Kerry Taylor, who reversed the fortunes of a woeful program at Scottsdale Arcadia High and helped build the program at San Tan Charter, was named football coach and athletic director at Sequoia Pathway Academy on Thursday.
This past year, Sequoia Pathway went 5-5, dropping three of its first four games before winning four of its final six. Taylor replaces coach Donnie Margerum, who resigned.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to elevate Pathway’s football and athletic programs,” Taylor said. “I look forward to incorporating my degree and experience to work with Pathway students, coaches and leadership team to ensure that every student has the best opportunity to be successful in their academics and chosen sports.”
Taylor, who turned 34 on Feb. 20, begins his football coaching duties on March 1 and his athletic director role on July 1.
“Coach Taylor brings a wealth of leadership, organizational and coaching experience to the many scholar athletes who choose Sequoia Pathway Academy for their high school education,” said Rehema Stephens, principal of the school. “We look forward to building character in the lives of each scholar athlete as we build on the rich tradition of those who preceded them.”
Taylor was a wide receiver at prep powerhouse Chandler Hamilton High and in college at Arizona State. He had stints in the NFL with several teams, including the Arizona Cardinals.
This past year, Taylor was in an internship program with the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He coached at San Tan Charter for two seasons, 2020 and 2021, improving from 3-5 to 5-5. The team went 7-4 last year on the base Taylor had built.
Before that at Arcadia, where the Titans were on a 16-game skid when he arrived in 2018, Taylor’s team won its first five games and finished 6-4. It followed with another 6-4 mark in 2019.
