It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Sports Coaching Review Editorial Board member, Dr William (Bill) Taylor. He died suddenly recently, whilst cycling with a friend across America. Many of you would no doubt be aware of Bill’s contribution to the sports coaching field as author, pedagogue and practitioner. Although he was all of these things without doubt, he was also much more; a back-stage driving force behind much of the critical coaching agenda.
I first met Bill following an appointment as an external examiner at Manchester Metropolitan University in the mid-1990s. First impressions? An undoubtedly thorough thinker who definitively stood for “things” (the fact that I also shared many of those “things” made us natural professional allies). Admittedly, administration was not quite his strongest suit (!) as, for Bill, there were far more important things to be concerned about in Higher Education. In many ways, a professional scholarship was a second career for Bill; his first being that of a builder or rather “working the bricks” as he would have it. Notwithstanding some teasing about how could someone so compliant to angles, straight lines and measurements ever become a bone fide critical academic, what that experience had alternatively (and gratefully) grounded in Bill was an earthiness to value relationships and a faithfulness to what he deemed important.
Having somewhat drifted professionally apart when my time at MMU ended, we reignited a personal and professional friendship through the work to establish and develop SCR and, more significantly CRiC (the Cluster for Research into Coaching); an initiative originally driven by Dave Day and Bill at MMU. CRiC conferences held at MMU (in 2011, 2013, 2015), Cardiff Met (2017), Worcester (2019) and Loughborough (2022), respectively, brought together for the first time a community of scholars (and coaches/coach educators) who saw (and see) coaching as a more dynamic, social and complex enterprise than had previously been considered. For many of us, such meetings became not only supportive but also challenging spaces without a need to continually justify what coaching was or was not about. Bill was very much at the forefront of this movement. In addition, he was also instrumental in establishing the Masters in Sports and Exercise Science at MMU; work which further brought to life his passionate critical pedagogical persona.
In addition to producing a considerable body of literature at both Manchester Metropolitan University and more recently at Leeds Beckett (where he held an honorary position), his on-going advocacy of social justice interests both in education and beyond, continued to mark Bill as a person and scholar of considerable sincerity. Where these consistently came to the fore was in his dealings with, and treatment of, early career staff. He noticeably championed their cause; for Bill, it was just the right thing to do. In this respect, he refused to be unproblematically obedient to power; a position which further endeared him to many of us who believe that healthy scepticism should be part and parcel of the HE experience (for both staff and students). Similarly, he was also a demanding yet empathetic and concerned supervisor; not only did he care about students, but also about the work generated and the wider field; quality was an expected standard.
From those early days at MMU, he visibly and persuasively championed critical coaching scholarship when it was very much a marginal consideration, being instrumental in bringing such work “in from the cold”. However, not only was he an advocate of the agenda, but rather actively embodied it. In many ways then, he served as a conscience for Sports Coaching Review (and for CRiC), keeping stated purposes forever present in discussions. Being a believer in the need to “live your words”, Bill was also characteristically active in, and passionate about, Canoe/Kayak coaching and coach education. Away from professional life, Bill lived his adventures; from riding a Harley with Islay on Route 66, sea kayaking in far distant waters, to rafting rapids in Siberia. The consistent strand of not docilly and unproblematically toeing an official line was evident in all his domains. I always found that strand in him admirable. I do not think he could do it any other way (even if he wanted to). He certainly walked the talk.
Bill was a popular, deeply respected figure, a critical and humanistic pedagogue, insightful colleague, firm friend, and benevolent mentor to many associated with SCR, and the wider sport coaching community. His death is a profound loss at both personal and professional levels to many of us. He will be sorely missed. Deepest condolences naturally extend to Islay, his family and friends at this sad time. We will all miss you Bill, in so many ways.
Robyn Jones (with thanks for insightful comments from Alex Consterdine)