time into not even just the school itself, but the boys program," Barnette said. "He built it from the bottom. The passion that he shows and the relationships that he built are things that I've always admired, and I try to carry some of that into my coaching." Barnette said Taylor's leadership style is steady, composed and relationship-driven and that it shaped the way he now leads his own team. "He's been a great leader, good role model," Barnett said. "I'm really thankful that I was able to celebrate tonight, but also continue the tradition of the winning ways." The 2008-09 run remains one of the most memorable stretches in school history. Barnette still remembers the road to the state championship game fondly. "Oh my gosh," he said. "The trips we went on, the competitive games, the crowds were unbelievable. But just building those friendships. I haven't seen Brendan Lane in 15 years, and it's great to see him. That's the impact Coach Taylor's had. He just brings everyone together." That influence even resurfaced during Barnette's own championship moment. Rocklin girls soccer won a section title last year, the same school year Taylor captured his final section crown. Barnette admitted there were moments he leaned on lessons from his former coach. "There are times when you're out there and you've got to motivate your players," Barnett said. "We were up 2-0, it got tied 2-2 going into overtime. Coach Taylor was always calm and composed. That was a time where it was like, we've got to focus. I learned a lot of good things from him." During his speech, Taylor compared his favorite teams to relationships, with his "first love" being the 2001-02 squad that delivered Rocklin's first section championship. The 2008-09 NorCal team took him somewhere he never thought possible. And last season's dramatic one-point section title left a lasting imprint. He laughed about a painful 2007 playoff loss to Jesuit that still lingers in his memory after a mishap with the possession arrow allowed the Marauders to take a late lead at Arco Arena. "Not that I remember that at all," he joked, noting that he was able to settle the score with last year's section final win over Jesuit. The most emotional moment came when Taylor thanked his parents. His father passed away in October, but Taylor said he felt his presence. "If he were here, you'd see a huge smile on his face," Taylor said. He credited his parents for instilling the principles that defined Rocklin basketball — hard work, discipline and doing things the right way. He thanked his wife Jennifer and their children for supporting the long seasons. He proudly introduced his grandson, River, as the newest chapter of his life. "It's not easy to be a Rocklin basketball player," Taylor said with a grin. "I can sometimes be an acquired taste." But that standard is what built Rocklin into a perennial contender and helped shape not just players, but future coaches. When Taylor arrived at Rocklin in 1993, his goal was simple: build a program the school and community could be proud of. The mantra was HST, as he wanted his team to play hard, smart and together. The wins, all 543 of them, tell part of the story. The sight of former players returning, now leaders themselves, tells the rest.